Dressing the Bump Week 30

It's now been 30 weeks! According to my baby app she's the size of a canteloup or butternut squash (Secret, I don't really like either of those food items, but I do like her). Today I am experiencing heartburn for the first time, took me a while to recognize what it was. I'm impressed it's only come up lately. She is growing a lot, so that makes sense. She's definitely taking up more and more stomach space; every big movement of hers is felt soundly. She even, finally, kicked Paul in the face. He was ecstatic. 

Lets see, what else....I have to pee so often it's ridiculous. Like seriously ridiculous. I CRAVE ice cream in ways I never have before. I would say I have 6 Blizzards a year normally, and now I'm lucky if I can keep it to only 2-3 a week. Oh ice cream. Finally I'm no longer disgusted by Zucchini and Broccoli, so I've been able to reintroduce those foods to our meals. Paul is very very happy to have Zucchini back - he missed it greatly. That's usually a staple in our house. I still love eggs for breakfast. It started with 2 eggs every single day, scrambled, and now it's 3 eggs each day. I don't get hungry until lunch (around 11:30 most days) with eggs. If I have yogurt in the morning I just feel gross. 

I often feel like a caricature of a pregnant lady. When I wait to long to use the washroom, then on the walk there I walk in the classic pregnancy pose, belly out, arm on back. I can't keep my hands off my belly, I just want to feel her moving and respond to her movements. I love holding my belly and knowing she's in there. Sitting down or standing up involves a moment of effort and some noise and I feel like a cartoon pregnant person. It's funny how naturally these stereotypes come.

Menu Plan, January 27th

Menu Plan Monday with Laura at Org Junkie

Dressing the Bump Week 29

Last night we had week 2 of prenatal classes through Douglas College. We meet at Richmond General Hospital and our teacher is Sandy Lopez. She really is fabulous. Each class I have left feeling more prepared for this whole labour thing. So much of my thoughts usually resolve around baby, that it's helpful to have a guide for how to think and what to think about. Last night we talked about labour and I'm feeling nervous, of course, but also reassured that I can do it. That millions of women have done it before me, and many more will afterwards. That is a certainty that feels reassuring. 

I've been doing a lot of nursery dreaming and planning, I'll be writing up a post with my ideas. We can decorate the room as of March - currently we have a student in there. The student in that room is actually now staying through March, but she'll move to Paul's office for the month so that we can set up the Nursery. Since baby girl Morgan could come anytime from midMarch onwards (or even before, who knows!) having the room set up as soon as possible seems super helpful. Already we've been given or lent tons of stuff, and it's just sitting in Paul's office for now. I look forward to putting it all in it's home! My goal is to have the room fully set up by the end of the first week of March, and to have my hospital bag ready (with a list of last minute things to grab) by the end of February. My baby shower is February 21st, so that means I'll have most things I need for the room and for her arrival by then! 

Mexican Baby Shower: Nacho Libre

I love throwing baby showers for friends - it is so fun and so exciting to get to bless someone and throw a party that is excellent and shows you something of their personality. One of my best friends, Ana, had a baby yesterday (He's totally perfect) and in early December we threw her a shower to celebrate his coming. What a wonderful time it was to bless Ana who loves others so well, and to bring her different friends together - from church and family, to her past and present colleagues. It was a really fun and diverse group. 

Ana is my party planning bestie - we throw parties together for other people so I knew this party had to be just as fabulous. Thankfully her other close friends are awesome: her mom and sister joined our team, as well as Rebecca, Sarah, Irene, Lindsay and Hanne. AND on top of that 4 of her coworkers showed up 2 hours early to help us set up, and I don't know what we would have done without them. 

Menu Plan Monday, January 19th

Menu Plan Monday with Laura at Org Junkie

I have been out sick for the past week+. I mean OUT. I missed every day of work last week except for 1, and even then I could have easily slept through that entire day also. I have tried to do a whole lot of nothing - my students and Paul made dinners and lunches all week and I rested, trying to keep myself and baby happy. I was pretty miserable all week - it wasn't a regular kind of cold, but a kick you while you're down sort of sickness so it mostly took everything in me to keep going each day. I had some weepy moments as I wasn't able to sleep more than an hour at time for the entire week - whether it was the sore throat of the early sickness, or the congested head of the latter. I felt like a wimp, but man it was bad. When I finally made it (hacking and coughing) into work on Thursday I learned that half of my office had been out with the same thing, so that made me feel less pathetic. It wasn't just me that found it bad, but it was bad for everyone. So there's that. Finally I'm back to 80% so I'm at work and doing life, with just a mild cold now. 

Dressing the Bump & further pregnant thoughts

Blogging while pregnant has been interesting to me. I find myself less motivated. Once I get through all the things I have to do in life at home and work, it's hard to have much steam left for one more thing, even if it is one of the things that I love doing. BUT today I was feeling inspired, so here we are!

I have so enjoyed getting dressed while pregnant. Even at the beginning when I wasn't showing at all, it felt extra special for some reason knowing I was getting dressed to cover myself and another human! For the first 3-4 months I wasn't showing at all. It's only really been since early/mid November that a bump has been emerging (which was around the 19/20 week mark), though even at that stage it was pretty easy to hide if I had wanted to. I'm currently at 27 weeks and 4 days (woot) and there is now not really any hiding it, though in person, if I'm wearing all black and you see me head on, there's no real certainty that there is a bump there. 

I am finding that I made a few errors in my Maternity clothes shopping. I've somehow ended up with mostly sweaters and sweater dresses which is hilarious as I rarely wear sweaters in regular life as I'm usually too hot as it is, let alone when growing a tiny heat producing human. So I'm boiling at work most days. I'll most likely need to add some work appropriate tops soonish especially as we march on towards spring! 

I'm usually torn between wanting to get wear out of my maternity clothes, and stretch my regular clothes wardrobe to last. I don't want to actually stretch out my regular clothes though, since I like them and want them to fit afterwards. Often I'll do a mix of the two types of clothes in the week. I can get away with some lace tops as they don't seem to stretch out, and am trying to be creative with my choices. 

Menu Plan Monday, January 5th

Menu Plan Monday with Laura at Org Junkie

Upcoming week: 

Monday: Costco Easy Deli Option

Monday is back to the grind day. We are swinging by Costco on our way home from work and hopefully I will be in bed by 9pm tonight! We'll see if that happens.

Tuesday: Spaghetti & Meatballs

Tuesday is Lifegroup and Spaghetti & Meatballs are easy to make! I will do Spaghetti Squash for those of us with food issues (one non wheat, one no gluten and one needing healthy choices due to pregnancy). 

Wednesday: Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken
Wednesday is our student Xiao's birthday so I'll be making an asian dish in honor of her! and Crockpot is a necessity during the week days! Over the evening I will have Trader Joes Italian Meatball Soup cooking in preparation to give some to a friend with a new baby and to serve on Saturday.

Thursday: Crockpot Cheesy Potato Soup

Thursday we're visiting a friend and her new baby, so this crockpot soup will help get us out the door on time. We'll be taking a portion of the soup to give the most likely, tired parents!

Friday: Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops, roasted vegetables & potatoes
Friday we will have people over, I think, still nailing down the details. So I've planned a nice meal in case.

Saturday: Trader Joes Italian Meatball Soup
Saturday is a friends 60th birthday, so I'll be pulling this soup out in the late afternoon to help tide people over.

Sunday: Melt in your Mouth Chicken with baked rice & veggies
Sunday we have church at 5:30. This meal cooks in an hour and a half which means it's perfect to put in the oven right before we leave and eat afterwards!