On the road again graduates

[rayraykay]

Thank you skyesmom. I appreciate it.

Hugs to you. How are you?

 

[skyesmom]

all good here, just wrapping up a really important project and honestly i can't wait for that 2014 to come so we can finally ttc!

 

[Topanga053]

Ray- you look ADORABLE!!! That is an absolutely perfect bump and you are just glowing!

Starry- OMG I can't believe you're almost in second tri!! And as for weight gain, I've already gained 21 pounds (and have 2.5 months to go), so my doctors are telling me to cut it back a bit. Lol but I'm not eating ANY more than usual and I'm hungry! I figure although I'm gaining a lot, it's all belly... nothing is showing anywhere else yet and if I'm hungry, then I'm hungry!

I will try to post a bump pic later this week when I'm on a computer. So excited to really be showing, although it makes dressing for court MUCH harder!!

 

[Starry Night]

Aw, I'm sorry your doctor is getting after you already, Topanga. To me 21 pounds sounds like a dream weight gain amount. I gained about 60 pounds with DS. I did have a nurse scold me once as I went up 10 pounds between visits (before that my weight gain had been normal). There was no looking back after that. And I had lost 10 pounds in first tri that time.

Finding good maternity clothes at a good price is virtually impossible. I don't know what I'd do if I had to work while pregnant. Most maternity stores around here pretty much only sell business casual and dressy styles. But it's pretty much $80 for a blouse. When I was working I remember the pregnant girls in the office would wear the same outfit day in and day out. Now I know why. lol

skyesmom - the New Year is fast approaching. I hope 2014 brings you your rainbow baby.

 

[Left wonderin]

Hi Topanga and Starry !!! Wow STarry where did the first tri go ????????? I'm so happy for you as for weight gain I have no clue what I've put on , guess ill find out tommrow at hospital visit !! Don't think its too much as I haven't really loved food throughout the pregnancy so far mostly eat cause I know I have to not cause I want to ( so so unlike me ) although I have not gone off cream cakes I loooooooooove them lol ...

 

[Starry Night]

Left - so how far along are you now? I'm trying to remember your due date. Both you and Topanga are due in February, right? I hope I have gotten that right! Red is due in April, I'm in May and Iluvmyhusband is, um....July? And both Cary and Skyesmom are in with a chance for a 2014 baby. I believe!!

Anyways, I"m still in a happy state of shock that I made it this far. I'm still nervous and am anxious for my 16 week appointment to hear that precious heart beat again. but I am finally allowing myself to look ahead. I'm actually anticipating my 20 week scan whereas before I didn't even let myself think about it. I'm still worried about any possible gender disappointment if my baby is a boy but I'll have the rest of the pregnancy to get excited about it. We even have a name. Luke Bradley. hee hee It took us an entire drive to city to hammer that one out but I like it. For a girl we are going with Hannah Faith. We had tossed around Sophia and Morgan as middle names as those are the middle names we gave to our angels we believe to be girls. But Faith really means something special to me too. I tried to think of something as meaningful for a boy's name but didn't really like those sorts of names this time around.

I still really want a girl though. I know I need to let it go and I am trying to do that already. I am so grateful to be here.

 

[RedWylder]

Anchor, I love the 100% honest updates. Keep them coming. I love hearing about what's it's like for a new mom. Is it completely surreal or did your 9 month journey prepare you for the reality of having a baby. I still can't picture myself in that position. Half the time I'm still convinced I'm going to miscarry this LO. But then I realize I'm only 6 weeks away from V-day and I just have to make it a little longer. I think I can, I think I can.

Ray- I can't believe you're so close as well! So many of my TTC buddies are now at the end of their journey and it's so humbling to remember where we began. The struggles and friends we've met along the way have been life changing. And by the way you look perfect. I'll share a few photos since you shared yours.

First is me at 17 weeks- starting to get a bump!
https://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr25/lbkaiser/photo3_zpsc57bf353.jpg

Next is me at 18 weeks- looks about the same. I feel like I'm at a standstill.
https://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr25/lbkaiser/photo1_zps7fbf88d5.jpg

And last is my new delivery gown from Pretty Pushers. No hospital gown for me! I'm gonna birth this baby in style.
https://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr25/lbkaiser/photo2_zpsaca032aa.jpg

As for my update: I'm 18 weeks 5 days. My anatomy scan is 1 wk and 1 day away and I CANNOT WAIT!!!! I am dying to know what I'm having. I thought I felt movement a while back but haven't really had anything but gas since so I'm still waiting on my first confirmed baby movement. I have persistent nerve pain in my lower right back. It's especially bad when I wake up making it hard to walk. By the end of the day I usually don't notice it much but I suspect this is only going to get worse. I've also been working on my registry a bit. I think I've got my crib and a few other key items picked out. If the anatomy scan goes well, we'll start purchasing things. That's about it for now!

 

[Starry Night]

If you go by the placenta theory then this one is a girl but I take all these online theories (nub, skull, chinese predictor, etc) with a huge grain of salt.

And I'm being so lazy! We're going to a Grey Cup party today for which I made a dessert. Double Brownies. Yum. A layer of chocolate brownie with a layer of butterscotch brownies all topped with caramel icing. That has all been made but I still need to do the chocolate drizzle on top. All I have to do is melt some chocolate chips and drizzle it on top. But I feel too tired and don't want to do it. but I should as we leave in just over an hour and it needs time to harden.

PS. The Grey Cup is Canada's version of the SuperBowl. I know nothing about football but I love any excuse to get out of the house. And I need to take my anti-nausea pill before I go. I can go without it for the most part but you never know when my nausea is going to strike...which is still sometimes does.

EDIT:

RED - you look awesome! I love you teeny little bump. Those are the kind of bumps I want. And you really are going to push in style. I didn't even know you could get those. I would totally be doing a fashion show for the nurses in that (probably because they'd be laughing at me and then, well, you have no choice but to hamm it up).

I'll post a bump photo on Thursday in celebration of officially reaching second tri.

 

[Left wonderin]

Starry me and Topanga are due the same date I think ???? ill be 29 weeks on Tuesday please God x

Loving both your boy and girl name

 

[Left wonderin]

Red your bump is soooo cute and I'm loving the delivery dress !! I must pop a pic or two of my current bump up tommrow !

 

[RedWylder]

Thanks guys! I know I'll appreciate being smaller later when I have an obvious bump but I'm sick of people telling me I don't even look pregnant. Dammit I'm almost halfway there. I should look pregnant. haha As for the gown, it was $22 at a local retailer but you can find them on Amazon for around 30. You guys should totally get one too so we'll all be styling! They are made to be disposable (come with a matching headband), they have ties in the front for fetal monitors, quick ties around the neck for immediate skin to skin contact, and a very low back for epidural access. The designers have really done a nice job with them.

 

[Topanga053]

Yup, Left and I are the same. Due 2/11/14.

Red- I have the same problem!! I'm almost 29 weeks and you can tell I'm pregnant, but people think I'm about 20 weeks! At 18 weeks, I don't think strangers could tell.

 

[Topanga053]

As promised, here's my latest bump photo. This was at 28 weeks exactly.

(And obviously I need to clean that mirror!)

[URL=https://s927.photobucket.com/user/darcyamitchell/media/1453439_764764883234_1046357279_n_zps6a3a2a19.jpg.html][IMG]https://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad119/darcyamitchell/1453439_764764883234_1046357279_n_zps6a3a2a19.jpg[/URL][/IMG]

 

[RedWylder]

You look beautiful and your bump is adorbs.

 

[anchor08]

Oof, I did way too much today, no nap, and I'm seriously regretting it now. The good news -- we went to the orthopedic surgeon for a check on the hips and both are still in joint, so it looks like the harness is working. We have an appointment for a sonogram next Monday to get a precise look and measurements and if that confirms that everything's in place, it will only be six more weeks to hold it there.

 

[rayraykay]

anchor- Glad to hear baby girl's hips look good! I hope the sonogram goes well. How crazy to be getting a sonogram of your little one when she's out and not inside of you!!!

Red- CUTE pics! I love the nightgown! I plan on just bringing nursing friendly nightgowns and PJs to the hospital... I suppose I will just give birth in whatever they give me... but dang that is so cute! There is still time for me to order one.. hmm..

Topanga! You look fantastic! That's about how big I was at 28 weeks, I don't think you look too small at all. I think you look perfect!

 

[rayraykay]

skyesmom- I am also looking forward to the new year. I always do. I can't wait until you can TTC again.

Left- can't wait to see the bump!

Starry- hmmm.... I wonderrrrr if you're gonna have a girl or a boy.... hmmmm hmmm hmmm... I will make a guess when I start to feel one way or the other.

Red- my money is on boy ( I think....) ... cant wait to find out for sure!!!

 

[Starry Night]

Topanga - you look lovely! I think you have a nice bump and it's obvious it's baby and not weight gain. I can assure you that getting very big is super uncomfortable and gets you lots and lots of stares when you go into public. lol Lots of pitying looks too from the moms in the crowd.

anchor - I am glad the harness is doing it's job and it looks like your LO won't have to wear it for much longer. It's also so tough to gage how much we can do after the baby. Some days you feel awesome and other days not so much. I learned after to DS that sometimes it is better err on the side of caution but then I had a lot of bleeding post partum even with a C-section. If I did do much I'd start clotting again.

afm - I haven't actually 'popped' yet but I am starting to feel huge. *sighs* And we were out all afternoon doing some grocery shopping and other errands and now I'm cramping like crazy. I know it's just my body complaining but it's still nerve-wracking.

 

[Starry Night]

OK...it's not Thursday...but here I go...don't laugh, please....ha ha

 

[rayraykay]

Starry you look fantastic!! So cute!!!!