Random thoughts...

This pregnancy brain is all over the place so here are some things that have been going on lately.

I’m 32 weeks now and Baby J measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.75 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. I'm gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. He/she now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth. There is a lot of movement going on these days and I know it’s a sign of an active, healthy baby!

How am I feeling??? I have my days where I’m just dragging in the afternoon. But I’m staying committed to the gym and going twice a week and that helps me to feel better and energized. I know I have to “spend” energy to get more energy!

I’ve started having a few headaches recently, but nothing to worry about because they are not like the migraines I was getting in the first trimester. They feel like tension headaches so I will continue enjoying my 3-4 baths a week along with massage ☺

Sleep has been an issue off and on throughout the pregnancy. Some nights are better than others. Some nights I feel like I’m up every hour visiting the restroom and some nights I wake up with awful leg cramps (not the normal charley horse that runs down the back of your calf, but it’s on the side and it’s difficult to get that muscle to release). Then some nights I can sleep about 3-4 hours straight and those are the good nights! I know that all of this is God’s way of preparing me for those sleepless nights!!

Bending over is becoming a chore and just normal breathing is becoming a little more difficult. I can tell that Baby J is growing fast and everything inside of me is being pushed upward. Other than that, I really am feeling great and I’m enjoying each day. Baby J is getting bigger and moving around quite a bit. It’s such an amazing feeling!

I belong to an online fitness group and there are a few preggos on there. Kate was due March 4th and had baby Joshua on Tuesday, Feb 17 – about 2 weeks early. I have to say that finding out that great news made me realize that I don’t have long to go and Baby J may come early and all of this is becoming very REAL!!

I’ve mentioned before that we’re having a shower at my mom’s house on Feb 28 and I’m very excited. I’m most excited about having friends and family celebrate such a special occasion that it feels like it’s taken a lifetime for. It makes me think of my wedding day and one of the most magical feelings from that day was when my brother walked me down the aisle and I looked at all the people and realized they were there to celebrate our wedding day…to celebrate us! I felt so much love and gratitude for everyone that had come to share that day with me and Benny. I think this day will be just as magical. Yes, get out the tissues because I'm bound to shed a few tears that day! Crying is a daily event now (I just love my hormones!!).

On a much lighter note...I found out the tour dates of one of my favorite bands and I'm so happy they'll be in FL later this year. The Dave Matthews Band will be in West Palm Beach on August 15 and I’ll be there (thanks for getting tix Monica)!! I’ve already started planning how I’m going to do this since Baby J will be 4 months old and I’m hoping to be nursing. I think I have a plan and if I need advice I know Sarah will help me out :) And in case Benny wants a break, I've already lined up a babysitter...Grandma!

And I'll end on a celebratory note...I passed the first portion of my Wellness Coaching Certification exam this weekend. I feel such a weight lifted. I should have taken this exam last year, but once I got the news that we were expecting I couldn't study!! Are you kidding?!? If you know me well you know that I love to research and learn about health topics and what could be more important than diving into all the pregnancy books and learning about what my body is experiencing. But I had to get back to my studies and it paid off. I have two more portions of the exam process that will be completed this week and I'll be a Certified Wellness Coach. I'm so excited!

Lots of Love,
Christy, Benny, and Baby J

30 down...10 to go!

I'm 30 weeks this week...only 10 more to go! I know I've said it before, but this pregnancy seems to have been going by so fast. I think it's because we had almost 2 months of going out of town for the holidays and vacation. I'm now counting down the weeks instead of counting up.

I had a follow up appt today and now I get to start going every 2 weeks for the follow ups. I'm so thankful that everything is still going well and I'm feeling great overall. I've started getting tired again and I'm not sleeping all that well so it makes for some really long days. I've been getting pretty grumpy some days and the little things can really get under my skin! Thank goodness for great friends (Monica and Stephanie) that lend a listening ear...they just let me vent and cry when I need to :) And I do try to keep a smile on my face so no one really knows how I'm feeling!

Today was the dreaded day that I started looking for daycare. Ugh...I did not enjoy it at all!! Now we'll have to start making some serious decisions on who will keep Baby J. Unfortunately there aren't that many providers that take infants here in Palm Coast.

I'm still in the nesting phase and I think Benny has joined me! We spent last Saturday cleaning out the garage. We pulled everything out and reorganized and got rid of a lot of junk. People were driving by and pulling over because they thought we were having a garage sale! We're working on the inside now and will start the baby's room very soon...gotta get that crib put together!

This weekend we'll be celebrating Valentine's Day and our 12th wedding anniversary. It's the last celebrations for just the two of us. We're planning a "babymoon" mid-March to a bed and breakfast. It will be our final trip together before Baby J arrives.

We have a baby shower on Saturday, February 28 at my mom's house. I'm really excited!!

Here are a couple of pictures to show my progress.

At 12 weeks I "thought" I was showing!!

At 30 weeks I really am showing!!

Lots of Love,
Christy, Benny, and Baby J

Pregalicious!

I'm 28 weeks this week and the baby is weighing a little over 2 lbs and is measuring almost 15 inches long. I've made it to the 3rd trimester and I have to say that this pregnancy has been so good to me. I haven't been sick (just a little nausea in the beginning), I've gained very little weight, and my skin and nails have never looked better! I could go on and on, but you get the picture. I can't believe it's so close to being over and at the same time just beginning!

I am getting a little uncomfortable with bending over trying to tie my shoes, shave my legs, and getting up from very comfy sofas and chairs. Benny has been a big help and always gives me a hand when he sees that I'm starting to struggle. He was so awesome in Park City watching my every step in the snow/ice and getting on and off the bus. My family was awesome too with getting me a chair when we had to wait in long lines and also helping me with finding an empty seat on the bus. I've learned that I don't like having any special treatment unless I absolutely need it!

Some days Baby J is very active...especially after I've had lots of sugar! I had my glucose tolerance test recently. 50 grams of glucose in 5 minutes...I had a sugar crash and Baby J had a sugar high. Not only could I feel the kicks, but could see them through my sweater! And while on vacation we celebrated my birthday with my favorite cake, German chocolate....yum!! Baby J had a dance party in my belly :) Sometimes I feel kicks and sometimes it feels like karate chops. Makes me wonder what's going on in there, but it always puts a smile on my face.

I'm going through a major nesting phase and it's making me a little crazy. I want to clean, organize, improve things around the house, work on the nursery, etc. I have to put all of that on hold until after Feb 21 when I take my Wellness Coach Certification exam. So until then, I'm making a long list of honey do's. At least we've finished the registries at Target and Babies 'R' Us...one item down and many more to go!

I have one more monthly OB check and then I start going every 2 weeks. I'm looking into birthing classes (looking forward to this) and starting to look for daycare (I'm dreading this!!). I ordered a Hypnobirthing book and CD today and I'm looking forward to reading and practicing pain control techniques. I guess we are in the homestretch now!

I hope to start posting more. We have not been home on a weekend since December 6th!! We went to Tampa to visit my FIL, Biloxi over Christmas to visit my MIL, Orange Park over New Year's to visit my family, back to Tampa to visit friends and my FIL, and just returned from a wonderful vacation to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival. It's been a crazy time for us and we are looking forward to slowing down and getting back into our routines. I will post some Christmas and vacation pics soon.

Lots of Love,
Christy, Benny, & Baby J

Happy Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving, and Merry Christmas

In November we celebrated birthdays for Benny, Sarah, and Kyle. We went to Orlando mid-November and celebrated with Benny & Sarah. And we got to celebrate Kyle's b-day over Thanksgiving.

We had a great time visiting with family and friends we haven't seen in a long time. I'm posting some pics of the celebrations along with some cute pics of Gabi, Kennedy, Piper, and Phoebe.

Gabi using Aunt Christy's velcro rollers

Kennedy using the rollers as binoculars
Aarrrgghhh...our little pirate!
Meow...our little kitty cat

Happy Birthday Benny & Sarah...making birthday wishes
Piper & Phoebe
Kyle making his b-day wishes

Uncle Kyle and Kennedy

Go Gators!! Uncle Kyle got hooked up with all kinds of Gator gear

Benny & Kyle enjoying some Wii boxing

Kyle & Benny...Go Big Orange and Blue

Are you ready for Christmas? I don't think we are, but we have no choice in the matter! We are going to Tampa this weekend to visit Benny's father to celebrate a little early. And we leave on Dec 24th to fly to Biloxi to visit Benny's mom during Christmas. We'll get to visit my family in Orange Park after the New Year. It's a busy season!! I hope everyone is taking some time to enjoy this special time of year.

Time flies when you're pregnant!

I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going by. It feels just like yesterday when I found out the great news. I'm 20 weeks now...1/2 way there. A couple of weeks ago I had my last ultrasound and we didn't find out the sex. Here are a few pics of Baby J.

This baby has Benny's long legs :)

Baby's first foot print

I've been MIA!

I know, I know…I’ve been neglecting my blogging duties lately! I’ve been busy and the internet at home has been down due to us making room for baby :) We have been making Benny’s office into “our” office so that my office can become the nursery. We’re making progress and I’m seeing potential for the new room in the house.

We’ve also been busy with training. We both got a certificate to become Independent Marketing Consultants for Palace Builders. They build Certified Green homes that are hurricane and tornado resistant. If you know anyone looking to build a healthy, green home in north Florida let us know.

I’ve also been working weekly with a coaching buddy practicing my Wellness Coaching skills so I can get my certification before the end of the year. I finished my training in February and had several practice clients, but now I’m studying and planning for the certification exam.

I’ve been having more migraines – they’ve been weekly and they are rough! I was able to get my medicine changed. They don’t go away completely, but the new medicine really helps to take the edge off and I am able to function and work. Good news though, since I’ve changed my medicine I’ve only had to use it twice and it’s been a week since I’ve had a migraine. Maybe now that I’m in my second trimester the hormones are settling down. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I changed doctors and I’m lovin’ my new practitioner. There wasn’t anything wrong with my first doctor; I just didn’t think she was a good fit for me. I chose a midwife because I think she’ll be more in line with my beliefs. We went for our first visit this week and she’s a great fit for me. I know I’ll be happy with my change (especially since she recommended monthly massages…woohoo!!).

Everything is going great with my pregnancy. I’m healthy, the baby’s heart sounds good, I haven’t gained any weight although my body is changing and I’m wearing some maternity clothes now for comfort. I’m planning on upping my exercise this week now that I’m feeling better and have more energy. I even got permission to start jogging again so I’m looking forward to that.

We go back in 3 weeks (my 18th week) for the last ultrasound. I’m still not planning on finding out what we are having, although I have been wavering on this decision lately. It will be a mystery on who I’m carrying these 9 months and how exciting it will be to hear “It’s a healthy ______”!

We get to change the clocks this weekend. We “fall” back one hour and I’m so thankful to get an extra hour of sleep!! Happy Fall to everyone!

How are you feeling?

I must get this question 10 times a day, but it doesn't bug me like it did in the beginning :) I am appreciating the care/concern people are showing me.

I'm actually feeling pretty good now. I think I'm over the little bit of morning sickness I had and I think I'm starting to get my energy back. I don't feel like I absolutely have to have a nap in the afternoon. I'm still having trouble sleeping so I'm tired in the morning, but it's not as bad as it was a couple of weeks ago.

I got another migraine Monday night and stayed home Tuesday. I took Tylenol - I don't know why...it doesn't help me, but I feel better in trying to make it go away. I also applied an ice pack every few hours. The ice seems to work better than anything. That and a great massage from Benny!

We had an ultrasound today and got some great views of Baby J. What an active little baby already!! I'm sure I'll be feeling him/her in a couple of months. We also got to hear the heartbeat. The great news is everything is looking normal...we were thrilled to hear that.

I took a picture on Sunday to mark the beginning of my 12th week. I'm starting to get a little bump :) I'll start posting some pics next month when I'm showing a bit more.