new nursery theme.

So I went and TOTALLY changed my mind about our nursery/bedding choice. I really liked the "Daniella" choice (shown in the last post below). I feel like I settled on it though, and it was the only one I liked at the store. After searching online for HOURS for crib bedding sets, I found the most BEAUTIFUL damask print nursery set. I'm truly in love this time :)



It also has matching wallpaper I'm going to get. I think I will paint her room the light pink color. I can't wait until she is here!!

22-25 weeks

I'm going to stop doing weekly posts, because not much happens in a week with me OR the development of the baby at this point. Basically, she is just getting bigger and bigger!

I wish I had more interesting things to write, but we did have some exciting things happen the past 3(ish) weeks.

-Last night we went and registered at Babies R Us! It was the funnest thing I've probably ever done! I was so surprised we were done in less than 2 hours. The list of things you need for a baby is quite overwhelming, but I think we listed everything we need.



We finally agreed on a crib bedding set & accessories-I'm pretty in love, it's so elegant and I love the dusty rose pink color, instead of the typical baby pink. This is what our nursery should look somewhat, just imagine it with a white crib!



-I finally broke 120 pounds! Yay. That's a first in my life, lol.

-Steve's cousin Ronda gave us her kids old pack n' play, a jogging stroller, little kid potties, a diaper genie, & plenty of other goodies and must haves. It's so nice knowing so many people that are done having kids :) Thanks Ronda!

-We've done pretty well about not splurging on baby stuff, but every now and then I'll see a really cute bow or flower and I'll snatch it up.

-Doctors appts have been going well but uneventful, no ultrasounds or fun stuff. Just a quick tummy measurement, urine sample, weighing, blood pressure, and done! No news is always good news however :)

-I may have had my first braxton hicks contraction. I felt a really strong tightening in my abdomen that lasted for a few seconds, then it went away. It happened a few times that day, and sometimes were so painful I had to go lay down. Thank goodness I wasn't at work!

-I think that's all for the past few weeks. My bump is getting quite big, I have some pictures that I will post on here, I will try when I get home from work!

{twenty one weeks}

Hey Aubs,

I officially am the worst baby blogger ever! I have to catch up on 2 weeks, and tomorrow I'll be 23 weeks. Oh well! Happy 21 weeks! You are so big, roughly 10.5 inches! That's almost the length of a ruler. Too crazy. You gulp several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, your taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. I'm quite health conscious, I try to eat mostly whole foods, and not so much stuff out of boxes filled with preservatives. Hopefully you are liking the taste of whole foods, cause that's what you'll be getting growing up! I also learned something shocking this week: Formula's #1 ingredient is CORN SYRUP. Terrible! I barely have the stuff myself. People at the grocery store probably think I'm nuts cause I read every label on every item I pick up! Anyways, my 6-month goal of breastfeeding might just be changed to 12 months after knowing this yucky fact.

So far you've gotten quite a few goodies: Grandma got you your crib, (the cute white one from my post a while back), mom and dad got your car seat, EVERYONE has gotten clothes for you, and grandma also spoiled ME with that adorable diaper bag that I've been drooling over. Your Aunt Sarah has been quite generous and has given you lots of hand me downs from your cousin Grace, and even a changing table! Your room is filling up! Oh, and we also got this amazing leather rocker that is so comfy. That was dad's idea of course. He will probably be in it more than I will! Our next big baby expense will probably be the breast pump, it's pretty much set in stone I'll be working 3 days a week so I will need a good one! The one I want is $300, is it weird to ask for a pump for Christmas? Haha, oh how life changes. :)

Well, little girl, I love feeling your kicks and movements, mostly in the morning and night when I lay on my side. Daddy has yet to feel you, but he's not very patient! Give him a kick in the head next time he lays on my lap, will you?

Love,

Mom

{TWENTY WEEKS!!}

Ohh Aubrey,

20 weeks down. 20 weeks to go. Can this be so? Are we really half way there? Am I really going to meet you in 4 and a half short months? I am SO THRILLED that we are at this milestone. Whenever someone asks how far along I am, I just LOVE saying "Half way done!" SO much better than still being in the "teens".

This week you are the size of a CANTALOUPE. That is...gigantic. Makes me wonder where the rest of my internal organs have gone to make room for you! You are beginning to grow permanent teeth behind your baby teeth. Another milestone: Your genitals have fully formed by this week. :)

Your daddy and I celebrated this week with some favorite things: Dinner, chocolate/white chocolate covered strawberries, and sparking cider in pretty glasses. We are so thrilled to celebrate ANYTHING to do with you!

You had your anatomy ultrasound this past week, and no worries, you are STILL a beautiful little girl. The doctor said all your measurements and weight are text-book perfect! We are so grateful you are developing normally.

We DID, however, have a scare this week. I switched doctors, and my first appt was just looking over my medical records, when my doctor noticed something strange. I have A-negative type blood. (Kind of rare, roughly 10% of Americans have RH-negative..) After you have a miscarriage, you are to get what's called a "Rhogam shot" to prevent RH-incompatibility in your future children, which I had about a week after I miscarried. No biggie right?

Well, he noticed that on my second blood/antibody screening (back in July), I showed a positive result to RH-positive antibodies, which basically means my body could ATTACK my baby's blood if they were to ever mix. (Way to go, Kaiser, for letting me know!) He said if I took another blood test, and it still showed positive antibodies, I would be a high risk pregnancy, and my baby would have to have blood transfusions and all this scary stuff! I would also be sent to a specialist, and possibly would have to have a C-section, pre-term labor, etc! So he ordered the test right away and it came back.....NEGATIVE! Everything is good, and he thinks the Rhogam shot just took a while to work last time. So we're okay, and I'm just a normal pregnancy lady again :) Phew.

Also good news: I found out I don't have gestational diabetes! Woohoo!

Now here's some stats for you, I copied the questions from another baby blog:

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Five whole pounds. My doctor said I'll probably gain less than 20 pounds total, because of my extremely high metabolism. He said it's no biggie, since the baby is growing perfectly. Yay!

How Big is the Baby: The size of a cantaloupe. Humongous, really!

Gender: Princess, angel, GIRL!

Maternity Clothes: Nope, the only thing I can't really fit in is pencil skirts, since they are tight on the waist. Jeans are still ok, but some I have to tie a rubberband around the button.

Best Moment of the Week: Finding out I'm NOT a high risk pregnancy, and I don't have gestational diabetes! Yay!

Stretch Marks: None, please please stay that way? haha.

Movement: Yes, I think she is going to be a little dancer like her mama. I LOVE feeling her move, and it feels nothing like I thought. I never felt the "flutters" or "bubbles", I straight up just started to feel someone moving and turning in me!

Sleep: Just fine all night long..usually in bed and asleep by 10!

What I miss: having an attractive waistline? haha. I don't know, maybe diet coke and cold turkey sandwiches. :(

What I am looking forward to: Meeting my darling Aubrey, my 3-d ultrasound, baby showers, etc!

Symptoms: None really anymore besides my growing belly, and lightheaded-ness.

Food Cravings: candy :)

Belly Button: Still an inny! But starting to surface..

Signs of Labor: Noo, thank goodness!!

{nineteen weeks}

Holy moly you are getting old. This week, a stranger finally recognized I was pregnant. I was excited for this day to come! I was at Steve's work selling gatorade and candy bars at the door, and a lady said "You are having a baby, aren't you?" I smiled really big and said, "So you can tell??" And she said "Definitely". Yay! That made my whole day :)

You have grown so much this week. You are now covered in vernix, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (gross!) that shields you from the amniotic fluid. Youa re very much in tune with your surroundings, too. You can taste the food I eat, touch the umbilical cord and membrane that surrounds you, and sense my emotions. I will do my best to think happy thoughts and continue doing prenatal pilates to keep us both calm and balanced!

I love you so much and can't wait to see how our lives change once you arrive.

All the love in the world,

Mama

{eighteen weeks}

Dear Aubrey,

I guess I'll start calling you your name. Believe it or not, your daddy came up with this lovely name. This was way back when we were dating, and he just said one day "I want to name our baby Aubrey when we have a girl". I loved it instantly, and every since then, (about 5-6 years ago), that's been your name! Your middle name will be Jane, which I picked myself. I love how it's old fashioned and elegant. You aren't named after anyone or anything, we could never find a family name that we both liked. Sorry guys! :/ But we love your name, and that's what counts. It's special and yours.

This week you are 18 weeks old. So close to the half way point. I plan on celebrating big time on your "hump day", at 20 weeks. I'm thinking white chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling cider, at a park or something, really late at night with your daddy. We like to do romantic things like we're still kids in high school. :)

You are quite mobile these days. NOT that I have felt you yet, but apparently you pass the hours by yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. Your ears are now facing forward and are completely formed, so you can hear me. Your sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing all all developing.

Feel free to give me a little punch or kick this week okay? Don't be shy! If you are anything like your mama, you will be dancing around like crazy the moment you can walk. I can't wait to take you to your first mommy and me ballet class. I'm looking forward to so many experiences with you, although daddy thinks you are going to be a WNBA player. I think not!

Love,

Mom

**Thanks for everyone's feedback about breastfeeding by the way!**

{seventeen weeks}

Love Bucket,

Weeks are flying by and you are getting so OLD! You are roughly the size of an onion--over 5 inches long from crown to rump. This week your unique fingerprints develop. That's a pretty exciting milestone because you are beginning to become your own little person in there. I can't wait to get to know you.

I have been feeling really good lately. Not sick, as long as I keep on eating, I have a little more energy than usual, I'm able to get out of bed without rolling out of it like a mommy zombie, and overall I just feel like a normal person. I was wondering if I'd ever feel that way again! Don't get me wrong, I don't look like I used to! I've only gained about 4 pounds, and it's all belly! People can't really tell I'm pregnant probably, but I'm starting to look like it I think. I hope. :)

A lot of people ask me if I'm scared of labor. But right now, I'm honestly not! I'm sure I will be later once it's closer, I tend to not get nervous about things until I'm right there in the situation. But you know what I am terrified of for some reason?




BREASTFEEDING!


Haha, it sounds so silly to be so scared of it. But it's a big goal of mine I want to achieve-and I've known so many that have given up fast on it because it was too hard, or their milk didn't come in, or stuff like that. I will do everything I can to keep with it! I know it's the best thing I can feed Aubrey and I want that mother-baby bond that goes with it. I just know it's very hard for new moms. Plus I might be working a few days a week, and I will have to pump or something on my lunch breaks. Terrifying! And let me tell you, I will NOT be one of those moms that pop their boob out in public. I will have my dainty little hooter hider (like the adorable mom shown above) Anyways, just some thoughts. What are your thoughts on nursing? Is it as hard as it looks? Is it worth it to stick with it? Do you not like nursing, and prefer formula? What about nursing/formula combo? Tell me everything! I love hearing from moms.

Thanks,

Lisa~