32 Weeks!

How far along? 32 weeks! Baby Rivera is 18 inches from head to toe, and a little over 3 1/2 pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? Still around 18 pounds.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Seems like everyone around me has a cold, and I feel like I might be getting one too. I still feel functional, but very fatigued. My contractions are still coming daily, but they irregular and feel no different then they have been feeling over the past several weeks.

Clothing? Everything is getting a little more snug, but I am making it work. I really don’t want to buy more maternity clothes. I just noticed this week that my shoes are getting snug as well. I have heard that some women’s feet grow during pregnancy, but I am not sure if that is what is happening to me. I am more convinced I am just swollen, and hopefully that will go away after I have her.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? I wish I could say that all of a sudden I am sleeping great, but that would be a lie. Sleep is still not good. I have good nights and bad nights. I am hoping in a few weeks when I go on maternity leave I can get my body back into a normal routine; sleeping at night and being awake during the day.

Movement? She is meeting her kick counts everyday!

Cravings? I decided I wanted to try baking for Christmas, so I whipped up some banana bread and some Chai spice bread. I am pretty obsessed with both of them! They came out great.

Gender? I am getting more anxious to meet this little girl.

What I miss? I miss eating large portions of food. Actually I should say I miss eating regular size portions of food. With my growing uterus comes a smaller stomach that can only hold probably less then a fist size portion of food. This really sucks during the holidays when I want to devour everything in site, but I can’t. The minute I eat a little too much, I feel like vomiting for the next several hours. Boo!

Upcoming Events? I wish I could say John and I have big New Years plans, but unfortunately we will both be celebrating the New Year at work. This week will probably be pretty uneventful.

Best moment of the week? Painting the baby’s room and finally getting some of the furniture in it. Next project……the crib.

31 Weeks!

How far along? 31 weeks! Baby Rivera is 18 inches from head to toe, and a little over 3 pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? 18 pounds!

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Besides being tired, I feel decent. I still have heartburn frequently, but eating smaller meals through the day helps. The contractions have eased up a bit from a week ago, so I am thrilled about that.

Clothing? I did find a new pair of pants this week, and I am still happy to report that I have not gotten anything with a full maternity panel! I find wearing everything under my belly is still quite comfortable. My scrubs are definitely getting tight, but I am making due with what I have.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? So sleep is horrible. I can’t believe with how tired I am that I can’t sleep for longer than 4 hours! It really sucks.

Movement? This little girl is a dancing queen. I love every big and small movement she makes. I felt hiccups for the first time too!

Cravings? I love Cuties (clementines). They are delicious.

Gender? We were lucky enough to do the 4D ultrasound this week and once again she had her legs spread eagle for everyone to see her lady parts. She really has no shame.

What I miss? I miss getting a good nights sleep and having the energy to keep up with my friends. It is hard to get excited about all the birthday, Christmas, and Holiday celebrations going on. I find myself spending a lot of time alone because I am too exhausted to do anything. Pregnancy can be very isolating.

Upcoming Events? I am seeing my doctor every 2 weeks now, so I have another OB appt. this week and then, of course, I am looking forward to Christmas! I can’t wait to celebrate with all of my friends and family.

Best moment of the week? Seeing my daughter on the 4D ultrasound. She is perfect, and I find myself constantly looking at her picture. I am anxious to hold her and kiss her sweet little lips.

30 Weeks!

How far along? 30 weeks! Baby Rivera is 17 inches from head to toe, and a little over 3 pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? 16 pounds according to my Doctor’s scale.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Definitely feeling tired. The extra weight is taking its toll. I am still contracting irregularly throughout the day, but I was reassured at my doctors appointment this week that they are not doing anything to my cervix. Yay!

Clothing? I can’t wait to buy post baby clothes. I am getting bored with stretchy pants, and I haven’t put on a pair of jeans in months.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? I am still sleeping in 2-4 intervals. I find myself waking up in the middle of the night, wide awake with nothing to do. Sometimes a light snack helps me fall back asleep. Naps during the day really help!

Movement? Big movements. She is very lively at night.

Cravings? Loving the holiday Eggnog!!

Gender? Still a girl according to my Doctor. Whenever I get an ultrasound done, this little girl is always spread eagle. She has no shame.

What I miss? I miss having energy. The holidays are my favorite time of year and I wish I had the extra energy to go to all the fun holiday events around the city. I also miss wearing high heels. I try, but my feet hurt and I am finding it more difficult to stand in the them for more than an hour.

Upcoming Events? Christmas shopping and hopefully painting the baby’s room. I am hoping to complete it within the next few weeks.

Best moment of the week? Definitely my 30 week OB appointment was a highlight. We did an ultrasound and my little girl is thriving. It was also nice to hear that my contractions are harmless and not effecting the baby or my cervix. Good news! John also took some really cute little holiday photos of my belly so I will post one of those as my picture for the week. More to come.

29 Weeks!

How far along? 29 weeks! Baby Rivera is now roughly 17 inches from head to toe, and nearly 3 pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? Somewhere between 16-17 pounds depending on the day.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Feeling more contractions than usual over the past few days. I have had to take it easy because of that. The discomfort is getting worse, especially after I have a meal, and the continued heartburn makes me nauseous all the time. Now I am done complaining.

Clothing? I am still wearing elastic waist items under my belly and a lot of camisoles with sweaters. I am really into layering right now.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? I am still not sleeping well. I am used to it now. I feel like I am learning to sleep like my baby might sleep, in 2-4 hour intervals.

Movement? Oh she is a moving, sometimes non-stop for several hours. I love feeling her movements. They are not painful and this point, yet.

Cravings? Nothing new. I can barely eat a big meal anymore due to the lack of space in my stomach. I snack more than anything now.

Gender? I am getting more and more anxious to meet this little girl.

What I miss? Now I really miss being comfortable. It sucks having to take it easy and having to be so cautious of what I am doing in fear that I will induce even more contractions. Being a couch potato is my new hobby. Good thing it is Christmas time and I can watch Christmas movies all day long.

Upcoming Events? Another OB appt. this week followed by their Christmas party which is always fun. John and I are hoping to get some maternity photos done this weekend as well.

Best moment of the week? We had an awesome week filled with Holiday festivities, including a gingerbread house building party and a stroll through Balboa Park for December nights. I just love this time of year!

Thanksgiving and Holiday Festivities!

I can't deny that the holidays are my favorite time of year. We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year and decided to prepare two turkeys instead of one. John's oven baked turkey is AMAZING, and I look forward to devouring it every year. I would have been content with just that, but he wanted to challenge himself and fry a turkey as well. Both turkeys were a huge hit! We filled the rest of our table with Thanksgiving classics and I even prepared a slow-cooked apple eggnog bread pudding. We had a great time with our friends and family. After a few days of letting the food settle, we headed out to pick up our Christmas tree and spent the evening decorating. The house feels so festive. And there is no better way to kick off the holiday season other than an old fashion gingerbread building house competition. We spent over 3 hours getting sticky while lathering up cookie homes with mounds of frosting and candy. There was no apparent winner in the end because all the homes looked awesome. I can't wait to continue on with all of these traditions next year with my little girl.

28 Weeks!

How far along? 28 weeks! Baby Rivera is now roughly 16 inches from head to toe, and 2 1/2 pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 16 pounds roughly. All of my pregnant friends have told me about the growth spurt (weight spurt) I may experience at some point in my pregnancy, I am pretty sure I hit that growth spurt in the last month.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Feeling pretty good. I still have intense heartburn, but I have accepted it. It is getting a little more challenging getting through my 12 hour shifts, 3 days a week. I am feeling more fatigued and my Braxton Hicks can get intense when I am on my feet for so long. I am trying my best to stay extremely hydrated and to take frequent rest periods when allotted.

Clothing? My scrubs are getting tight…..oh no! I am still enjoying my elastic waist items and still have no desire to wear any full paneled maternity pants (yet). We were lucky enough to have some really nice weather over the weekend, so I was able to throw on some comfy sundresses.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? It is still not great. I can’t get comfortable. I am enjoying naps now more then ever.

Movement? At 28 weeks is when every pregnant woman should start tracking the baby’s kick counts daily. My little girl is passing the kick count test. She is a rockstar.

Cravings? No new cravings. I do enjoy eating though, but mostly on the foods I liked prior to pregnancy. I don’t find myself eating more than I did pre-pregnancy.

Gender? I have a feeling this little princess is going to be a Daddy’s Girl.

What I miss? I still miss being comfortable and having the energy to keep up with John and all my other friends who aren’t pregnant. Most of the time I just want to sleep or watch a movie at home.

Upcoming Events? Work and catching up with a few friends over the weekend. I will hopefully have all the baby shower invitations done and mailed by the end of the week.

Best moment of the week? Turkey Day! John and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house and we had a great time giving thanks with our friends and family present. We had soooooooo much food (including 2 turkeys) and are still working on the leftovers.

27 Weeks!

How far along? 27 weeks! Baby Rivera is now roughly 15 inches from head to toe, and over 2 pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 14 pounds roughly.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Same complaints, different day. The heartburn is still annoying and nothing seems to help. I still have contractions everyday, some are feeling more intense now to the point where I have to stop and sit down. Apparently this is all very normal and part of my body preparing for the real thing in a few more months.

Clothing? Well unfortunately now my scrubs are even getting a little snug. Bummer. I am finally accepting the fact that my clothes just don’t fit the same way anymore and I have to just deal with the fact that I am limited on what I can wear. I did buy a nice dress for the holidays that may be recycled at multiple holiday parties. I still love elastic waist items and still have no desire to wear the pants with the full panel that go over my entire belly.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? It sucks. I don’t think I will ever be comfortable again.

Movement? Still tons of movement. Some days I feel her constantly moving, and other days she is a little bit more chill and just performs subtle movements.

Cravings? I still can’t get enough sweets. Unfortunately with my growing belly comes limited space in my stomach to hold yummy desserts.

Gender? All princess! I can’t wait to see what she looks like.

What I miss? Being comfortable. That is all.

Upcoming Events? Turkey day! John and I are hosting Thanksgiving again at our home this year, and baby daddy is tackling 2 turkeys this year. It will be nice to spend some time with family and friends.

Best moment of the week? Finally purchasing all of the items for the baby’s room. I also splurged on a ton of Christmas decorations for the house. This is by far my favorite time of year. I can’t wait to get my Christmas tree next week.

26 weeks!

How far along? 26 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 9 plus inches long and more than 2 pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 12 pounds roughly.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? So I am beginning to believe that the heartburn I am experiencing is going to kill me. It is AWFUL, to the point where I can barely function. It seems like just breathing causes me to get heartburn, and it lasts all night long. Tums work, but I refuse to take them everyday in fear that if I abuse them, they may no longer work. Besides the miserable heartburn, I feel okay. The Braxton Hicks contractions are still coming on a daily basis.

Clothing? I “feel” huge, so it is no surprise that dressing myself is becoming more awkward. I just don’t feel like I am in my own body anymore and certain clothing items just don’t look right on me. I am still trying my best to rock skinny pants and high heels, but I don’t know how much longer that will last. Sweat pants sound more and more appealing everyday.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? Besides the frequent pee runs and position changes, I am sleeping well. I am sleeping much better at night than during the day, but I am learning how to function on a minimal amount of sleep when I am working night shift.

Movement? This little girl is a wiggle worm!! She loves to dance in my tummy. I am definitely feeling more movement at night then during the day.

Cravings? I am still enjoying the same foods, which include eggs, fruits, carbs, and lots of sweets.

Gender? A crazy girl!

What I miss? I miss not having heartburn everyday. Yep, I am going back to the heartburn, it is that bad. I wish I could go to work and function without feeling like my esophagus is going to come out of my mouth.

Upcoming Events? My diabetes test is tomorrow (scared). My mom and I are planning on getting a lot of baby stuff done this week.

Best moment of the week? I still get excited every time I feel her move. That is the best moment of every day!

25 Weeks!

How far along? 25 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 9 inches long and more than 1 ½ pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 9 pounds roughly.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Feeling the same way I have been feeling for the past couple of weeks; tired and irritated by the constant heartburn and constipation. I am very used to the Braxton Hicks now and even though they are uncomfortable, I have learned to tolerate them.

Clothing? Still limited on my clothing options, but I am making it work. Thanks to my friend, Denise, I do have more maternity pants and sweaters. These are coming in very handy now that it is getting cold outside.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? It is better now that I have found the perfect body pillow. I still wake up every few hours or so, due to frequent positions changes and pee breaks, but at least I am able to fall right back asleep.

Movement? Lots of movement! It is fun to watch her movements from the outside.

Cravings? No new cravings and no strange cravings. I still enjoy all of the same stuff I have been enjoying.

Gender? Still a little princess. John did another ultrasound this week and confirmed it.

What I miss? I miss wearing all my old clothes. They just sit in my closet looking sad. My heels are being ignored as well. I am looking forward to playing dress up with my little girl once I get my body back.

Upcoming Events? My diabetes screening is coming up in about a week. Getting pretty nervous about that.

Best moment of the week? Daddy did another ultrasound this week and man is this little girl getting big. I can’t believe how distinct her features are now. Daddy says she has his nose and big ears. I am sure she will still be cute.

Happy Halloween!!!

I can't wait to show these to our little princess!........

24 Weeks!

How far along? 24 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 8-9 inches long and 1 ½ pounds in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 8-10 pounds according to my home scale. I swear it changes on a daily basis depending on what time of day I weigh myself.

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? The fatigue has returned. Getting through work at night is becoming more of a challenge. Braxton hicks are a normal part of my life now. I have them daily and some can be quite uncomfortable. But I am reassured that this is all normal and part of the body’s way of prepping me for childbirth.

Clothing? Dressing myself is not super fun anymore. I am finding myself less and less comfortable in my clothing. I really don’t want to spend a lot of money on maternity clothes because I know I won’t be wearing them for very much longer, so I just have to force myself to reuse the few items I have left that fit and make it work. Fortunately, this week, my girlfriend gave me some of her maternity items that she wore last year when she was pregnant, so I hoping to get some good use out of those.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? It is still the same, pretty good at night and lousy during the day. I nap when I can.

Movement? She is definitely a busy girl in there. I feel her a lot more at night then during the day.

Cravings? I feel as if my sweet tooth issue is getting worse. I still can’t get enough candy corns. They are delicious…and pure sugar! But I balance it out with vegetables, I promise. I still enjoy salads.

Gender? Getting more and more excited for this little girl to arrive. John and I are so curious about she looks like.

What I miss? Now that holiday season has kicked off, I definitely miss having champagne and staying up late with my friends at holiday parties. I can only last a few hours before I get exhausted and annoyed with all the drunken people. At least now I have an excuse to eat more. I guess all the calories I save on drinks I make up with in food.

Upcoming Events? Another OB appointment this week, but bedsides that, it should be a quiet week and weekend. Just what I need.

Best moment of the week? My friend, Carly’s, Halloween party was quite amazing. It was fun to see such an awesome group of people all dressed up an enjoying themselves. I look forward to all of the upcoming holiday events!

How far along? 23 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 8 inches long and over a pond in weight.

Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 8 pounds according to my home scale (luckily I didn’t put on as much weight as I thought in New York).

Feeling Sick/Signs of Labor? Overall, I am feeling great. I have discovered a new issue that I don’t like….horrible leg cramps. Sometimes I wake up with the worst Charlie horse cramps in my legs that are almost unbearable. I also have Braxton Hicks almost every day. They are not painful, but definitely noticeable when they occur.

Clothing? Clothing is becoming more of a problem. I am definitely running out of things to wear, but I don’t want to buy too much because I know I will get bigger. I did find a pair of jeans in New York that have and elastic waist, but aren’t considered maternity jeans (pretty excited about that!) I still find myself wearing a lot of stretchy pants, with tank tops and sweaters. About 75% percent of my pre-pregnancy clothes do not fit me anymore.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? Trying to sleep throughout the night is troublesome, mostly due to my lack of comfort. Trying to sleep during the day is even more of a problem. You would think after working all night, it would be easy for me to sleep throughout the day, but the is not the case. I guess the lack of sleep is a good thing when it comes to preparing me for when the baby arrives.

Movement? She is moving a lot, some days more than others, but I always feel her. I really enjoy feeling her strange movements. I swear some days she is trying to break out of my abdomen. I am convinced I am growing a future Broadway dancer in there.

Cravings? I think the cravings are picking up. I bought pickles this week and they are quite tasty. I also can’t get enough of the candy corns and candy pumpkins.

Gender? All I have to say is this little girl is beyond spoiled already.

What I miss? General comfort. I can’t decide what is worse between the lack of sleep, clothes not fitting, constipation, gas, heartburn, fatigue, etc. I chalk it up to the joys of pregnancy.

Upcoming Events? Halloween is next weekend and there should be some fun things going on around the city. I plan on using the occasion to dress up, expose my belly, and rock it.

Best moment of the week? Our trip to New York was amazing. Not only was that the best moment of the week, it was one of the highlights of the year.

More Babymoon Photos......

A few more photos from our Babymoon.....

New York City Babymoon 10/2011!

John and I just returned from our babymoon that we celebrated in New York City, and it was one of the best trips I have ever taken. We took that city by storm. Six days of non-stop eating, shopping, touring, and broadway show watching. Here is a little recap on the highlights of our trip...

We started off our trip with reservations at a fantastic french restaurant. We filled our bellies with amazing food, then called it a night due to the fact that we needed to get up early for the next days adventures. We spent the next day shopping in Soho and waiting in line for tickets to a show. We scored great seats to Billy Elliot and the show was great. We were so impressed with the young talent. We continued to eat through most of the weekend, and again scored great tickets to two more shows, Phantom of the Opera and Spiderman.

We spent Saturday in Central Park taking maternity photos (pics will be posted soon). John took some great pictures. We, of course, stopped at FAO Schwarz to buy goodies for the peanut. We could not resist.

Monday was our designated day to be tourists and sightsee. We started out at the Empire State building, followed by a water taxi down the Hudson to the statue of liberty, a walk across the Brooklyn bridge, completing the day with desserts at Serendipity.

On Tuesday we were fortunate enough to visit the 9/11 memorial. I thought I would be able to contain my emotions, and I did pretty well, until I saw the names of women who were pregnant and lost their lives during the attacks. That hit me like a ton of bricks. It really does put everything into perspective. The memorial was beautifully done and the designers did a great job of representing all that was lost that day.

I could not have asked for a better trip. It gave John and I a chance to reconnect without any interruptions. We talked and laughed the entire trip. We know that this may be our last major trip as a twosome, but we are very much looking forward to traveling with our daughter as a family.

21 Weeks!

How far along? 21 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 7 inches long, 11 ounces, and about the size of 5 tangerines.

Total weight gain/loss? I have gained 5 pounds according to my home scale.

Feeling Sick? I am feeling quite good. I have days where I feel fatigued, but that is manageable. My belly feels huge and I am convinced it will not stretch any bigger, but I know that is not true. Beyond the bloating and tiredness, I can’t complain.

Clothing? Still love my stretchy pants and elastic waist. I bought several stretchy tops and large sweaters to aid in my comfort. I am looking forward to shopping in New York this week for some more maternity items.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? Sleep is great when I am not working. I have no problem sleeping through the night, but sleeping through the day is a challenge sometimes.

Movement? She is moving quite a bit now, and it is much more noticeable. John was able to feel her this morning for the first time. She kicked him twice.

Cravings? Still enjoying grapes and several other fruits. Carbohydrates are my best friend.

Gender? All Girl!

What I miss? Starting to miss wine a little. There were a couple occasions this week where I really wanted to enjoy a glass of wine with my mom (I will admit I did touch a little to my lips….so rebellious of me.)

Upcoming Events? BABYMOON in NY. I am really looking forward to having alone time with John and spending our days shopping, eating, and seeing shows! We haven’t had a week off together in quite a long time.

Best moment of the week? The anatomy scan and 20 week doctor appt. were the best moments of the week. It is so refreshing to hear that my baby girl is healthy and thriving.

It's a GIRL!! Anatomy Screen 10/4/2011

I was so excited for my "official" anatomy scan on Tuesday 10/4 and everything went great! The technician evaluated my cervical length, fluid levels and all of the little peanuts parts. She did confirm that we are having a GIRL! Her anatomy looks great; no third eye or extra digits that she could see. The baby was also very cooperative, so the scan was fairly easy and quick (I hope that is a sign of good things to come.) Her heartbeat was in the 140's and she is measuring right on track. I couple not be more excited for the little angel to arrive. Here are some pictures the tech captured during the scan.

Profile

Her foot.

Crossed Legs. She is a perfect little lady.

Her little arm

It's a GIRL!

20 Weeks! The half way point!

How far along? 20 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 6 1/2 inches long, 10 ounces, and about the size of a small cantaloupe.

Total weight gain/loss? I am up somewhere between 4 and 6 pounds depending on what scale I use (the doctor scale always adds a little more weight to me).

Feeling Sick? Overall feeling good. I have experienced a few Braxton hicks contractions in the past few weeks. I am now starting to feel PREGNANT. My stomach is expanding and I swear I have no more room to grow (even though I know there is still plenty of room to get bigger).

Clothing? All I can say is……Stretchy pants!! I live in them.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? Sleep is good. I am starting to figure out the comfortable positions to aid in me sleeping better.

Movement? I am feeling movement now. The pokes, flicks, and kicks are subtle, but they are there. I can’t wait to feel the first big punch. Bring it on princess.

Cravings? Grapes, English muffins, and cupcakes!! I also like putting cream cheese on everything.

Gender? Okay, so I am pretty sure everyone knows we are having a GIRL. I am going to post her anatomy pictures after this post.

What I miss? I am now starting to miss my pre-pregnancy body. I never realized just how un-sexy pregnancy can be. My stomach is hairy, my veins are protruding, and I have gas beyond belief. But I am going to try my best to embrace all the unappealing parts to pregnancy and enjoy the fact that I have this amazing little peanut growing inside.

Upcoming Events? My anatomy scan is Tuesday, October 4^th. Very excited about that. I am excited to spend time with my mom this week and talk baby talk. NY next week. YAY!

Best moment of the week? Spending time with my mom, sister and friends in Seattle. My mom and I had a blast on out road trip from Seattle to San Diego.

AIDS Walk 2011

My friend Jaime and I participated in the annual 5K AIDS walk this morning. Waking up at 6am was a definite challenge on a vampires schedule like ours. It was a prefect day for such a great cause. Not too hot or cold outside. We met up with another couple that I found on a pregnancy meet-up group website that are expecting their first baby in March. They were so nice and we all had a great time walking. I was definitely feeling some round ligament pain towards the end of the walk, but I think I did pretty well overall. Jaime and I treated ourselves to burritos and football when we were done. We are really excited to participate next year with the new baby on board.

19 Weeks!

How far along? 19 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 6 inches long, 8 ounces, and about the size of a large mango.

Total weight gain/loss? I am up 5 pounds in total. I definitely went through a growth spurt this week (as you will see in my picture.)

Feeling Sick? Feeling quite good. I did start to experience round ligament pain this week and some abdominal pressure, which I am attributing to the growth of the baby and the uterus.

Clothing? Getting good use out of the maternity items I purchased. I still find myself mostly living in stretchy pants and baby doll dresses. I am lucky that I wear scrubs frequently throughout the week because that has saved me from having to buy work clothes.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? Sleep was good this week despite the fact that John was gone all weekend and I was sleeping alone. Usually I have a tough time sleeping at night when I am in this big house all alone, but it actually wasn’t too bad.

Movement? A lot of fluttering sensations going on in there. I am still waiting for that one big powerful kick and/or punch to come; maybe in a few more weeks?

Cravings? Fruit, English muffins, soup, and cupcakes (of course.) I definitely have favorite food items and not necessarily cravings. John experiences way more cravings then me. He is on a Chinese food kick right now.

Gender? My anatomy ultrasound is scheduled for October 4^th, so I will make the big announcement after that. I will post pictures too.

What I miss? I miss taking care of myself and only myself. It is all about nurturing the baby at this point. I stress about what I eat, sensations I feel, am I inhaling too much hairspray when I do my hair? It all seems silly, but it truly is all about the little peanut I am growing and her well-being. I did not realize how pregnancy can physically and emotionally drain you. It almost feels like an outer body experience at some points.

Upcoming Events? October is going to be a busy month for John and I. I am leaving for Seattle on Thursday. I am so excited to see my mom, sissy, and my best friend, Jessica, who just had her beautiful baby boy on 9/24.

Best moment of the week? My friend Jaime and I participated in the AIDS walk this weekend and we had a blast. I met a really nice couple that is expecting their first baby a month after me. Probably the most exciting news of the week was the birth of Ben Ingle. Hearing my friend talk about the joy she felt having her son made me even more thrilled to have my baby. I cannot wait to feel that sense of indescribable love that every new mom feels.

Anxiously waiting for Baby Ben Ingle to arrive.....

I am lucky enough to have had the pleasure of sharing my pregnancy with one of my best friends in the whole world, Jessica Ingle, who is currently 40 weeks pregnant. Her stubborn baby boy is now past his due date. I am sitting on edge waiting for her to go into labor so that she can share with me her birthing "experience." I spoke with her today and she is starting to feel some irregular contractions, so we are hoping something with happen very soon (I have my phone glued to me, just in case). It has been so fun to share pregnancy stories with her, and we have managed to help each other through weird pregnancy situations (even though we live in different states). I cannot wait to meet her new little man, Ben, and give him a friend to play with. I am sure the advice she will have for me on the baby's first few months of life will be invaluable. Now come out BEN!!

18 Weeks!

How far along? 18 Weeks! Baby Rivera is 5 ½ inches long, 5 ounces, and about the size of a chicken breast.

Total weight gain/loss? Gained another pound this week, so I am up 2 pounds in total. I hope it is from the baby and not the 2 cupcakes I ate last night.

Feeling Sick? Feeling great, I have no complaints. I have had a few hormonal outbursts, but luckily I have a patient family and baby daddy to get me through them.

Clothing? I am definitely enjoying my bigger clothing now. My most interesting purchase of the week was an elastic waist, polka dot skirt from Abercrombie Kids (haha). I have found that elastic waists items are now my best friend.

Stretch Marks? Nope. I love lathering myself up with cocoa butter lotion every night.

Sleep? I am sleepy well at night. Still having a hard time sleeping during the day. I have taught myself how to function on 4 hours of sleep, than I just play catch up when I have the time. I guess this is a good prep for getting on the baby’s sleep schedule.

Movement? I am still going to say I think so???? I feel little subtle pops and flutters in my belly, but nothing that stands out a lot yet.

Cravings? Clam chowder! I love it. Still enjoying salads, fruits, and cupcakes too.

Gender? My anatomy ultrasound is scheduled for October 4^th, so I will make the big announcement after that.

What I miss? I miss being able to just pack up and go when I please. It is almost impossible to plan any sort of vacation or getaway at this point.

Upcoming Events? A lot of fun stuff going on this week! Hailey’s birthday party, dentist, massage. and walking in the AIDS walk next Sunday.

Best moment of the week? Buying more things for the baby’s room. It is coming together somewhat. I love when we can check stuff on the list that needs to get done. I know with the holidays coming up, we are going to be so busy, so it is nice to know that we are taking the time now to get things done!