35 weeks!!!

we are in the home stretch, just under a month to go or sooner if bowie decides she is ready to come early!!!  this has been a good week, we had great weather which meant lots of opportunities for wilfred and i to go on long walks, and staying active always helps me feel good.  we go walking everyday unless i am having an "off" day for some reason or the rain is bad enough to keep us inside, but on average 5-6 times a week.  we usually go 3 - 3.5 miles, but this week i went as far as a 5 mile walk, we got to see horses, chickens, goats, squirrels and llamas!  i tried putting soap bars at the end of my bed per my doctors suggestion for helping with restless legs and i can't say either way if it works or not.  there have been a few nights that i felt like i had restless legs, but for the last week i have also been sleeping on the air mattress in the living room of our apartment.  i don't enjoy not sharing a bed with jarad, but i am up about 70-80% of the night (and up 6-7 times to pee) and i don't want to keep him up when he has to wake up early for work.  being on the air mattress i can spread out, use my pregnancy pillow and also have the TV on all night long without disturbing jarad (or wilfred for that matter).  since we moved, i was getting my best sleep early morning until 9 or 10am, but that is no longer the case.  i am wide awake in the morning, so i take advantage of it and make jarad breakfast and get up and have some coffee.  i usually find that i need a nap come afternoon time.  they say this insomnia is preparing you for parenthood and the sleepless nights to come, but i sure think it is backwards, this is the time i could really use it.

i am finding that the prevacid i take daily does a good job of covering up the acid part of my heartburn, but i am still experiencing other symptoms, like being nauseous and burping and super gross but burping up vomit.  that is when i know that i need to take a zantac in addition to the prevacid.  at this point my stomach is pushed way up, so i am noticing that i need to eat smaller portions and more frequently.  i snack a lot during the day instead of eating real meals.  my cravings lately have been for ice and oranges.  i am loving the intense crunch of chomping on partially melted ice in drinks, jarad says it is like eating rocks and bad for my teeth, so i hope i am not doing any dental damage.  i feel like the ice helps my heartburn and cools my throat, but it is also the crunch that i crave.  i have read that ice cravings can be an indication of being anemic, and although my last blood work came back fine, i think i will start to take an iron supplement.  and i'm obsessed with these cara cara oranges from trader joes.  they sell them in a 3 pound bag and they are in the navel orange family but have a pink or red flesh.  they are super sweet and juicy and they taste so fresh and good.  i love eating them cold and have been known to eat several a day.  i know the citrus can't be good for my heartburn either, but they are delicious!

i have most of the items for my hospital bag ready to go, i just need to pack them.  i will get that done in the next few days.  and i am sure in the next couple of weeks we should install our car seat as well!  i also secured bowie's pediatrician based off of a recommendation from my OBGYN, it feels good to get those major items checked off of my to do list.  i am starting to think about labor and delivery a lot and getting a bit anxious.  i know our bodies are made to do this and are capable of this amazing process, but i can't help but be a bit nervous as her due date is quickly approaching.  i am also becoming very aware of just how personal pregnancy and childbirth are to each individual.  i guess that sounds like a funny statement, but we all have a lot of choices when it comes to your preferences.  i felt very judged during our hospital tour when i would get questions like "are you having a doula or midwife?" or "are you planning on having an epidural or doing a natural child birth?"  or "what classes have you taken and will you be doing hypno birth techniques?"  before we moved my sister gave me some good advice and she said "remember that you have to be open to change and go with the flow."  those were not her exact words, but her point was that you may want to breast feed, but be unable to, so don't be hard on yourself.  or you may have an idea of what childbirth should be, but then you need a c-section.  as much planning as you do, it may not go the way you think it will and we just have to go with the flow without being hard on yourself or with harsh judgement...we all have different stories.    these are wise words and ones i will remember for myself not only during this time but in general.

i am also not 100% sure if i have experienced braxton hicks contractions yet.  i have had instances where my belly gets hard and tight, but when i asked my doctor about it she said that usually means i need to put my feet up and drink a lot of water.  braxton hicks can have those same symptoms but usually also have cramping involved.  i have not had this, but i can tell you that when i lay down on my side if my belly is not supported by a pillow then i will start to cramp and it is super uncomfortable, even painful at times!  also sleeping on a mattress that is on the floor makes it hard to get in and out of bed.  i have had a couple of instances this week where i felt very lightheaded and dizzy, i laid down (on my back) and found out that being flat does not help when you feel this way.  being on your side (especially your left side) is best for blood flow, but at some point during the night i am guaranteed to roll over and be on my back.  i am getting a lot of movement from her, especially at nighttime.  i love watching my belly move, the movements these days are less intense kicks and jabs and more wave like in motion.  over the weekend i asked jarad if it looked like my belly had gotten lower and he wasn't sure, but we did have dinner with some friends and the wife told me that i look like i am carrying the baby lower than the last time we saw them (about 3 weeks ago). 

this week i have also spent a lot of time searching for new mom or baby groups in our area.  i signed up for a website called "meet up," which has all kinds of groups based off of interests that meet regularly.  some of the groups you might find on this website are based around hobbies like working out, cooking, wine tasting, book clubs, fine dining, etc.  aside from "meet up" i am the most excited about a group in our area called "fit4mom."  this is a group that was recommended to me by a friend from home and they are all over the country.  there is one in maple valley that meets at lake wilderness.  they are exercise groups for new moms that involve your baby.  they have "stroller strides" and how to get your pre-baby body back classes that meet often.  i also found some other resources in the area (i think the library will be a good one) and reached out to some pregnant wives of jarad's co-workers.

weight gain this week = 1.5 pounds
total weight gain =23.5 pounds

baby is as big as a coconut!!!

 weekly growth milestones...

~baby's hearing is fully developed and she responds best to high pitched noises
~my uterus has grown about 1,000 times its original size!
~skeletal development is nearly complete, and most of the development she has left is to get bigger and stronger
~baby is packing on the fat, she should be around 18-19 inches long and 5-6 pounds

end of weekend blues...

despite me feeling really "off" all weekend (due to pregnancy) it was another good one.  friday started off with one of jarad's old co-workers from spaceX in town, so we went to lunch and caught up.  it is nice to see a familiar face in this new town of ours.  that night we decided to be really adventurous and try a mexican restaurant.  we have been warned that washington is not known for their killer mexican food like we have at home.  we have been doing lots of research and always ask locals for their recommendations, but we usually get the same response "i've been looking for years, if you find one let me know" or my favorite one was from a hairdresser "there is a cute mexican cafe we like, it's called baja fresh."  we found a place that had good reviews and we went there with low expectations, but hoping to satisfy our mexi craving.  to our surprise, we were pleasantly surprised, and would go back.

saturday we went to the city of renton so jarad could ride a new trail and wilfred and i would take a walk.  this was not my best idea and i should have known better.  wilfred gets so excited to be with jarad and his bike in the outdoors.  so we let jarad ride ahead and i was pulled the whole time and the walk was not flat.  so eventually we had to find a bench at the park and sit down.  when jarad finished riding he ran wilfred in the park and wilfred left one tired and happy dog.  we saw a cool open house in the afternoon and then headed to bellevue that evening to have an indian dinner with friends.

sunday we went to the boeing factory tour in everett.  it was a really neat thing to do and boeing has a huge presence here in washington.  you get to walk parts of the factory where they make the planes and see the different stages of assembly.  this would be a great thing to do with visitors.  unfortunately you can't bring phones or cameras with you, so i have no pics of the tour, but i would definitely recommend this as a fun must see in washington.  there is also a cool museum when you check into your tour that you can explore before or after.

we also saw a dreamlifter airplane take off, there are only 4 in the world.  and when we got back from the tour we got to see another one.  they are huge and apparently carry some of the airplane parts (like wings) that are made in other countries.

we drove around everett since we hadn't had a chance to explore there yet, and it is a cool town and we found a great place to have lunch called nick jr.'s burger and gyros.  we both had gyros and fresh cut fries, and it was tasty!  this was our first greek meal here and it was not to disappoint, unfortunately it is over an hour trek from where we will be living.  we took the scenic route home and relaxed the rest of the rainy afternoon.  

1 month to go!!!

if our baby girl is on time, then we are exactly 4 short weeks away from her due date!

dear sweet baby bowie,

we are so excited to meet you and welcome you into this world.  we have been waiting for you for a very long time and you are entering this world with so much love around you.  i hope you get your mommy's eyes and sweetness and  your daddy's smarts and fearlessness, we know you will be absolutely amazing and perfect in every way!  wilfred is a little unsure of all the changes going on, but he promises to be the best puppy to you and is excited to share many adventures together.  and it goes without mention that your grandparents and aunts and uncles are over the moon excited to meet you and watch you grow!  your due date is on your daddy's birthday and he is thrilled at the possibility of sharing this special day with you (i hope you grow up to like chicken wings...it's a birthday tradition) but you come when you are ready, just not too early, we still gotta get the house ready for you!  we love you already and are anxiously awaiting your arrial!

love,
mom and dad

kids checklist...

columbia center...

the space needle in washington is pretty iconic, but there is another great lookout point with 360 views of the city that is even higher up...the sky view observatory from the columbia center.  the building is 76 stories tall and the observation floor is on the 73rd floor.  according to their website the 73rd floor is 902 feet high, to give you some perspective the space needle observation is at 520 feet high, so the columbia center is almost twice as high up!!!  it is so high that my ears were popping in the elevator!

i found a deal on groupon that was $18 for 2 tickets (about a $10 savings).  you can walk around the observation floor for great views of the city (and they also have a cafe) and yesterday was the perfect day to go because it was a beautiful day; no rain, 55 degrees, blue skies and big fluffy white clouds.

along the inside walls of the observation floor was some interesting information on the city.  i learned about a lot of the businesses that have been founded here and one fact i was very fascinated by is that jimi hendrix was from here and is also buried here, in renton (not far from where we will be living).  to learn more about the columbia center click here

after our trip to the columbia center we headed into seattle to try out a popular gourmet sandwich shop called "honey hole."  it was less than a mile away and it was really good.  expect to wait in line to order, limited seating and wait a while for your sandwich, but i guarantee you will really enjoy it!  after that we headed into tacoma and federal way to do some more exploring.  it was another good day adventuring in our new city together! 

34 weeks!!!

this has been a big week (and a short one with the holiday)!  or at least it feels like a lot of my to do list revolved around baby things.  i had multiple runs to buy buy baby and my big project was to start thinking about and preparing my hospital bag!  yikes, hard to believe we are getting into the home stretch!  i will make a separate blog post about what is in my hospital bag, but the hardest thing for me to find was a comfortable nursing bra and nursing pajamas (or at least something that had buttons).  jarad and i both also got our Tdap shot (whooping cough shot) this week.  it is recommended for anyone in close proximity of the baby to get one, but especially the parents.  i need to get it no later than 36 weeks pregnant because i will be able to pass the immunity along to bowie since she will not be able to get the shot until 2 months old.  there have been some whooping cough outbreaks in washington and i want us all to be protected (especially bowie) since it can be deadly for newborns.

we also had our hospital tour! it was nice to do a dry run of the hospital.  the birth center location is in a confusing location, and we were not the only lost ones.  the birth center has been redone and is very nice and modern.  there is a lovely living room area with a fire place for families to wait and the actual rooms are quite large.  the room itself has tv, internet and my favorite was a large bath tub to ease labor pains.  i am a big fan of baths when i am in pain or don't feel well, so i am sure this will be something i take advantage of.  our hospital is in the last year of certification to becoming "baby friendly" if you are like us and am not sure what that entails, you can read more about it here.  i left the hospital tour feeling like "wow, shit is getting real," and a little overwhelmed, but it won't be long until baby bowie makes her big debut!

at the end of the week i had my 34 week prenatal check up.  my belly is measuring right on track at 34 cm and baby's heartbeat is strong and healthy right at mid 140 beats per minute.  i had a few questions on my list to ask the doctor.  i asked her about recommendations for pediatricians in the area and she gave me some names, along with the name of who she takes her son to.  this will be part of next weeks project and lock in a doctor for bowie.  my second question was if i would have another ultrasound before labor, and she said "most likely not."  unless she is concerned about the position or weight of the baby at my next appointment in 2 weeks then i won't have one.  so i guess the next time we see her, she will be on the outside world, eeekkkkk!!!  my last question was is there anything i can do for restless legs and or my insomnia.  i was happy to hear that i can take melatonin as a sleep aid, which i have taken for years, as well as benedryl.  she also had a funny recommendation for restless legs, but after some internet research, i see that this is a real thing.  she suggested i get a few bars of soap and put them underneath the fitted sheet of my bed by my feet.  she swears it helps, and i see that this has worked for many people.  i have yet to give it a try, but it can't hurt. 

my symptoms this week are mild.  i have been "burpy" and nauseous, which i think is a heartburn symptom even though i am not experiencing the acid in my throat.  when i feel that way i will take a zantac as needed (in addition to my daily prevacid) or tums.  and my biggest complaint is the insomnia.  no matter what i do or try, i can not sleep at night time.  the other night i was so uncomfortable that i took my big pregnancy pillow and slept on the air mattress.  wilfred joined me and cuddled very nicely and we got a little bit of rest.  again my best sleep is still early morning about 6am until 9 or 10am, but this really throws off my day.

i think my ice cream and soda cravings have calmed down a bit.  honestly, i just think there is not much room left.  fresh fruit (particularly oranges) sound great!  i am counting down the days until we move into our rental house!  the thought of our own bed is dreamy!  and the urge to "nest" is driving me crazy!!!  i am so excited to set up her nursery.  we were lucky to inherit a crib and changing table from my aunt and uncle, but i have been doing my homework on pinterest about how to use chalk paint to give it a fresh and updated look.  this paint needs no sanding or priming and is safe for use on baby furniture.  so as soon as we move into the rental i think i will make that one of my first projects!

weight gain this week = 1 pounds
total weight gain = 22 pounds

baby is as big as a butternut squash!!!

 weekly milestones...

~the coating that protects baby's skin in amniotic fluid is starting to fall off
~baby's immune system is getting stronger and stronger
~her lungs, brain, and central nervous system are rapidly developing and all but the lungs are reaching their final stage of development.  the digestive system is fully working by itself.
~she is peeing up to a pint a day
~baby measures about 20 + inches long and weighs around 5.5 pounds
~she continues to put on fat, especially in the shoulder area
~even though my placenta is capable of supporting the baby until birth, it will start to age this week

is buy buy baby the best bargain???

i did my baby registry at buy buy baby, i chose this because i love the 20% and $5 coupons you get in the mail (you can also use bed bath and beyond coupons there as well), and since they are the same company as bed bath and beyond i was familiar with their great customer service and return policy from our wedding registry.  since i have a bit more time on my hands and since we are still in a temp apartment i get my "nesting fix" but roaming the baby department at tj maxx, marshalls, home goods, babies r us and of course buy buy baby!  i have noticed that buy buy baby is not the best value in town, even when you use the coupons.  i also created a small registry for some harder to find items on amazon, and we are a huge fan of amazon prime!  here are some price comparisons of products that i have come across in the last few weeks...

dr. brown's newborn baby bottle feeding set

buy buy baby $24.99
amazon prime $16.92
tj maxx $14.99

skip hop grab & go wed dry bag in metro strip

buy buy baby $9.99 on clearance
tj maxx $5.99

playtex baby diaper genie


buy buy baby $36.99
amazon prime $29.99
babies r us $29.99 (it was on sale, and the box was open and it was the last one in gray, so the guy gave me an additional 10% off)

skip hop duo signature diaper bag in chevron


buy buy baby $64.99
amazon prime $51.99
tj maxx $24.99 (in different pattern called "pod multi", but i ended up taking the chevron one back to BBB and getting this design from a past season)

boppy bare naked pillow + cover

buy buy baby bare naked boppy $29.99
buy buy baby boppy cover $9.99 (i was able to get it on clearance for $6.50)
total BBB boppy + cover = $36.50 (but normally $39.99)
ross $24.99 (boppy and cover sold together as set in same pattern)

these are just a few examples directly off of my registry and i am sure i could drive myself crazy trying to figure out even more savings.  but my point is that you should definitely price compare some of your big ticket items.  in general i have found amazon to have great prices, and of course if you are a prime member you can't beat the convenience of free 2 day shipping!  there are many products that had the same price at both amazon and buy buy baby, so when you factor in the 20%  or $5 coupon then it is a good deal.  i have spent a good deal of time taking things back and buy buy baby and getting store credit and purchasing them at the cheaper store.  i know the credit will go towards diapers and other baby items that we don't know we need yet.  we don't have as many locations of some of my favorite stores like marshalls, tj maxx and home goods, but surprisingly i have found that the few locations i have been to in washington have an exceptional children's department.  so always take a look, you never know what treasures you will find.  and if you have the extra time, i would definitely price compare all of your registry items against amazon to see where the best deals are. 

veggie chopped salad...

the combo of being pregnant and not being in our own home has made me one lazy cook!  so i do a weekly shopping at trader joes to find easy dinners.  some of them are pre-cooked, frozen or a combo of fresh and frozen but i guarantee they are all easy and quick (don't judge)!  one of my new favorite finds in the fresh refrigerated aisle is their "healthy 8 chopped veggie mix."

this mix is great sprinkled over your favorite greens or my favorite way to eat it is by itself in a bowl, with a sprinkling of cheese and a bacon vinaigrette (kind of like a slaw).  this veggie blend would also be great sauteed with some rice or in a soup.  this mix contains; broccoli, carrots, green cabbage, red cabbage, jicama, green bell pepper, radish and celery.

give it a try and let me know what fun and interesting ways you use it?!?!

weekend highlights...

this past weekend i definitely had a case of the pregnancy blues.  i was emotional, hormonal and very uncomfortable.  but...we didn't let that get in the way of a good three day weekend, and got to do some great exploring.  we have been into seattle and have done the tourist attractions, but over the weekend we checked out the neighborhoods and communities surrounding the city.  we especially loved west seattle, it is a young, hip and cool place to live and has a great downtown.  i can see why young professionals would chose to live here, in fact one of jarad's coworkers will be moving there soon.  we drove around the lakes and saw the island from afar and had lunch at a great pizza place by the needle.  we also drove around redmond, sammamish, bellevue and woodinville.  i can not wait to return to woodinville, this is the wine country of washington.  it looks like a small version of napa, with cute wineries, tasting rooms and bistros.  i think i also saw a cuban restaurant there, which may be one of the few in washington!

jarad was able to do some riding in maple valley, very close to where our rental house is and we tried a new pho/thai food place.  it was good, but we are still on the hunt for our new favorite.  my favorite new sight this weekend was snoqualamie falls.  unfortunately it was rainy when we saw it but we still got a decent view.  there are two observations decks, and the lower one was totally fogged in.  it is about a 25 minute drive from our new rental house, so this will be one of our go to places to take visitors.  it would be perfect for a picnic on a nice day.  even wilfred enjoyed the views and was a great companion in the car.  to read more about it click here

i was feeling really uncomfortable come the end of the weekend.  we had plans to see a movie since it was rainy, but i knew i couldn't sit for that long and would also be getting up to pee often.  so i sent jarad to the movies by himself.  i had good intentions of going to the store and making him a home cooked meal, but that wasn't happening either.  so when he got home he knew exactly what i needed.  he knew i needed to get out and do something fun and different.  so we went to the bowling alley, where they had a great arcade.  we played games and had fun, and then went out to dinner at buffalo wild wings (his fav) and got an ice cream treat on the way home.  it was the perfect ending to a nice long weekend, and i love my husband so much for being so understanding and coming up with a creative way to help with my restlessness. 

33 weeks!!!

this has been an uncomfortable week for me.  sleep is a little bit better, but still not getting much.  i have broken down this week and taken a few naps.  i have been trying not to, in hopes that it will help me sleep better at night and i will feel really tired, but regardless of how tired i am when it is bed time, as soon as i get into bed, i am wide awake.  i know this is normal, but it is a hard one to deal with, as my nights of sleeping will be non-existent soon enough. also, i have mentioned it before but i get restless legs when i get into bed.  i am using a pillow in between my knees which helps, but i am also big enough where i have to support my belly when laying down as well.  the apartment bed is smaller than we are used to, but i am trying to use my pregnancy pillow as best i can. oh yah, and i get up too many times to count to pee, and getting out of bed is not easy anymore. 

my heartburn is much much better as long as i continue to take my prevacid every morning.  there was a couple of days i forgot to take it first thing, and i start to feel the acidity building up.  it is much easier to be proactive and take it on time everyday rather than to try to fight the symptoms. also bowie has been getting the hiccups more often.  it is a funny sensation and one that i like to share with jarad.

i have been able to get out and walk a few times this week, but not enough as i would like.  the weather has been cold and rainy this week, more so than since we have been here.  so that has gotten in the way a bit.  but i am also finding how beneficial it is to stretch.  it is crazy, but i am finding it hard to cross my legs when sitting down in a seat. i have been enjoying baths with eucalyptus scented epsom salts.  it helps me loosen up and relax.  it can be helpful before bed and sometimes i feel like i need it during the day to find some comfort.  but in general i can not sit for long periods of time and i feel good when walking.

there have been some interesting and new "cravings" this week.  jarad has been drinking a lot of red bull lately, and there is something about the taste and smell of it that sounds so good. i rarely drink red bull, and when i do i drink the diet version of it.  but i has such an unusual and distinct flavor that sounds so good right now, i will usually have a sip of his drink, but it feels like a tease.  i have also been eating ice and baby carrots.  i am not a big fan of carrots, but i bought a bag of baby carrots and i am loving the crunch of them.  for this same reason i am also enjoying ice.  i love going out to eat and eating all the ice at the end of my drink.  this is something i have never done before, but i am loving the intense crunch.  i have no idea what this is about?  i have also been craving lots of fresh fruit, i have been enjoying lots of apples, bananas and oranges. 

i read that it is very common in early pregnancy to stop shedding as much hair.  i have lots and lots of hair and it is very long and i shed a lot!!!!  at first i didn't notice this pregnancy symptom, but within  the last couple of months this has become very true for me.  i have substantially less shedding when washing, combing and blow drying my hair.  my hair is very thick and full from the prenatal vitamins and grows at a very fast rate.  but on the flip side, i know it is also very common to lose a lot of hair after pregnancy and for it to thin out.  so we will see, everyone says you can tell by how thick your pony tail is.  i think i have also mentioned this in a previous post, but my hair doesn't get greasy.  i used to go every other day (maybe every 2 days if lucky) before washing my hair pre-pregnancy.  now i can easily go 4-5 days, and it is usually at that point that the only reason i do wash it is because it looks flat and limp, but not greasy!  gross i know, but pregnancy is finally starting to suck  the energy out of me, so i will find any short cut i can - including washing my hair!

weight gain this week = 3 pounds (yikes! - better cut back on that ice cream!)
total weight gain = 21 pounds

baby is as big as durian (not sure what that is)?!?!?

weekly milestones...

~baby is keeping eyes open while awake
~baby is coordinating breathing with sucking and swallowing
~bones are hardening, with the exception of the skull, they are not fused together yet, to allow for the baby to pass through the birth canal
~baby is going through more brain development
~baby can tell difference between day and night
~lungs are almost completely ready for breathing on their own
~baby is almost at her birth height but will continue to put on fat
~baby is estimated to measure between 17-19 inches long and weighs between 4-6 pounds

and some days it rains...

so far our three weeks in washington have been pretty good.  but i knew there would be times that i would feel lonely, frustrated or just plan emotional or hormonal.  the last two days have had their obstacles for me.  the insomnia thing is really getting hard on me, i am on a wacky schedule.  i go to bed with jarad, but end up wide awake regardless of how tired i am.  the other night i was so restless he ended up blowing up the air mattress and sleeping in the living room.  i feel bad, cause i can't help it, i am so uncomfortable, but he has to get up and leave for work in the morning.  at least i can get a few hours of sleep in the morning and am not on a time schedule.

one of the "fun" things on my to do list is to find a salon to get my hair done.  i was excited to make an appointment for myself yesterday and get my hair done.  something that is long over due, but i have been waiting to do it here so i can find a new hair dresser.  an hour drive and over 4 hours in the salon chair, i got the worst color ever!  the cut and style was decent, but i walked out with clown hair.  and when i got home, i noticed that the entire back of my shirt was bleached.  my hair is so long that the protective drape you wear didn't cover my entire back and my bleached hair touched my clothes.  not the end of the world, but i only packed maternity clothes, so my options are limited right now and this was one of my fav long sleeve shirts.  i would normally call the stylist and see if she could fix it, but i had such little confidence in her ability, i will not be returning.  it was that bad!

today, i found another salon to correct the bad dye job.  i liked the new lady who did my hair, so maybe i found my new stylist!  but i had to spend another 3 plus hours in the salon chair, which is not very comfortable when pregnant.  i walked out with a much better look, although it will still take at least one more visit to get my hair back to "normal."  then my next task for the day was to take jarad's truck to the washington state emissions test site.  it is part of the process to register your car here.  unfortunately it failed, so we will have to look into it and fix it.  then i decided i should go to the DMV to get my washington drivers license.  there is no line, thank god, but i failed my vision test.  since i had jarad's truck, i didn't have my glasses with me.  so i will have to go back tomorrow to retake the test and hopefully pass.  i am nervous as i have noticed my eye sight has worsened since i have been pregnant.  got home late this afternoon and i knew wilfred was due for a walk and some outdoor time.  even in the rain, we got out for a walk, something a real washingtonian would do (get outside regardless of rain or shine).  we both ended up cold and wet, but it was nice to feel some fresh air.  as soon as we got home, wilfred got a blow dry to warm up and cuddled under the covers.

tonight is a frozen pizza kinda night and i am hoping we can hit up the pool.  the last two days have rained, but there is always a rainbow not too far away.  my rainbow is that tomorrow is friday and a long weekend for jarad.  we will not be house hunting this weekend and we have 3 whole days to go on some adventures and have fun!

pregnancy quiz round 2...

a little over a month ago, i did a pregnancy questionnaire and i wanted to see how my answers have changed over time, you can see my original answers here


How far along? 33 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain/loss:18-19 pounds

Maternity clothes? YES YES YES!  i only packed maternity clothes in my suitcase for washington.  so it is stretch pants, yoga pants, long sleeve maternity shirts, maternity tank tops, cardigans and sweaters and jarad's coats

Stretch marks? nope

Sleep: NO :(  i have the worst insomnia.  it was so bad the other night jarad blew up the air mattress and slept in the living room in the apartment because i was so restless.  it doesn't help that we are in a small bed and a squeeky bed frame.  i am taking epsom salt baths before bed, using my coloring book to relax instead of TV or computer, drinking tea and no napping during the day unless i absolutely have to.  i usually fall asleep around 3-4am and sleep until 9am.

Best moment this week:  locking down a rental house, so we can get our stuff from storage and i can get the nursery set up and we can have our own bed.  it is nice to know bowie will have a real home to come home to, even if it is only another temporary situation, this one will be a whole lot more comfortable for all of us!

Have you told family and friends: Yes 

Movement:yes, but room is getting smaller.  i feel her move throughout the whole day, but her movements are become more wave like and less intense kicks.  i have also started to feel her hiccup.

Food cravings:ice cream, froyo, and fountain drinks (soda)

Anything making you queasy or sick?  my heartburn has been so bad it made me throw up.  but i pretty much have it under control with prevacid.

Have you started to show yet: yes!!!

Leakage: no!

Gender prediction: we know it's a girl!

Labor Signs: No, that is a scary thought!

Belly Button in or out? about 90-95% flat

Wedding rings on or off? i can still wear them!

Happy or Moody most of the time: pretty happy, still getting adjusted to life in washington.

Weekly Wisdom:everything happens for a reason!  trust in your gut.

Milestones: less than 2 months until her due date (if she is on time)

the universe works in mysterious ways...

since we made the decision to move here we have been watching the real estate market.  i have also watched the inventory get lower and lower as we approached the holidays and now that we are into the new year i see houses selling, but not a whole lot of new homes hitting the market.  we have been dealing with an agent, but she is not in our area, therefore is unable to provide much info when it comes to neighborhoods and schools.  i know it is in our best interest to get an agent in the area, and when i went to my doctors appointment last week she was also interested in our move and where we are looking to buy a home.  she said she loved her agent and that she was very familiar with the areas we are interested in.  after our offer fell through with the dolphin house, i reached out to the referral my doctor gave me and got to speak to her directly.  i told her our situation of moving, being in a temp apartment, having a baby next month and wanting to continue our house hunt but without the pressure of settling.  she told me "i think i can help you.  i have been doing real estate here since 1980 and i know all about the area and school districts.  BUT my brother also owns a home in maple valley (where we ideally want to live) and his tenants are moving out at the end of the month.  this could be a great place for you to settle before the baby comes and while we look for the perfect home."  this was music to my ears and i felt like i had found my angel.  after spending almost a full day of looking for a rental property for us, i was starting to get discouraged because ...

1 - they all seemed gross
2 - they were not in parts of town we wanted to live in
3 - i don't want to sign a year lease
4 - they don't take pets

we both gave our new agent a call on monday evening and she said she could show the house right away.  we did a first glance on google maps and the location is great, the house is large enough, the price is right and they understand we are looking for a short term rental that we can go month to month with.  so far this seems like a perfect fit!   i immediately felt like a weight was lifted, because this could fulfill all of our needs.  and i thought back to a conversation i had with my friend last weekend, and she told me "i am a firm believer that when something good comes your way, you take it, no questions asked and you don't wait for something better to come along later."  and quite honestly, i do not think there is a better situation for us.  we could test out the neighborhood we want to settle down in, in a nice home while we prepare for the arrival of bowie, with no long term lease obligation!!!

i saw the rental home today and got to drive around the area with the agent.  the house is nice and in a great neighborhood.  it is perfect for us as a temporary rental while we have the baby and get adjusted.  i feel so lucky to have this all fall into my lap and to think sometimes things just fall into place. 

weekend recap...

our 3rd weekend as washingtonians, and another good one!  friday night we went to south center for dinner to try a ramen place.  this is the shopping center and mall that i went to last week with a girlfriend and it is pretty cool.  jarad had some good ramen and i had a ground pork rice bowl.  i would definitely go back!  after dinner we did some in the car night time exploring in the city of kent.  we are starting to get more familiar with our new surroundings.

saturday we got a late start, we slept in and made breakfast and then hit up the DMV, but the line was long, so we decided to go at some point this week.  then we hit up some open houses and did more exploring of neighborhoods.  why are we still house hunting you ask???  the house we placed an offer on last week did not have high speed internet service, which was a deal breaker for us.  it could be installed, but at a very high price, so we backed out.  saturday evening we headed into seattle to go to a chinese new year dinner.  we got invited by a guy that jarad used to work with many years ago back at home.  him and his family moved up to washington a few years ago and we went to his wife's parents house for this "lucky" new years dinner.  it was nice to finally meet them, we have exchanged holiday cards with them for years, but this was my first time getting to know them.

sunday funday is riding day for the boys.  one of jarad's best friends lives up here with his family and they will only be here through april before moving.  so we try to get in as much time with them as possible.  the boys did some riding and this was their view of mt. rainer to the left mt. st. helens to the right.

the girls did some shopping and cooking for super bowl.  none of us are big football fans (but really liked the half time show!), so it was fun to hang out, cook and eat lots of chips and dip, sliders, and smores! 

then come monday (today) i had to start looking for a rental place for us.  we have determined that with the house falling through, we need to get out of the corporate apartment and into something more semi-permanent so we can get more comfortable and be ready for when the baby comes!  we had great weather all weekend and today was a gorgeous 60 degrees and sunny!  wilfred and i went for a long walk on the bike path, where i tried to make friends, but wilfred was very unsure...

then we got a good view of rainer today with less clouds than last week, this is one view that will never get old.

and i bought myself something to keep me entertained for my sleepless nights, i am excited to dive into my coloring book!

32 weeks!!!

good news, bad news...good news is the prevacid is really working.  since i started taking it daily my heartburn has been so much better, in fact nonexistent this week!  bad news is insomnia is in full effect.  jarad falls right asleep and i am wide awake.  i have a hard time finding a comfortable position to sleep and the bed at the apartment is a queen size and it just feels too small.  it is too small to bust out my pregnancy pillow and i am dealing with restless legs.  then i usually fall asleep early morning, sometime around 3am and obviously want to sleep in late.  this is a bad schedule to be on, but not much i can do.

i am experiencing some braxton hicks contractions.  they don't hurt, i feel my belly getting hard and tight, it is my body preparing itself for labor, fun times!  it's time like these that i know shit is getting real! i am finding that things i would normally take for granted are becoming increasingly harder, like shaving my legs, bending down, sitting too long, standing too long or even laying down.  i'm finding that at this point in pregnancy everyday is unpredictable as far as how i feel or how much i can accomplish.  i had such great intentions of moving to washington and using all my free time to catch up on paperwork, projects, cooking and working out, but that is just not happening.  i am lucky if i have enough energy to get out of my pj's, but then of course i can't sleep at night, go figure!  and i am not napping during the day in hopes that it will help me sleep better at night.  i've learned there is  new boss in town and she is telling me to slow down and relax!

there is only one buy buy baby store in the state of washington and it just so happens to be 15 minutes away from the apartment!  my girlfriend in the area who is a new mommy needed to go and it was great to walk through the store with her so she could tell me all the things she did or didn't like.  she also keeps asking me if certain must have items are on my registry, which is super helpful. i had my first appointment with my new doctor at the end of the week and i really liked her.  it's been a little stressful to change over care this late in pregnancy and i knew that if i didn't like her, i wouldn't much of a choice or time to change.  but she was great, and i know i will be happy under her care.  so the baby's heartbeat was in the 150's just as it has been the entire pregnancy, my belly is measuring 32 cm and her position is head down.  so we are looking good, i will also start to increase my appointments to every 2 weeks.

i haven't had much in the way of "cravings" this pregnancy, but there are a couple of things that sound good and i have been known to go out of my way to satisfy the urge.  i have been big on ice cream, froyo and milkshakes and sodas.  both of which i never had much of before pregnancy.  i think i am liking the cold of the frozen yogurt (especially when i get heartburn) and the carbonation of the sodas.  either way, the best combination i have found is when we go out for a burger and jarad orders a milkshake and then drinks half of it and fills up the rest with root beer.  and when i say "soda" i mean a fountain soda, where it's over ice and super carbonated, a can of soda is not the same.  maybe it is a "cold" thing after all?

weight gain this week = 1 pounds
total weight gain = 18 pounds

baby is as big as a winter squash!

weekly milestones...

~baby is busy looking around and practicing breathing, grabbing whatever is within reach, tasting amniotic fluid and listening to the familiar sounds of the outside world
~uterus is about 5 inches above belly button, this is a growth of 500 times bigger than before i was pregnant
~baby weighs approximately 4.5 pounds and a little over 19 inches in length
~baby may dream when they sleep
~my blood volume has increased by 40% to meet the needs of the baby
~baby is probably sucking her thumb and growing some hair
~skin is filling out as she is putting on weight
~baby has a full set of finger and toe nails

no rain here...

i heard the best kept secret about washington is the weather (since everyone thinks it rains 24/7), and so far that may be correct.  in the week and half we have been here, we have had minimal rain, most of it being at night time.  it is a beautiful day and a great day for a walk on the bike path.

the best part was while walking we got a great view of mt. rainer, it had a lot of clouds around it, but it is so impressive!  you will see that there is a floating cloud around the peak of the mountain, that is called a "lenticular cloud," you can read more about it here

31 weeks!!!

being pregnant and sick has been challenging this week!  but i am finally feeling better.  my energy is still a bit low, but i think it is also from being really pregnant!  i had to do a lot of internet researching and going back to my safe chart of medications, but a few of them helped me get through the symptoms...

cough - robitussin and tea
congestion - benedryl and vicks inhaler and lots and lots of tissues
sore throat - halls cough drops and tea
fever/aches - tylenol and baths

it's super important to keep a fever down, because it can be dangerous for the baby.  the worst part of this cold/flu was when i got the hacking cough towards the end.  it was so painful on my ribs, because there is a 4 pound baby in my tummy pushing up on everything.  but thank goodness i started to feel better in time to enjoy last weekend!

some of my symptoms over the week have been having a hard time sleeping at night, bad heartburn, achey back (which could also be from being sick) and shortness of breath.  i have had the shortness of breath at times during my pregnancy, but this time it comes on when i feel like i am just sitting and not doing much activity at all or just from talking!  during summer i was really craving cookies and cream ice cream and my craving for ice cream, milk shakes and frozen yogurt has returned. this week i have been to dairy queen, jack in the box and yogurtland to satisfy my sweet tooth.  oh yah and before we moved, i may have gone through a few pints of ben and jerry's ice cream.  bowie has been moving a lot lately, i get gabs to my sides and i felt her hiccup for the first time.  i thought i may have felt it earlier, but this time i am totally sure of it.  my heartburn was so bad the other night, that i was throwing up, that was not fun, this is the first time in my pregnancy that i have thrown up.  also something weird, we went out to dinner the other night, i didn't over eat, we got pho and when we got home i mentioned to jarad that my belly felt really hard and tight.  we were watching tv on the sofa and i was sitting kinda slumped with my feet rested on the coffee table and i noticed that everytime i took a deep breath my stomach would make a wheezing noise.  jarad heard it too, i have no idea what it was, but strange.  i think the room inside my belly is getting smaller and smaller!

we got our "first out" stuff from storage this week, and i packed my scale in one of the boxes.  i think it has been almost two weeks since i have weighed myself, so i am not sure how much weight i gained each week, but i can at least track my total weight gain and pick up my weekly weight gain next week.

total weight gain = 17 pounds

growth milestones for the week...

~baby is going through major brain and nerve development
~irises can now react to light
~all 5 of baby's senses are developed
~the lungs are the last or the organs to develop but baby is practicing breathing 30-40% of the time
~bones are hardening and preparing to support baby's body after birth
~uterus is about 4.5 - 5 inches above belly button and space is limited
~baby is about 17.5 - 18.5 inches long and should weigh over 3.5 pounds by now, and will put on more fat and grow an additional 3-5 pounds in the coming weeks until birth

baby is the size of a pineapple!

2nd weekend in washington!

"what do you want to do this weekend" is a hard question to answer when you are a transplant in a new and unfamiliar city.  jarad got home from work on friday and i was so excited to start off the weekend feeling much much better and have 2 full days to explore with him.  we knew we had 2 obligations this weekend 1 - house hunt 2 - bike ride!  friday night is "no cook" night, not that i have been doing much of that lately anyways, but it was chilly and pho always sounds good!  so we looked up some good restaurants in the area and there were tons to chose from, so we picked one and had a good dinner.  then we made a trip to fred meyer and had a relaxing evening watching a movie. 

saturday we had plans to go out with the real estate agent.  i love looking at houses and was excited to get out there and potentially find our new home.  we woke up and had a good breakfast and jarad went to the gym and i took wilfred for a good walk on the bike path.  we got ready and started the house hunt a little earlier on our own and checked out neighborhoods and communities so we can get a better idea of exactly where we want to focus our search.  the first few houses we saw were major disappointments and then we went back to take a 2nd look at a a house we fell in love with when we came up here in november to house hunt.  i should say we fell in love with the property and not the house.  we took another good and long look at the house, which needs a lot of rearranging of the floor plan to make it more desirable and livable.  we left that house feeling like we were finally able to put that home to rest, knowing it is not ideal for our family.  we saw a few more houses, all of which we liked, but in some way or another all felt like we were compromising too much with the lack of land and space.  then lastly we revisted another house we saw back in november.  jarad loved this property as well, but i was quick to dismiss it as it was over budget and needed some work, mostly aesthetic TLC kinda work, but i also did not like the layout of the bedrooms.  we have referred to this house as the "dolphin house" because it has a dolphin statue in the front yard.  the owners had recently reduced the price making it much more desirable (for me) and we went back to check it out.  i have to say the first time we saw it, it was raining which made it hard to check out the property itself, so this time we walked around the grounds and took a good and hard look at the house and we left very interested in it!  we went to dinner at our favorite restaurant (so far) called wild fin where we hashed it over and got to daydreaming about making it our dream home.  i still had to sleep on it though...

sunday was an awesome day!  we woke up and had plans to meet our good friends for a bike ride/hike and lunch.  but first we decided to contact our real estate agent to tell her we wanted to play the game and make an offer on the dolphin house.  we drove to "duthie" where the boys did some riding and the girls did a bit of shopping before taking the dogs to the most amazing dog park i have ever seen, called "marrymoor."  it is a huge open park that runs along a river and the dogs are off leash and playing.  the dogs had a great time, but i think i may have had more fun, it was so nice to walk around on the flat paths and watch all the dogs. although it is a bit of a drive, i will definitely be taking visitors here as it is such an impressive park and outdoor space. 

we met the boys for lunch afterwards and then we rushed back to the apartment to get ready to have dinner with one of jarad's new coworkers and his family.  they have just moved here from texas about a month before us and live with family in washington while they close on a house.  and the wife is also pregnant, about a month behind me with their 2nd child.  it is so nice to meet new friends and start to build a social life for ourselves.  we had a really nice dinner with them and it was a great end to a great weekend.  i have my fingers crossed for the dolphin house, but have learned not to get excited, so this will be an interesting week ahead!