32 Weeks

This past Friday we reached the 32 week mark. At 31 weeks, we went to our 4D ultrasound that Bryan and Erin gave us for Christmas. Since we didn't get any good images the first try, this was our redo.

I used this as an excuse to drink a pop (Orange Fanta from Sonic) so the baby would be very active. That little bugger was still trying to hide their face! The tech worked with us for quite a while trying to get some good shots. We did get a cute picture of the eyes and adorable nose.

And  yes, the gender is still unknown.

The baby was head up at the 4D and I think it is chilling in the sideways position right now. The doctor said that they usually settle into their position around 35 weeks so we still have some time for it to move into head down. I read online that you can play music and put the headphones at your pelvic bone. Last night I was in bed and turned on "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and the baby started kicking like crazy. Maybe the lovely sound of Marvin Gaye's voice will encourage baby to move on down there.

31 weeks
Fun fact: This shirt is not maternity, it is Merona from Target in a medium and it wonderfully stretchy and way cheaper than a maternity one. 

Left to right: 29 weeks, 31 weeks, 32 weeks

Still feeling wonderful and my main complaint varies daily: back pain or lack of sleep. On Friday morning, I woke up at 2:45 to use the bathroom and never went back to sleep. I finally got out of bed at 4am and went to the couch. I think I fell back asleep around 7am after Kyle went to work and slept til about 9. I felt like a zombie all day long on Friday. 

Kyle's parents arrive this coming Friday. My baby shower is on the 19th and Mary Lou wanted to make sure she was here to attend! Kyle is thrilled that they will be here during Masters weekend so the three of them can talk golf incessantly. 

Yesterday we spent the day in Edmond watching the girls play sports. Jordy had 2 soccer games and Allison had soccer and softball. Watching Allison play softball brought back so many memories for me! 

And on Friday, Lauren turned 10. How did that happen?! That sweet girl has been my sidekick since the day she was born and I didn't know how much I could love a child until she arrived. I have always loved babies/kids but she opened my heart to something entirely new. I will forever be grateful that we have such a great family dynamic that allows me to be so close with my nieces. 

Gender Surprise

The Today Show did a segment on this today and I felt it was finally time to throw my 2 cents in on the topic. They took a poll and 59% of people want to know the gender of their baby. \

I can't believe it has taken me this long (or I have been able to keep my mouth shut this long) about this. As I have said before, we are not finding out the gender of our baby. I have always wanted to do this and it only took a little convincing on my part to get Kyle on board. My brother and Erin didn't find out with Lauren and Justin and Stacy didn't find out with Henry. It seemed like the fun thing to do! Until people start asking what you are having...

I am going to rant here for a minute. Whether or not YOU think we should find out, it is OUR decision. I am probably being too harsh and annoyed easily about this, so I will blame it on the pregnancy hormones.

I cannot begin to tell you how many people have asked what we are having. And I would say about 80% of the responses are not exactly positive to our decision to be surprised. Here are some of my favorite responses when I say "we are waiting to find out":

"Oh, I could never do that! I have to know!"
"Why did you decide to do that? Most people want to find out"
"I am such a planner that I couldn't do that" - my personal favorite
"You know that isn't that much fun for everyone else. We want to know!"
"Oh, I wish I could find out and then not tell anyone" - yeah, cause if I don't know, I would want you to
"Well, are you at least telling the names you have picked out"

I love to plan things. I love to decorate my house and buy things and feel prepared. And you know what, I do feel prepared. We will have diapers, a place for the baby to sleep, food and clothing. We have decided to do the nursery after the baby arrives and I don't need your opinion on how much I won't feel like doing that after the baby, or how I will wish I had the nursery finished in case I want to put the baby in the crib instead of using our co-sleeper in our bedroom.

I have gotten plenty of positive responses, as well. And I greatly appreciate those people and I love to talk with them about how exciting the surprise will be. I know that people don't intend to annoy me or come across as rude, but it gets really old.

I cannot begin to imagine how exciting that moment will be in the delivery room when the doctor announces the gender. Kyle and I get to have that special moment with each other and I hope that moment lasts with me forever.

(end rant)

Third Trimester

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I post most of the pregnancy pics there. Last Friday, at 28 weeks, I hit the beginning of the third trimester! While I can't believe it is going this fast, I also can believe it because I told myself that it would and I told myself to enjoy every moment of my first pregnancy.

I know this is silly, but I am already a little sad at the thought of not being pregnant anymore. I really enjoy being pregnant and it is such a wonderful thing to feel my baby kick. And people are just very into you while you are pregnant. Not that I am saying I need all the attention, but it is so sweet to see people genuinely love to see you and your belly and ask how you are doing.

But I also know that once I have that baby in my arms, I probably won't even miss being pregnant! I will be so consumed with my baby that I won't even think about these times. But for the next 11 weeks, I am trying to enjoy each moment with just me and the baby.

28 weeks

29 weeks

Leggings are saving my sanity right now. It's about all I wear. I have purchased a few maternity items (the striped top is maternity from Target) but I am trying not to spend too much on clothes. Especially since I have 11 weeks to go. I purchased 2 maxi dresses from Old Navy that I plan to completely wear out in the upcoming weeks!

At 28 weeks, I took my blood glucose test. The drink tastes like really sweet orange Fanta, and I love me some orange Fanta. It does have a ton of glucose in it, so it made me feel blah the rest of the day. On Monday, they called to tell me that something happened with my blood work and I would need to retake the test. Blah. I hate having my blood drawn. Hate it! So I went back on Wednesday morning and did the whole thing again. Blood glucose levels came back just fine at 71.

Apparently I have hit the emotional time during my pregnancy and I have decided that I can cry over almost anything. It is ridiculous and can also be hilarious at times. Kyle is pretty sure I'm crazy but he does a great job of not telling me that until I am over my "moment".

I have started some registry work online at Target and Buy Buy Baby and I still need to go push around some strollers to see what feels the best. I will take any advice on strollers, there are so many options!

Enough about me, let's talk about a new baby. My cousin, Katie, welcomed her daughter, Olivia, on Tuesday! She was a little early, but she is doing great! Katie always thought that the doctors office was a week late in determining her due date so she may not have been as early as they thought. Katie's blood pressure had gotten pretty high and she had some swelling and wasn't feeling great. She didn't have preeclampsia but her doctor said she was most likely going to develop it. She was 80% effaced and dilated to a 3. They decided it was best to have her go in on the morning of March 11th and get the party started. Everything went very well, she progressed as she was supposed to and that afternoon she quickly dilated from a 5 to a 10 and pushed 3 times and she was here!

Olivia Lee Lauck
6 lbs 2 oz & 21 inches long 

She came home weighing in around 5lbs, 7 oz. I am trying to figure out a time to go see this tiny little thing before I can't travel anymore.

Today is 3/14 or 3.14 (Pi Day). If you live in Tulsa, Antoinette Baking Co on Brookside is one of my favorite places and they are making all kind of pies today to celebrate. I am most definitely indulging in one of their treats today!

26 Weeks Bumpdate & More!

Hello! I didn't intend on being MIA for this long! So first, I will start with a pregnancy update.

Leaving for Florida: 22 weeks 

23 weeks

24 weeks 

25 weeks 

26 weeks 

26 week front view 

how far along: 26 weeks

size of baby: Average size of fetus is 1.5lb to 2.2lb and the size of a head of lettuce 

total weight gain: 17ish lbs 

maternity clothes:  I have a few pieces of maternity clothing that I have worn (maxi dresses & a top) but I am still mainly wearing leggings and tunics. Plenty of my shirts still fit (as long as I don't have to button anything over my boobs). I can still wear my jeans and do the rubber band trick but they are getting a bit more uncomfortable. Leggings have always been a favorite of mine, and they are definitely crucial to me now! 

movement: Feeling lots of kicks! The baby is much more active in the mornings, which started around 22/23 weeks. My mom and Kyle have both gotten to feel the baby move. 

sleep: As long as nothing wakes me up (such as a full bladder), I'm still sleeping pretty well. 

cravings: Still wanting Mexican food, and lately I have wanted BBQ. Both are Kyle's least favorites. His favorite is steak and pot roast, both of which I want nothing to do with. 

symptoms: lower back pain, lots of bathroom breaks, hungry (especially after I workout) 

So on the weight gain thing...we went on vacation to Florida for 10 days. Which meant 10 days of eating and indulging in foods that are not normal to me. Kyle's family loves to eat (who doesn't) but I am either used to a) not being so hungry that I want to eat that stuff or b) being able to work out and still indulge with the family. I went for a few long walks on the beach with Mary Lou but it wasn't enough to burn off the calories I was consuming. The weekend after we returned home, I went to Dallas and co-hosted a baby shower for Katie which included breakfast casserole, cake and punch. And then Monday, I got to weigh in. 

I knew I had put on more weight than I planned. So once I got back to my regularly scheduled eating and working out, I lost some of that. So now, I am back on track and feeling great. I really try not to worry about the weight, and every time I put on a pair of leggings or pants that still fit, I rejoice a little. 

Now, onto other things! Kristin and I threw Katie an adorable "winter wonderland" themed baby shower in Dallas on Feb. 8th. It turned out to be a fairly chilly day, which was perfect for our theme! We had a hot chocolate bar (Kristin's great idea) and lots of delicious food. She is expecting a girl at the end of March and looks great! My favorite part of the shower was the onesie and headband decorating station we had. It was so much fun and all of the items turned out so cute! 

Bump love

Copycat picture from Kristin's shower

Momma's and their pregnant daughters

Katie is in the home stretch, she is due 4 weeks from this coming Friday! I will be 27 weeks on Friday, which means I need to kick it into high gear with a few things. We need to buy a rocking chair, tour the hospital, pre-register, take a birthing class (if we decide to do that) and pick a pediatrician. I am really starting to feel like a grown up...

20 Weeks Down, 20 Weeks To Go

This past Friday, we reached 20 weeks! I still feel fantastic. I try to work out every other day to give my back a rest. I just purchased a pregnancy Pilates DVD on Amazon and I am looking forward to trying it out. 

Everything checked out perfectly at the doctor. The baby is measuring within one day of my due date and weighs 11oz. We told the ultrasound tech that we weren't finding out the sex, and we didn't even catch a glimpse of what it could be. It was so nice to lay on that table and get a nice, long look at the baby. Most of the ultrasounds are so quick! 

Tiny baby foot

Profile

We have been making some progress in the nursery. We have a built in desk in the room that we will use as a changing table. I have a dresser that Kyle painted white and I spray painted the hardware for a completely new look. And we ordered a crib! I looked at tons of cribs online and we measured upstairs and figured out that we would like it to be taller than most of the ones I pinned. So I looked more and found this lovely convertible crib at Walmart. I was a little hesitant to pull the trigger but Kyle said the good thing is that Walmart will take back a bag of chips even after you have eaten half of it. He's right, they take anything back. Plus I had a $50 giftcard so we got a great deal on it. 

Fisher Price Kingsport

I can't wait to get it in the room and see how it looks. Next up is a rocker. Our nursery is pretty large so I think we will have plenty of room for all the things required to have a baby. 

Now, to the bump. 

20 weeks

how far along: 2o weeks

size of baby: 11 oz and the size of a banana 

total weight gain: 10 lbs

maternity clothes: none yet, I can still easily hide the tiny bump if I want to and I just look plump in the midsection if I wear something tight.  My boss was generous enough to give me 3 grocery bags full of clothes so I have a few things when it becomes time. 

movement: I am starting to feel some movement! The baby is head down and I can feel some jabs and flutters. 

sleep: Sleeping just as soundly as before, but if I wake up I have to pee. 

cravings: Mexican food is all I want all the time! PB&J is my after dinner snack most of the time. Or a graham cracker with peanut butter on it. 

symptoms: lower back pain, lots of bathroom breaks, ginormous boobs! 

I bought some non-alcoholic peach sangria mix at Williams Sonoma and mix it with sparkling water as my "mocktail".  That mix is so delish. It will be so delicious with some champagne this summer :) 

Favorite Pictures of 2013

One of my favorite blog posts to do, my favorite pics from the year. Some months I had a hard time choosing because we did so much fun stuff!

January: My 30th birthday 

Feb: Wedding in Breckendridge

March: OSU bball game for Allison's birthday 

April: Kyle and I in a wedding on our 6th month anniversary

May: Aunt Sheri gets to celebrate Jordyn's birthday

June: A very sad month for us losing our bulldog but happy memories of him

July: Kristin's baby shower

August: Meeting baby Dylan

September: Amanda's bach party in Austin (and five weeks pregnant!)

Oct: Amtrack to NYC!
(this was the hardest month to pick, but Kyle planned this trip and surprised me with the destination and I love this picture of the reveal folder)

November: My father in law laughing at a story my dad is telling. We are so lucky to have such wonderful families! 

December: Our baby announcement!  

We had such a wonderful 2013 celebrating my 30th birthday, our first ski trip together, Easter and Thanksgiving with our parents (together), a work trip to Louisville, our friends wedding in Tulsa and another in Baltimore, a trip to Pittsburgh for the 4th of July, meeting our friend's, Dante and Erin's baby, welcoming Dylan into our family, finding out my cousin Katie is pregnant, finding out I'm pregnant, a trip to Austin and getting to tell my best friends that I'm having a baby, celebrating 1 year of love with Kyle and 5 days in NYC (a trip I will never forget, and getting to tell our families that another baby is on the way.

Christmas 2013

We had such a wonderful time this year with the holidays. We had my entire family (minus Katie & Louie) along with Kyle's parents together for Thanksgiving. And we announced we are expecting a baby. Pretty special!

This Christmas we got to celebrate the weekend before in Dallas with the extended family. Katie and Louie were in town so we all headed to Sheri's and spent the weekend together. Katie and I are 2 years apart and expecting babies 2 months apart.

Katie and Louie are expecting a little girl. Bryan and Erin have 3 girls. Zach and Kristin welcomed a girl in July 2013 and now we have 1 more coming. We will have to wait until May to see what the Gatewood baby is!

On Christmas Day, we spent the day in Edmond at Bryan's house. Erin and Bryan got us a gift certificate for a 4D ultrasound! Kyle is so thrilled about that and we cannot wait until I am far enough along to schedule it.

Kyle and I usually don't get each other gifts but this year we got each other gifts from the baby. He got me the softest gray and white blanket from Pottery Barn Kids and I got him onesies from our boy/girl.

Bryan got Kyle these hilarious golf balls!