21 weeks

1. How far along? 21weeks
2. Weight gain? Back to our steady 5 pounds... the belly gets bigger, but the rest of me is getting smaller.
3. Sleep? Sleep is my friend.
4. Best moments this week? VCU making it to the FINAL FOUR!!! So, again this is not a pregnancy moment this week, but whatevs. It's a BIG DEAL!!!
5. Food cravings? Nope. That's probably why I am not gaining weight.  I am still just eating normal food at a normal rate.
6. Food Aversions? Just my usual picky self
7. Looking forward to? Emptying the nursery... again.  Apparently, we are not good at keeping a room empty.  Although, in my defense, all the stuff in there is baby stuff!  I just need to get in there and start organizing stuff, especially in her closet!
8. Milestones? We ordered nursery furniture!  It should be here in about 6 weeks.  As pieces start to arrive, I will let you know.  Next thing to do is paint the room before all the furniture gets here.
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: I am probably going to sound awful, but it's my blog, so it's ok.  I am not Buddha... please don't keep rubbing my belly.  I understand you are incredibly excited, and I will admit that I was a belly rubber when my friends were pregnant.  And for some of you (ok, really most of you reading), it's okay that you rub my belly... but sometimes I just wish people wouldn't make such a huge deal over this pregnancy.  Don't get me wrong, I am glad and thankful that so many people are happy for us, but sometimes I just want to enjoy it myself and in my own way.  I can't keep this huge smile on my face 24/7. This pregnancy is making my personality a little different than normal... perhaps it's hormones.  But I usually don't mind being the center of attention, but for some reason, this time, I really want this special event to be the most exciting thing Philip and I have done yet.  God is blessing us with a healthy pregnancy thus far and I really want us to enjoy the ride.  So really, what I am trying to say is... don't be offended if I am not as chipper as usual - I am probably tired, usually hungry, and more than likely wishing you would get your hand off my belly. 

No belly picture this week.  Mainly because I may be wearing the same outfit I was wearing last Monday.  Don't judge. What can I say?  I am sports superstitious and if I wore this after last Sunday's awesome win, then I better wear it after yesterday's too!

20 weeks

1. How far along? 20 weeks
2. Weight gain? Acorn's Auntie Melissa and Uncle Gilby are in town, so I am convinced the extra 2 pounds are from our dining out excursions.  But never the less, we are about 7 pounds.
3. Sleep? Sleep is still easy for me.  I do still need to get a pregnancy pillow soon though, but for now, I have configured the perfect pillow mountain in the bed.
4. Best moments this week? VCU making it to the Sweet 16!!! Ok, so it's not a pregnancy moment, buuuuut Lainey was kicking all over the place during the game!  I guess she could tell when her momma got into the game.  She just wanted to dance with the rest of the Rams!! This morning when I ordered my official Sweet 16 t-shirt, I ordered Lainey a VCU shirt too.  Now all she needs a big black and yellow bow!
   
5. Food cravings? No crazy cravings, really.  Although, I have a huge love for pink lemonades.
6. Food Aversions? Just my usual picky self
7.   Looking forward to? Getting started on the nursery.  The bedding arrived over the weekend, so now I need to get into Pottery Barn kids and order her furniture.  I have lots of fun ideas running through my head, and I can't wait to share them with ya'll.
8. Milestones? HALF WAY THERE!!!
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: Baby girl is quite the wiggle worm and I simply can not wait until her daddy can feel her too.  I thought for sure during the game (oh, you know, the game where VCU whooped Purdue!!) but he still can't feel her.  Soon enough though.

Surprise!! You get a belly picture this week too!!

19 weeks!!!

Sorry for not posting Monday's survey on Monday, but it was a big day so I wanted to hold out.  Are you ready for it?? There has been great debate among our family about this.... the results are in.... and

It's a girl!!!! 

Say, "Hello!" to Miss Lainey Grey

1. How far along? 19 weeks
2. Weight gain? This is getting harder to judge, because I weigh myself in the mornings and my appointments are always in the afternoons.  So I am going to go by what my scale says in the bathroom.  So that being said... we are holding steady at 5 pounds.
3. Sleep? I am definitely sleeping, but making sure I sleep on my side is becoming quite a chore.  I think it's time to get a body pillow or something.
4. Best moments this week? Our ultrasound yesterday!!! (Although, there may be a moment this morning that could compete for moment of the week.)  Yesterday, we had our ultrasound to tell us if Philip was right or wrong.  Unfortunately for him, he was wrong!! He asked the ultrasound technician three times to make sure it was a girl and she told him, "Sorry. See that?  That's what we call a hamburger... those are girl parts."  There's a picture from yesterday that looks like the baby is actually flicking us off, so I told Philip, "She's mad at you for thinking she was a boy!" Baby girl was quite the wiggle worm in there too.  She made it hard to get good measurements, but she enjoyed showing off for the camera!
   
   The other good moment so far this week was this morning when I was leaving for work, I gave Phil his usual goodbye kiss and he touched my belly and said "Have a good day, Lainey." My heart practically melted.  I think he is way more excited than he is letting people see.
   
5. Food cravings? Well I had my first Sweet Frog experience over the weekend, and while I don't crave it yet... I have a feeling this will become a preggo staple, especially as it gets warmer out.
6. Food Aversions? Just my usual picky self
7.   Looking forward to? The new bedding I just ordered to get here so I can get cracking on baby girl's room!
8. Milestones? We're almost half way!  And know we are having a girl!!
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: When my friend Blair was pregnant she posted on her blog about how when a pregnant woman says she needs to eat, she means it.  Wow! That could not be more right!! Going out to dinner with our family over the weekend, I knew I needed to eat, and I needed to eat soon.  But apparently no one else was hungry so everyone voted yes to the walk about before dinner and the 30 minute wait to be seated.  Learned my lesson - packing snacks in my purse all the time now!
   
   My other thought this morning is about the ultrasound pictures we got.  There isn't one that says "It's a girl" on it, hence why I used her alien face.  No more penguin.... just a little acorn alien for now.
   

Getting anxious

Hey Acorn,
For the last two days I have been thinking about what to write to you this week... it's been a little while since I wrote you a letter. All I really think about right now is how many flutters you are filling my tummy with and how anxious I am to find out if you are a boy or a girl.  Daddy and I find out on Monday... only a few more days and we couldn't be excited.  I even tried to get an appointment earlier in the day! Daddy is crossing his fingers for you to be a little man, but Mommy, on the other hand, just wants to be surprised and know you're healthy.  Either way, we are excited and can't wait to see your face on that monitor; last time you took my breath away and I am sure you are going to do it again.

We've been talking a lot lately about what we think is important for us to teach you in your life...Daddy and I could probably talk forever about all the things we want you to know and learn and do throughout the course of your life.  It's been a game thinking about what traits you will get from who and who you are going to look like... it's all a mystery and it's incredible.  What's important to me isn't necessarily what your dad would call a top priority, but just remember, we want you to be happy and comfortable with who you are.

Love,
Momma

18 weeks

1. How far along? 18 weeks
2. Weight gain? 5 pounds 
3. Sleep? Getting lots and lots of sleep
4. Best moments this week? Having Philip say that even though he knows it's a boy, if he is somehow wrong, he will be excited just to see the baby and know Acorn is healthy.
5. Food cravings? Well I had my first Sweet Frog experience over the weekend, and while I don't crave it yet... I have a feeling this will become a preggo staple, especially as it gets warmer out.
6. Food Aversions? Just my usual picky self
7.   Looking forward to? Our ultrasound!!!  Only ONE MORE WEEK!!
8. Milestones? I guess a milestone will be that this bump is really starting to look like a baby belly!  It's exciting to know all these muscle pains are "good pains."
9. Pregnancy thoughts this week: My biggest pregnancy thoughts this week are all about next week's ultrasound.  I just want to see the baby that is causing my lovely heartburn and my round ligament pains and know that he or she is healthy... and of, course knowing if Acorn is a girl or a boy is just going to be wonderful!  This whole time I have been saying that I have no gut feelings, but I have noticed that I tend to only pick out girl stuff... maybe that's my subconscious sending me a sign?? We'll have to wait and see!

Raising Richmond

image source: rvanews.com

For those of you Richmonders, do you ever read the RVA News?  I get the e-mail, usually skim through it, and then I admit, delete it.  I don't usually read the whole publication.  Today a friend of mine shared a link with me on facebook and it was from the RVA News column "Raising Richmond."  Today's article was about writing letters to your pregnant self;  the letters were from mothers who wrote letters to themselves when they were pregnant. 

Definitely adding this to my list of things to try and do for while I am on maternity leave, probably right before I have to go back to the office.  Notice that I didn't say my To Do list, because let's be real... I know having a to do list at that time will be a waste of time.  It can't hurt to have a wishful thinking list though!

Check out the article here. It's a neat read, and I really enjoyed it.  I actually shared it with a friend of mine who is a new mother too!  I definitely recommend the article that you take some time to read the life and times of the Motts in The Ellwood Avenue Chronicles!  Now I am intrigued to read the other articles from the series...looks like I know where ya'll can find me this weekend while I wait for laundry and stuff around the house.  You guessed it... snuggled with the dogs on the couch reading Raising Richmond.