17 weeks

I'll post a bump pic after I get home from work.

How far along? 17 weeks. WHAT?!
Gender? Oh, golly, I have a feeling it's a girl, but find that hard to believe considering Jake's family only seems to have boy sperm.
Sleep: Mostly good. I can't sleep on my stomach anymore so I'm getting use to sleeping while cradling a pillow--it's not too bad.
Belly Button in or out? In but I can tell it's getting pushed out--weird. Plus, I have that dark line forming on my tummy.
What I miss: Shiraz and German beers.
Cravings: None that I can think of. However, I have noticed my appetite is out of control!
What I am looking forward to: Next ultra sound in 2 weeks! Camping trip with our friends this weekend.
Milestones: I'm 99.9% sure I've been feeling Li'l P move around. I can't wait for the big kicks and jabs. We bought our crib bedding too!
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy being pregnant---it's a pretty amazing journey. :-)

Protein

Protein is a pregnant woman's friend. I try to get 100 grams of it a day, which is harder than you think. Let's just say I eat a lot of beans, string cheese, and peanut butter. Luckily, I have the internet at my fingertips, which has allowed me to find lots of protein-packed meals (many of which are vegetarian). This evening, I made a 15-bean soup that I came across on Fat Free Vegan Kitchen (you can find the recipe when you click on the link). The soup was good, but I don't think I added enough liguid, as you can tell by the way my soup looks and the way her soup looks. So, if you make this recipe, make sure to add more liquid to achieve that soup-like consistency.

If you want to find out more on why protein is so important during pregnancy, check out this great little article at babycenter.com.

Well Hello There 16 Weeks

Looking a lot more bumptastic than I thought. :-)

How far along? 16 weeks
Gender? Oh, golly, I have a feeling it's a girl, but find that hard to believe considering Jake's family only seems to have boy sperm.
Sleep: Heavenly!
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Wine at Sbrocco, feeling comfortable in my pants
Cravings: I haven't had any extreme cravings this week. I do eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, though.
What I am looking forward to: Feeling the baby move! Our next ultra sound on August 10--3 weeks from today! The wedding Jake and I are going to this weekend. Wearing my cute new maternity jeans.
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy being pregnant---it's a pretty amazing journey. :-)

Healthy Pregnancy

During the first trimester of the pregnancy I was not very good at keeping myself as healthy as I should've been. The all day sickness and constant tiredness left me unmotivated. I ate mostly comfort foods, slept a lot, and hardly ever exercised-- SHAME ON ME! Once the second trimester hit, it was a whole new world; I wasn't sick anymore, I had energy, and I've slowly started to return to living a more healthy life. I started cooking healthy meals, walking regularly, and drinking lots of water. I'm still not to where I would like to be. I'm starting to take prenatal water aerobics classes, I downloaded a prenatal yoga class from yogadownload.com, and I've started preparing meals full of protein and other nutrients essential for the development of a healthy baby.

We recently signed up for childbirth classes. We've decided to go with the Bradley Method and have chosen a highly recommended instructor, Amy, from Before and After the Birth in Des Moines, Iowa. Amy's website is full of tips for a healthy pregnancy--I can't wait to see what she offers us in the classes.

I know how incredibly important it is that I live as healthy of life as possible for Li'l P. I'm hoping to chronicle some of the things I'm doing to stay healthy and keep this little one healthy and happy too.

I've Got Something Else a Growin'

I planted this garden in April, 2 days after we found out we were pregnant. It's been neat to watch the garden grow over the summer. We planted 2 tomato plants, 1 cherry tomato plant, 2 bell pepper plants, 1 jalapeno plant, a row of onion, 1 (gigantic) zuchini plant, 1 eggplant plant, basil, oregano, cilantro, and dill.

A close-up of a little zuchini growing. We already ate one zuchini from this plant and it was delicious. Food taste even better when you grow it.

A few cherry tomatoes.

I ate these two straight off the plant. YUM!

Cute little bell peppers.

The zuchini plant that has taken over the garden.

Nursery Inspiration Pictures

The Inspiration for it all!

Nursery Time

One thing Jake and I are sure we want to do is instill a love of reading in our child. And, one of my all time favorite children's book authors is Dr. Seuss. His whimsy way with words and art has worked its way into millions of hearts. While trying to think of a nursery theme I came across this lovely Dr. Seuss nursery featured in Pottery Barn Kids and I think I'm sold!

I know I really want to have The Lorax play a large part in the nursery, so I'm going to think of ways to incorporate it! If you have any ideas, let me know.

15 weeks

This journal has been created mainly for Jake and I to be able to document our first pregnancy, and someday share the contents with our little one.

Today marks the beginning of week 15! It's hard to belive its already been 15 weeks! In 5 weeks we'll be half way done with this awesome journey. And, I'm sure the due date will be here before we know it.

This morning I had my 2nd midwife appointment and I got to hear Li'l P's strong heartbeat (150 bpm)---I swear that is the best sound ever. You can't help but get a little teared up when you hear it.

I have a slight little bump just below my belly button, I'm pretty sure the rest of the bump is mainly bloat! Give it a month or so an I'm sure that bump will be blowin' up--never thought there would be a day in my life where I would actually want a nice, big round belly-ha! I'll be posting weekly pics of the bump so we can document the change. :-)

I will also be posting a weekly list of questions:

How far along? 15 weeks
Gender? Oh, golly, I have a feeling it's a girl, but find that hard to believe considering Jake's family only seems to have boy sperm.
Sleep: I'm actually sleeping pretty well- much better than the first tri.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Wine at Sbrocco
Cravings: Fruits, sweets, and black beans (lots and lots of black beans) I actually ate an entire cane of black beans in one sitting.
What I am looking forward to: Our next ultra sound on August 10--4 weeks from today!
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy your pregnancy! I'm so relaxed with my pregnancy and I love being pregnant. Also, read books that take a positive look at childbirth and labor--you'll feel much better and be prepared.