Baby W: 27 Weeks

Baby should be weighing in at almost 2 pounds!

Total weight gain:  Not sure since last week, but we'll pretend I only gained 1 lb this week and say 28 ;)
Maternity clothes:  Yesterday I finally got a few things! Turns out, hardly any stores carry maternity clothes these days. Not sure what that's about. But I am the proud new [more comfortable] owner of a pair of demin capris, khaki shorts, and two shirts. Thanks to Deb for the moral support, and thanks to Macy's for [carrying the darn clothes and] having a sale!
Stretch marks:  Still haven't noticed any
Sleep:  What's that, again? Actually, last night I slept like a log and it was weird; that hadn't happened all week!
Best moment this week:  I got some more family week this weekend, and it was a blast! My brother, Dad, and Deb came up to visit for the weekend. We celebrated my brother's birthday, saw some St. Cloud sights, did some shopping, and even went to the Granite City Days airport breakfast.
Miss anything?:  Just still missin' my hubby!
Movement:  Lots of movements that are stronger than they've been. I guess this little nugget is getting stronger!
Food cravings:  Not really craving anything.
Anything make you queasy or sick?:  Nope
Aches and pains:  A little achy, but nothing new.
Starting to show yet?:  Yep, thought I've been told only from the side. Thank you, whoever said that!
Gender prediction:  You got me! I've been told you look either like a basketball or a football, depending on if it's a boy or girl. But I've heard that a basketball is a boy and a girl. So that's not so much help. Maybe it's better I don't know... this child would have a ton of clothes by now if I knew :)
Labor signs:   Nada. Let's keep it that way!
Belly button in or out?:   In
Wedding rings on or off?:  On, but have to give my finger a break once in a while, mainly after I go to the gym or if it's really warm out.
Happy or Moody most of the time?:   Happy
Most looking forward to:  Lots of things this week:  only 2 more days of work [and then i get to sleep at night!], I get to see Mike on Wednesday [YAY!], and then my month of family time starts on Saturday!

Baby W: 26 Weeks

No official measurements, 

but baby should be 13 1/2 inches long and weigh 1  2/3 pounds.

Total weight gain:  27 big ones (oh-em-gee)
Maternity clothes:  Nothing new, but it's time. I'm caving this week.. time to shop for a few things.
Stretch marks:  Nope - not that I can see
Sleep:  Better some days than others, but trying to get as much as I can. Waking up every time I turn over is really putting a cramp in my style.
Best moment this week:  I got to spend the weekend with lots of family. We had our annual Fish Fry at my grandparents' farm, which is always a fun time!
Miss anything?:  Just my hubby!
Movement:  Noticing more movement each week. At least a few times a week, we have a full-blown dance party in there.. usually triggered by sugar or caffeine :)
Food cravings:  A glass of cold milk is still the closest thing to a craving I've got right now.
Anything make you queasy or sick?:  Nope
Aches and pains:  The same things that have been hurting - back, right hip, plus feet and legs after a few shifts at work.
Starting to show yet?:  Umm... yeah. Big time.
Gender prediction:  I got a lot of girl votes from my family this weekend, but I'm still not convinced! Heart rate this week was 145, so smack-dab in the middle, giving us no hints. Doctor D still says boy, but she's not as sure as she was.
Labor signs:   Apparently my little belly cramps and that 'charlie horse' I've had were likely false contractions, but I haven't had any more this week.
Belly button in or out?:   In, but one little part is starting to pooch out, so I don't think it will be a whole lot longer.
Wedding rings on or off?:  On, but a little snug most of the time. Could be heat & humidity too, but I'm getting a little swelling in these sausage fingers.
Happy or Moody most of the time?:   Happy
Most looking forward to:  My family is coming to visit this weekend! Plus, only 6 more shifts of work, and Mike comes back next week!

[Our] Next Big Adventure

Got married.

Moved to Minnesota.

Started new jobs.

Moved to a new apartment.

Started growing a baby.

We decided it just wasn't enough to do in one year. So what's up next? 

Move to Pennsylvania. 

 That's right, Mike and I are relocating once again. This time to Pennsylvania. Mike was offered a position at Penn State University that he just couldn't pass up, so we'll be moving out there in the next few weeks. It's bittersweet -- I'm hesitant to move even further away from family, friends, and familiar places. But at the same time, I don't 100% love St. Cloud and it's a move that will open some great doors in the future. 

The way I look at it, that's what airplanes are for. I can easily get home to family and friends, and living 6+ hours away from them now isn't just down the road. And doing this all at 7 months pregnant... are we crazy? Maybe a little. But really, will it be easier when we have a 2-year-old? Two little ones? After we've bought a house in St Cloud? I can't imagine so. So... let's begin the next big adventure!

Consider this your open invitation to come visit us. Anytime you can.

The Great Outdoors 2013

You may [or may not] remember that the last two years, Rachael and I have taken a summer camping trip. If you don't let me refresh your memory:  Here is 2011, and Here is 2012. 

Just because there is a baby on board this year, don't count us out! That's right, we took our annual camping trip again this summer, and Nugget got to come by default. It made things a little more difficult [and i complained a lot more...], but we still had a great time!

We decided to take our adventures a little further North than usual; we went to the Savanna Portage National Park in northern Minnesota. It was quite the drive [especially for rachael], but it was scenic and serene.

As usual, we did some exploring, relaxing, reading, kayaking, and of course eating. Here are a few snapshots from our adventure.

Our humble abode for a few days. It was roomy, airy, easy to assemble, 

and it kept the bugs out!

Our campsite and a little sun

The first of the dinner features. Hobo packs. This was Rachael's genius idea, and it was so simple! Meat and veggies assembled in foil before we left, then thrown on the fire. Simple and delicious.

Thank you to Pinterest for this gem...

Banana s'mores in a cone! SO delicious. A wafer cone, chocolate chips, peanut butter, marshmallows and banana wrapped in foil and thrown on the fire for a bit. YUM!

[excuse my giant man-hands... not my best angle, i guess?]

Breakfast burritos... talk about a great way to start your day!

[thanks to rach's uncle for the camp stove to make this possible]

Per Mike's request, we got an extra life jacket just for Nugget!

One of the 10,000 lakes that Minnesotans rave about

Rachael, expertly guiding the kayak from the back

[she is always up for anything, have you figured that out yet?]

Me, in the front of the kayak

Burgers and beans being cooked over the fire. Mm-mmm!

One of our rockin' fires. 

It hadn't rained the entire weekend, but when we were lounging around the last morning we were there, it started sprinkling. We thought we had time to leisurely put things away appropriately, but it just rained harder. We finally realized we better get moving, and the campsite was cleared in about 12 minutes. 

However, that resulted in throwing everything in the back of the car. Woops!

Thanks for another great camping trip, Rach! 

I wonder where we'll go next year?!

Baby W: 25 Weeks

Total weight gain:  I don't even want to admit it, but just shy of 25 lbs. EEEEKK! 
Maternity clothes:  Nothing new, still just a couple shirts and one pair of capris. As you can see in the picture, my clothes are stretching for now...
Stretch marks:  Nope
Sleep:  I'm still exhausted all the time and in need of more sleep, but this week was a little better than last week. Counting down my night shifts!
Best moment this week:  It hasn't been to exciting of a week, but Mike and I did get some quality hang-out time this weekend.
Miss anything?:  These past few days of sunshine make me want to go for a bike ride, but they tell me that's not allowed because I'll probably fall. And they're probably right.
Movement: Getting a few big kicks once in a while, and I've noticed that they happen more often after I've had some sugar or caffeine. My kind of child :)
Food cravings:  Really enjoying a glass of cold milk once in a while, which is not normal for me. Guess we're making those bones stronger!
Anything make you queasy or sick?:  Nope
Aches and pains:  My legs and back and right hip continue to ache. Ugh.
Starting to show yet?:  Definitely showing.
Gender prediction:  Still not sure, but I've gotten a few girl guesses from people lately.
Labor signs:   Nope
Belly button in or out?:   In
Wedding rings on or off?:  On
Happy or Moody most of the time?:   Happy
Most looking forward to:  Another doctor appointment tomorrow. It's been a while, so I could use a little reminder that everything is ok. And we'll get to hear the heartbeat again!

Baby W: 24 Weeks

oh yes, and my uterus is the size of a soccer ball

Total weight gain:  Still haven't stepped on a scale lately, so I can't really tell you. Feels like about 50 pounds though. 
Maternity clothes:  I'm really going to need to cave real soon. My shirts look a little ridiculous when they stretch, and my pants are just plain uncomfortable [hence the constant stretchy pants and athletic shorts in these pictures].
Stretch marks:  Still don't think so
Sleep:  SO sleep deprived. With all the goings-on [i'll update you in the next week or so], my mind is going a million miles a minute when I wake up, so it's impossible to fall back asleep. Combine that with night shift hours, mid-sleep potty breaks, and trouble getting comfortable, sleep isn't my forte right now.
Best moment this week:  I spent another few days with Rachael; we went camping. I'll share some pics and stories this week. 
Miss anything?:  The occasional drink would be nice once in a while. A glass of moscato or margarita or a Blue Moon sounds pretty fab.
Movement: Feeling a little movement several times each day. Still noticing a few late-night dance parties, but still kind of difficult to feel from the outside.  
Food cravings:  Nothing really, but loving fresh fruit.
Anything make you queasy or sick?:  Nope
Aches and pains:  The back aches continue....
Starting to show yet?:  Yep. When a friend asked Mike this weekend "How's she measuring?" His response was "Big!"  haha, thanks Mikey :)
Gender prediction:  No updates on this front. Still a mystery!
Labor signs:   No, but I did have a couple belly cramps at different times this week. One felt like a charlie horse in my lower abdomen. I'm sure not looking forward to contractions!
Belly button in or out?:   In
Wedding rings on or off?:  On
Happy or Moody most of the time?:   Happy, unless I'm super tired or overwhelmed
Most looking forward to:  Spending the weekend with my hubby! It's been a while since we hung out just the two of us, so I'm pretty pumped!

Baby W: 23 Weeks

Total weight gain:  Haven't been on a scale in the past week, but I'm guessing close to 20 lbs. I'm really thinking maybe I shouldn't have added this section... :)  
Maternity clothes:Nothing new. Just have one pair of pants and one shirt of maternity, and then bigger regular clothes.
Stretch marks:  Nope... not that I can see anyway. Let's keep it that way!
Sleep:  I've been a little sleep deprived lately, but I think it's more of a night shift thing than  a pregnancy thing. 
Best moment this week:  I got to see some friends and family this past weekend while in Omaha for a wedding. My grandma and gramps even made it to Omaha to join us for breakfast! Also, the wee one is moving around more, which is fun.
Miss anything?: Nothing new.
Movement: I think there has been a dance party or two in there in the past few days. Of course it's in the middle of the night [while i'm at work], so I'm afraid we might have a night owl on our hands! And the really fun part?? Mike felt a kick yesterday!
Food cravings:  Nothing, really.
Anything make you queasy or sick?:  Nope
Aches and pains:  Super achy back and legs this week. Took some Tylenol one day because it was so bad... didn't help much, so I guess I'll just deal with it.
Starting to show yet?:  Ohh yes. Check out that bump. I actually got asked this morning "Are you sure there's only one in there?"
Gender prediction:  I have no idea! I've had three people tell me they're convinced that it's a girl this week, but I really don't know! I'm totally not sold that it's a boy anymore.
Labor signs:  Nope
Belly button in or out?:  Still in. Mike asked me if it would sound like a 'pop' when it pops out. Or if I was going to take a pair of tweezers to pull it out.  [hehe, love him]
Wedding rings on or off?:  On
Happy or Moody most of the time?:  Happy
Most looking forward to:  Going camping this weekend with Rachael. It's our annual camping trip, and this year we're doing it in Minnesota. I'll give you the full update once we return!

Fun in the Sun [with the girls]

A few weeks ago, I found out that Mike was going to be spending Memorial Day weekend at a friend's bachelor party in Okoboji. I then found out that I didn't have to work Memorial Day, so I would have a four day weekend. And living in St. Cloud, I need something to do in order to entertain myself for four days. So naturally, I called my friend Rachael who lives about 4 hours away (the poor girl has made the drive to see me more than once in the past 6  months, but she's just that wonderful). I asked if she had any plans for the weekend and wanted to hang out. Lucky for me, she didn't have plans! I thought maybe we could meet for a weekend of shopping and relaxing in Iowa, but Rachael had more exciting ideas... she wanted to go somewhere warm. After a lot of shopping around, we booked flights to Florida! Rachael's aunt graciously gave us some discount vouchers for flights, so we were able to save some money. And we stayed with my college friend Katlyn and her fiance Jason, so we did it on the cheap. We flew into Tampa on a Friday, spent Saturday in Siesta Key, and finished the weekend with Sunday and Monday in Fort Myers. It was a sunny, fabulous weekend with the girls. And none of us even got a sunburn!

Here are some photos from the weekend, compliments of Rachael. 

[now keep in mind, at 5 months pregnant I did feel a little like a beached whale, 

so cut me a little slack.]

The beach is in sight!

The boardwalk that took us to the beach

A cool tree that we saw on our walk to the beach.

Rachael and I [and the wee one] hanging out at the beach

Our gracious hosts for the weekend, Jason and Katlyn.

[aren't these lovebirds adorable? they're getting married in october!]

Palm trees. They just make me happy.

And the sand. It's white, soft, and doesn't get hot in the sun.

After a break from the beach to meet Mike's aunt and cousin for lunch then a cool shower and a nap inside, we headed back to the beach for a picnic at sunset. 

The blue thing is a cabana we used for some shade during the hottest hours of the day.

A sunset over the beach. You just can't beat it!

Soaking up a little more sun before it set.

Such a beautiful sunset over the gulf!

When the tide went down and more sand was exposed, we saw lots of these little burrow lines. They are snails in brand new shells. 

And a starfish we saw once the tide went down.

A view of the pool where we spent Saturday. Glorious!

We had an amazing weekend of relaxation. The sand and sun were much needed after a long Minnesota winter. Thanks to Rachael for being spontaneous and going on this adventure with me. And thanks to Katlyn and Jason for so graciously hosting us for the weekend. 

Feeling blessed to have such wonderful friends!