Week 23

HAPPY FRIDAY FRIENDS!!!

Quick and to the point... we are making major strides in this pregnancy and I'm feeling half decent, half pretty yuck. By the end of the day, I'm short of breath and can't help but collapse into bed. BUT - overall, I'm excited and ready for the next 16 week or so of pregnancy. It's all going too fast. 

The best news?? MY BEST FRIEND HAD HER BABY BOY THIS WEEK!!!!! She hasn't disclosed details yet but he's healthy and happy and perfect. Melanie & I are 4 months apart and have been best friends since birth. We didn't know if her baby was a boy or girl... and low and behold, a baby boy has arrived on January 17th - meaning our baby boys will be 4 months apart!! JUST LIKE US. It feels like fate and magical and I love it so much. She had a really long, tough labor & delivery and I'm just so proud of her. She's an amazing warrior and now a first time MAMA!! 

It was a great week celebrating Benny's 6th birthday (I'll update his post today / tomorrow) and we are getting excited for our last family trip pre-baby to DISNEY WORLD!! SOOOO.. I won't be here for week 24, but I'll be back for week 25!! :)

xoxo

C

LARGE AND IN CHARGE.

How far along? 23 weeks - the baby is the size of a Grapefruit!

Total weight gain/loss: I feel HUGE. I haven't weighed myself in 2 weeks. And next week we'll be away soooooooo... I'll jump on the scale the week after. 

Maternity clothes? All the time. My dear friend Adrienne gave me a bunch of her maternity clothes and I finally got around to digging them out of the garage, washing them, and now they're all staples in my wardrobe.

Stretch marks? None yet.

Sleep: Waking up early and sometimes often but I think I'm getting fairly decent sleep.

Best moment this week: My baby Benny turning SIX and MY BEST FRIEND HAVING HER BABY BOY!!!!! 

Have you told family and friends: Yup

Movement: Lots of kicks. AND.. on the morning baby Gerchberg was born, I watched my belly dance (from the outside) - I love that.

Food cravings:  None this week.

Anything making you queasy or sick: My nausea is still off and on. Frustrating. Plus heartburn has entered the picture. Cool.

Gender prediction: My baby BOY!! 

Labor Signs: No.

Belly Button in or out? Flat?

Wedding rings on or off? Just my wedding band.

Happy or Moody most of the time: This week, we celebrated Benny turning six, Melanie had her baby, and it snowed the most gorgeous snow this morning so right now? HAPPY! 

Weekly Wisdom: I can't control the weather so stop stalking the weather app on my phone (ha)

Milestones: No major milestones but holding Melanie's baby yesterday gave me all the feels. I can't wait to snuggle you, my sweet baby boy. 

22 weeks!

I'm late again but not because I didn't think about it!
I was in NYC on Friday with my mom & her friends for a taping of The View and lunch - which meant no work / no computer time.
BUT - I'm here! 
And I'm always, always, always thinking of you - my sweet baby boy. 
I find myself often cradling my belly without realizing. 
Today is Benny's 6th birthday - and the best gift I could give him is YOU (in roughly 4 months). 
We love you so much - now only if we could officially agree on your name:)
xoxo
Mama

How far along? 22 weeks on Friday. Baby is a coconut! 

Total weight gain/loss: I went to NYC on Friday for a taping of The View - which meant in EARLY train - which meant no time for a silly weigh in ;)

Maternity clothes? I'm living in maternity. 

Stretch marks? Bio Oil! No stretch marks.

Sleep: Not awful - my back pain (sciatica) is a getting pretty rough but I am able to turn over in bed easily so I call that a win.

Best moment this week: Today is Benny's 6th birthday - last night we had a little party at the house with family and neighbors. It was so sweet and easy and fun but I couldn't help think that at all the birthdays starting soon - you'll be right there with us and I simply can't wait. 

Have you told family and friends: Yup! 

Movement: I feel you buddy. You aren't kicking me all the time but just enough to let me know you're there :)

Food cravings:  Not really. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Just when I think I'm over the nausea hump, it creeps back in. I'm starting to forget what life without nausea feels like which is a bummer (haha)

Gender prediction: My boy.

Labor Signs: No.

Belly Button in or out? In but may pop.

Wedding rings on or off? Just wedding band.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Mostly happy this week.

Weekly Wisdom: I can't believe Benny is 6 today - I feel like HE was just in my belly... so I'm trying to enjoy you living quietly and sweetly inside before I get to snuggle you out here.

Milestones: No major milestone but I'm excited that we are getting towards week 24. That is viability week and we're almost there. :) 

21 weeks!

Good morning and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I can't believe it's officially 2019. That sounds insane to me. 

We had a great winter break and New Years celebration (though truthfully I'm so happy to be back to a normal schedule / routine). 

I missed my 20 week update because I had my ultrasound that morning. I was really nervous going into it as with both other pregnancies, there was some abnormalities found along with Placenta Previa which was the reason for the two C-Sections. 

BUT...low & behold...it was a great ultrasound!!! No complications found, no placenta previa, baby looked great and was moving ALL around. I left there feeling really great and happy and ended up taking the day off of work to just lay on my sofa and watch Netflix. 

I'm going to try and post a 2018 update this week but I'm so looking forward to this next year. 

I gave myself a word....something to just live by. And this year? It's the word GRACE.

As in, give myself grace if my house is a mess / the kids haven't had a bath today / everyone is cranky / we have brownies for breakfast. It all moves so fast and I need to just enjoy it. 

xoxo

Courtney

How far along? 21 weeks today. Baby is a Pomegranate or an Endive! 

Total weight gain/loss: I'm up 12.8 pounds. Normal is 8-14 pounds at this time so I'm hovering towards the top end but still in the normal range. 

Maternity clothes? Almost all maternity is needed - my belly is now BIG!

Stretch marks? Bio Oil! No stretch marks.

Sleep: My sleep has been a bit more solid lately... I have some CRAZY dreams and my eyes aren't shutting by 7 PM anymore so I call that a win!

Best moment this week: New Years EVE! We had a small party at our house with just family and best friends and is was really sweet and really easy and really fun. I'm looking forward to this year - lots of changes, lots of good things.

Have you told family and friends: Yup! 

Movement: YES YES YES!!!!!!!! Not all the time and not consistent but somewhere leading up to week 20 is when it really started.

Food cravings:  Every so often I'll get a quick craving (the other day it was fillet Mignon) but nothing too crazy.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm THANKFULLY about 95% over the nausea hump. It took a while. I'll still get waves here and there but nothing seems to bring it on.

Gender prediction: It's a BOY - confirmed at our 20 week ultrasound.

Labor Signs: No.

Belly Button in or out? I think my belly button may pop with this one. It didn't with the other two but each night prior to showering, I notice it looking like it's going to pop. I feel like a turkey. 

Wedding rings on or off? I've been wearing my wedding band but I can't seem to get my engagement ring on :( 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Total 50/50. 

Weekly Wisdom: I'm trying with all my might to stop taking it all so seriously. In the morning, it sometimes takes my kids 45 minutes just to get dressed. And Benny is playing video games entirely too often. And I haven't been to the gym in two months. I'm constantly blaming myself for things but I'm just trying to BREATHE. This season of life is something I've been dreaming of since Benny was born... I just need to enjoy it because I know one day, I"ll look back on these days and dream of how easy it really all is.

Milestones: Everyone is telling me I officially POPPED (though I swore that happened a while ago?) - also the movement is just so good.