190 (About Pregnancy Weight Gain and Losing It)

What does 190 mean to you?

To me, it's the number I topped out at before giving birth to Jack.

Mmmmhmmm, yessirree!

I thought I'd write a little something about gaining weight when you're pregnant. Full disclosure: I don't exactly know what weight I was when I became pregnant. I hadn't weighed myself in 6 years before that; I live my life based on how my clothes fit and try not to fixate on numbers. So, I have to guess that I was between 138 and 143 because that's where I've always felt good.

You do the math, people: that's around 50 pounds of weight gain. Every time I went to the doctor, I saw the scale creep to a number I had never before seen in my life.  I should also mention, most OBs say the "healthy weight gain for pregnancies" is around 25 to 30 pounds.

Did I ever feel discouraged or down on myself? No, I didn't and here's why:

(1) I ate healthily, drank a ton of water and exercised regularly. I did not use pregnancy as an excuse to indulge in every food whim I had (although, I did consume a fair amount of prosciutto and limeade during those 9 months), nor did I pretend to be some delicate flower who needed to sit on the couch all day.

(2) My mom told me she gained around 60 pounds with each of us. It was just her natural weight gain for pregnancy (and doctors will tell you, the best predictor for how pregnancy will be for you is how it was for your mother). Sorry for outing you, Mom.

(3) My doctor told me tall, thin women have a tendency to gain more weight when pregnant to make their bodies more hospitable to their babies. Which sounds kind of mean and horrible, like my poor child was relegated to some sort of dungeon as opposed to a master suite.

(4) I've mentioned this before, but I guzzled around a gallon and a half of water a day... that's some serious poundage right there!

(5) I was in the process of doing the most important thing I had ever done in my life: bringing a person into the world.

Once I had Jack, I lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks (ok, well, I guess if we're being analytical here, Jack was almost 7 pounds, so I lost around 23). When I went in for my 6 week check-up, I was shocked to learn I still had 20 pounds to go because I already felt amazingly light for where I was at on the scale.

Since then, I've continued to steadily go down. I'm solely breastfeeding Jack, walk for about an hour and a half a day, eat healthily and don't stress about it. It took 9 months for me to gain the weight and I refuse to get down on myself... being a new mom is challenging enough.

Pregnancy has made me appreciate my body like never before. The extra chubs or skin I would have fixated on in high school (ummm, which was non-existent in high school, I see that now) or college is nothing; I think I look damn good and I am truly proud of what I've been able to do during the last year thanks to my body.

Before

After

A couple tips that has helped in feeling good about myself since birth:

(1) At 6 weeks, I went and bought two new pairs of jeans. I needed to get out of maternity jeans and yoga pants and feel like a real person again. I simply started trying them on until I found two I felt good in; I did not check the sizes until I was waiting in line to pay for them. Also, I wanted my pants to feel snug... some words of wisdom to live by, "Sweat pants are the most comfortable pants in the world. You never gonna want to lose weight unless you feel uncomfortable." (Shout out to Li-Nan for her insight).

(2) The only exercise I did for the first 6 weeks was walking. I'd strap Jack to my chest, leash up Moe and off we'd go. It was a great way to get out of the house for some fresh air and I truly believe walking to be one of the best things you can do to clear your head (and trim your thighs, eh, eh?).

(3) I'm back to not weighing myself. We don't own a scale, so it's easy for me to do, but I can tell I am already significantly smaller than I was at my check-up a month ago.

(4) I've started going to kickboxing classes at the gym and I kid you not, I can feel the endorphin rush when I'm walking home. Even if it wasn't a hard core workout (which it is), the happiness I experience after that hour is worth it.

(5) Surround yourself with people who do not fixate on weight or body image. At the end of the day, you brought a human into the world, and that should be their focus, not your size. Also, acknowledge the fact that every woman, body and pregnancy is different: comparison truly is the thief of joy.

To all you pregnant ladies out there, enjoy life as it is right now before it changes in the biggest way possible. And to all you new mamas, congratulations! I'm sure you and baby look great.

Mine sure does.

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” - Buddha

My Birth Story

It started on the Wednesday I found out I wouldn't be having a c-section. That morning, I had woken up resigned to the fact that I would, most likely, be going in to the hospital Friday morning to have my son. He was breech (nowadays, it is very rare to find anyone who will deliver a breech baby vaginally) and I had been told over and over again that the odds of him flipping were slim to none.

They were wrong: flip he did.

Elation does not even begin to describe how I felt walking out of my OB's office that day. I had spent the majority of my pregnancy mentally preparing myself for a natural birth (sans drugs) and to have been dealt the hand of having a baby on the completely opposite end of the medical spectrum was a bit hard to swallow. I want to say it sent me into a mild depression for a while, actually.

I tried to stay positive. August 10th had been the date on the calendar for the c-section, and in the days leading up, when people would call to tell me how he would almost be here (!), I would tell them he could still flip. There was still a chance he wouldn't be born that day. And some people thought I was crazy, but I ended up being right. I am a firm believer in positive thinking.

I feel I should also mention that when my doctor determined with an ultrasound that Baby Boy had flipped, he finally checked me for the first time. They hadn't been doing that at prior visits due to the fact that they all assumed he would stay breech and that there wasn't any point. My doctor told me that I probably wouldn't be giving birth for at least a week; there was no sign of progress downstairs, as it were.

Fast forward to Wednesday evening. I was still on Cloud 9 about getting the birth I wanted and chatting with my friend Matt on the phone when I started getting cramps in my lower abdomen. They went away, but about 10 minutes later, returned. This pattern continued up until dinner when I finally decided to tell Kyle about them. He told me he thought my happiness over not having the c-section had tricked my brain into thinking I was going into labor. I told him he was probably right, but nonetheless, I was just keeping him informed.

They continued for hours; we watched an episode of Game of Thrones on the computer and were timing them, but they weren't bad at all and I finally told Kyle we should go to bed. He slept well that night, and though I was up a few times, going to sleep was one of the best decisions we made. If we had tried pushing it through the night, we would have been exhausted for Thursday's events.

Thursday morning rolled around and I told Kyle to go to work. The contractions were still super manageable and about 6 minutes apart, and at this point I figured there was even a chance the whole process would continue to Friday. I spent the early hours of August 9th walking Moe, watching "The Walking Dead," and drinking/eating as much as I could. I knew that if I wanted to have a natural birth, I was going to need to be well hydrated and nourished when I got to the hospital so that I could avoid interventions (and standard procedures, like an IV).

Kyle came home at lunch because he couldn't stand being at work knowing what was happening at home: he had finally accepted that I was actually in labor. I find this to be an endearing fact!

My contractions continued to be manageable for a few hours, and I spent the majority of this time on an exercise ball. The crazy thing about them is that there really is a start, a peak and an end, which helped me mentally in getting through the intensity of them because I knew they wouldn't last forever. Another thing I wasn't expecting is that they're somewhat like waves... They get stronger and stronger and stronger and then begin to fade. I can't describe them any other way, really.

I'm guessing around 4 or 5 in the afternoon is when things started to pick up. I had no concept of time, making this an absolute guess. Kyle had to start helping me through the contractions and I was in and out of the shower because the heat of the water seemed to help marginally. Up until this point, I had been able to breathe through them, completely pausing and relaxing through each one. However, as they got more intense and I started feeling them in my back, I was having trouble focusing and dealing with them. Kyle suggested I try audibly moaning as they picked up and it helped.

I'm pretty certain the entire street could hear me. And I'm almost positive they thought a cow was being butchered in our bedroom.

Kyle had been keeping track of them with this app he had downloaded on the Internet. A wise word to any husband with an expectant wife: don't ask her to keep telling you when a contraction is starting. Just pay attention. It will make her less likely to murder you. As the hours progressed, Kyle kept telling me they were only 4-5 minutes apart, which I took to be fact, even though they felt incredibly close and definitely harder to manage. Again, I had no concept of time.

The sun had gone down when I started to feel pain. In my ass. As in, I felt like I was going to shit out a baby. I mentioned this to Kyle, but he told me (based on the app), that he didn't think we were anywhere near close. It was after catching me sitting on the toilet, gripping the sink that we decided to go to the hospital to be checked.

If you're sitting at home, wondering why we waited so long, here's the deal: for couples who want a natural birth experience in a hospital, most doctors and nurses tell you to wait at home as long as possible. Once you get to the hospital, the odds of you needing medications like Pitocin, epidurals, etc. increase. Not only that, it felt more comfortable to us to labor at home.

Once we got in the car, things progressed like a movie. I stupidly sat in the front seat, and through every contraction, had to use the "Oh Shit" bar and center console to lift my body off the seat. I couldn't handle it otherwise. Kyle turned to me and said, "Babe, if you're only 4 or 5 centimeters, we're gonna go back home, right?" I should have known I was in a phase most call "transition" (the point where you are almost fully dilated) because even though I answered, "Sure," I was thinking in my head, "There is no fucking way I am going back home."

We pull up to the hospital, and to my dismay, I watch Kyle bypass the front of the hospital and hightail it to the parking garage. At this point, the barrage of curse words that flew out of my mouth were impressive, even for me. In addition, he chose to park on the second level of the structure, meaning I had to book it down two flights of stairs to get to the entrance of the hospital. In the aftermath, he explained that he was afraid to leave me alone while he parked the car- afraid for me and afraid for the helpless security guard that would have to deal with my crazy animalistic sounds.

Honestly, I kind of blacked out during our journey from the parking garage to the third level of the hospital (triage). I barely remember anything, except for a poor unsuspecting bystander who got stuck in the elevator with us. Sir, I apologize to you now for the 15 seconds you had to endure me.

We roll up to triage and even though I filled out all the "pre-admission forms" to expedite checking into the hospital, the nurses started hitting me with questions I wasn't prepared to answer. Mainly those like, "What is your name?", "What is your date of birth?" and my all time favorite, "What is your social security number?" Now friends, I know my social security number. I've known it since elementary school. However, when they shot that question at me, all I could muster was, "I can't answer that question right now!"

The nurses, luckily, didn't push it and let us into triage to be checked to see how dilated I was. I was almost at 10 and the nurse later admitted she could feel my son's head when she checked. Bad ass, Elizabeth, bad ass!

They rolled me into a labor and delivery room and tried putting the fetal heart rate belt on to get an accurate read of his vitals. Unfortunately, he was already so low in my pelvis, it was difficult to get the number. It also didn't help that I couldn't stand still long enough for them to get it (moving from side to side while leaning over the bed was the only thing that felt decent, and by decent, I mean not like death in my ass). After a few attempts, the nurses brought in the big guns, a woman we shall refer to as Nurse Ratchett, who told me if I didn't stand still long enough to get his heart rate, they would either drill an electrode into his head or wheel me in to have a c-section. Looking back, there's no way they could have drilled an electrode into his head in the amount of time before he made his debut, but I was not a rational woman at this point.

Finally, they said his vitals looked great and told me I could get on the hospital bed. They had me strip to put on a hospital gown, which I promptly ripped off. I had no shame being buck naked in a room full of 10 strangers, and I also felt no embarrassment when I got on all fours on the bed. The nurses were telling me I couldn't push until the doctor arrived, which I completely ignored. The second I started to bear down, my water broke.

It was not a trickle. It was not a pour. Friends, my water shot three feet behind me and two nurses had to duck out of it's gnarly path. Kyle likened it to a Super Soaker.

At this point, my band of nurses told me I was now able to start pushing and that if I had the baby before the doctor arrived, it was ok.

Truly, I wish I had been able to push Jack out before the on-call doctor arrived. Why, you ask? Because the doctor that delivered my baby looked like this:

Yep. She looked like Tangina from Poltergeist. She may or may not have been wearing an ensemble similar to this, too.

Not only was her appearance frightening as hell, she had the personality of a cardboard box. If she had had a sparkling demeanor or a southern accent like Tangina, I may have been able to overlook her deep set eyes and deathly white pallor, but alas, no such luck.

While I was pregnant, I wondered what position I would end up feeling comfortable in to push my baby out. I was surprised to find it was most comfortable to lay on my side, with one leg in the air (how very stripper of me!). Due to the fact that nurses starting having back issues because of holding up patients legs while pushing, they're no longer allowed to. Thus, Kyle helped me with my bottom leg, and I held on to the top. Again, how very stripper of me!

What can I say about pushing? It's very much like shitting out a toy fire engine. You wait for a contraction to begin, then you push steadily without letting it fade. It's like taking the largest crap of your life. The strange thing is, for a while, you feel it in your bum, but then, when the baby starts to crown, the pain has migrated to your hoo-ha.

Again, I had no concept of time when I was pushing, but Kyle said it was about 30-45 minutes. I couldn't look in that direction either, because every time I did, I'd see this staring back at me:

When I hit "the ring of fire" I actually got excited, because even though it burned like the dickens, I knew we were moments away from meeting our son.

Then his head was out. And a push or two later, the rest of him.

Now, due to my immense amount of amniotic fluid, Jack took a couple gulps on his way out, so they actually had to pump his stomach almost immediately after they put him on my chest. Poor Kyle had to maneuver back and forth between me and the baby, and finally, they gave him back to me.

Perfect does not even begin to describe.

And then we were three. It was a surreal and exciting and scary feeling. Once it sunk in though, it felt like it had always been that way.

Our little family.

{Photos courtesy of Shooting the Dream Photography}

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 36

Ok, ok, you got me. Hump Day was technically yesterday, and I'm a day late in getting this up. What can I say about the last 24 hours? A trip to the doctor confirmed BBS is still breech and while I'm staying positive, the fact that I accidentally discovered they had scheduled me for a c-section without even talking to me about it kind of sent me into a spiraling depression. Believe me when I say if I had written this yesterday, it'd be awfully morose. The gloom lasted about 6 hours, but was luckily assuaged by my favorite Childbirth Prep Class couple.

Their nickname is ScrunchMo (short for Scrunchie Moan). Yes, they were entertaining as hell. No, I won't be explaining why (because then I'd really be an asshole).

Onto the shockingly large photos...

Musings on weekly photo: HELLO neon orange. These pics get more and more painful to take as time goes on, but I hope my son appreciates them someday. I don't have many photos of my mom pregnant with me or my sister, so I figure maybe (just maybe?) it'll be a hoot to see how he progressed from point A to point human.

Size of baby: Ok, so this is all a guesstimate, but I'm thinking around the 6-6.5 pound mark and between 18 to 20 inches? I'm no pregnancy wizard, so this is based on my readings (for the record, I cannot WAIT to be done reading about babies and birth and pregnancy).

Movement: Baby Boy has been a mover and shaker from the get-go... I wish he would bust a move in the right direction though. I do like to envision him sitting like a contemplative Buddha, legs crossed with his head by my ribs. However, meditation is over, son... get thee south for the winter! 

 Cravings: The heat and humidity of this week have left me craving, you guessed it, water. Over the weekend, we celebrated Kyle's grandpa's 80th birthday, and his grandmother made him a carrot cake. The cake was good, but the cream cheese frosting was, how do I put it, heavenly. Serious heaven. I could eat an entire bowl of it right now.

Annoyance: There's really only one way to describe what it feels like to get up in the middle of the night now. Imagine you're in an alley, and you stumble upon the world's most disgruntled midget (little person, for the politically correct readers). Said smaller human takes his anger out on you by forcefully punching you over and over again at his eye level (i.e. your nether regions). It is a strange thing to hobble to the bathroom like you've been attacked, granted, only from the waist down.

Highlight of the week: Baby shower numero tres was an amazing good time! I still can't get over how blessed I've been to have these celebrations for Mr. Man. He is one truly loved cookie, let me tell you. Lindsay, Micaela, Chris and Caity, if you're reading this, thank you so much for all your hard work and effort; I will never forget it. I'll be posting some pics tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Non-Highlight of the week: Accidentally finding out about my scheduled c-section totally threw me. Of course, it also lit a fire within me to go balls to the wall agro on getting him flipped. And flip he will!

Fears: None to speak of this week... honest!

Nursery: Almost done! Can you believe it? Checking things off my list like an actual grown-up, hoozah!

Additional Notes: At the end of the day, I'm going to get to meet my son in the next 5 weeks; it could even be as soon as 3 (it could even be tomorrow, truly). And I'm so, so, so excited.

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone! 

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 35

I can remember this countdown point before Kyle and I got married. Someone told me that the six weeks leading up to your wedding are called "the vortex" because no matter how much time you think you have, it goes by incredibly quickly.

Similar to sand falling through a sieve, maybe?

Either way, whenever I can start to visualize upcoming weekends, I know the event I'm looking towards is closer than I may have originally thought. So goes it with Baby Boy's arrival. With our last baby shower this Sunday (and, of course, I'm over the moon excited for it!), I feel like the tick tock, tick tock, will become deafening until the alarm sounds.

The alarm being his debut, naturally.

Onto the photos?

Musings on weekly photo: From waking up this morning to right now, I have donned four different shirts. Four! It is officially summer in San Diego and the weather, it appears, has agreed to keep up his hot end of the bargain. So much for all my hoping that it was going to be a cool summer like two years ago. Due to the muggy heat, my gray maternity tank top and leggings is what you get... sorry for the lack of originality.

Size of baby: According to all the guessin' experts, he's at least 5.5 pounds and between 18.5 and 20 inches. That's a legit baby right there. Truthfully, I only have a week and a half until I'm considered "full term," which means, gulp, I really am about to have my boy one day soon.

Movement: I won't go on and on about him being breech like I did last week, but he has been moving a ton per usual, so maybe (MAYBE?!) he's doing his "Turn, Baby, Turn" dance. Or his "Dance, Magic, Dance" dance. Who's to say?

Cravings: Cravings? Glad you asked, friends! Last week, I managed to buy the world's worst watermelon from Trader Joe's. It was a let down, because TJ's usually manages to offer decent goods (although, granted, their produce is often lacking a tad). Though it was truly inedible, I didn't want it to go to waste, so I blended that sucker up in the Vitamix and strained out the pulp. It offered enough juice to fill a pitcher and the fun doesn't stop there, folks! I created a delicious mocktail: into a pint sized mason jar, squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon, then fill it with 2/3 watermelon juice and 1/3 Hansen's Mandarin Lime soda. Holy refreshing, it is damn good!

Annoyance:  Over the course of the last week, a somewhat older lady has moved in with our neighbors (there's a good chance she's in her forties and has spent way too much time in the sun). They're on the stranger side themselves but manageable, and while I don't think she's there to stay, she gets up to some weird stuff. Case in point, she sold all her furniture during a "fire sale" she hosted over the weekend, and everything that didn't sell is now, naturally, strewn about our shared corridor, including a wooden box that makes it very difficult for me to do laundry. To paint a picture, she walks around in cutoff jeans, bikini tops and let us not forget her straw cowboy hat, loudly talking on her phone about NOTHING to god knows who, at all hours. We've had a few conversations and my favorite thus far includes her detailed telling of all three of the births her daughter has had. Good times.

Highlight of the week: This was such a productive week, y'all. The nursery looks like a nursery. The snozzberries taste like snozzberries! Kyle and I have been working our booties off and it's to the point now where I can actually imagine our son in his room. Which is exciting and surreal in the biggest way.

Non-Highlight of the week: The anxiety I've been feeling over him being breech has been a little difficult to manage at times, but ain't no thang; it'll work itself out. I can just feel him being cooperative!

Fears: Similar to my first trimester, my emotions have been all over the board with the third. It makes me a little afraid for me (and Kyle) in regards to postpartum hormones. Mainly, I fear for Kyle.

Nursery: I may actually be rolling out a tour of his nursery in the coming weeks! I should have taken some "before" pictures when it was our bedroom, but c'est la vie.

Additional Notes: In addition, we had our first hypnobirthing class last night which was an informative and surprisingly enjoyable evening. More on that down the road. 

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 34

This is technically a day late, but not a buck short, and while I toyed around with the idea of posting yesterday, I couldn't muster up the energy. Yes, we've entered THAT territory, friends. However, Kyle and I finally got a jump start on organizing, cleaning and sorting, and while the looks of our house would suggest otherwise, I can assure you, we spent the majority of the day neck deep in stuff, things and more things and stuff.

Onto the photos (luckily for you, we're meeting friends for dinner tonight, so I won't be entertaining you with "Elizabeth's Cracked-out Pregnancy Ensembles" today).

  
Musings on weekly photo:  I kept these photos on the "closer" side so you wouldn't be forced to stare at all the things around my feet. You know how organization goes: it can only get worse before it gets better. It does certainly look like I'm storing a watermelon in my shirt.

Size of baby: We had our 34 week ultrasound on Tuesday, and it confirmed Senor Bébé is 5 pounds. The doctor estimated his weight will be around 7.5 pounds at birth, but I still feel like he'll at least hit numero ocho.

Movement: The ultrasound brought something unexpected to light: BBS is breech. What the hell, BBS?! When I was at my last appointment, he was head down and my doctor said, "The odds of him moving are slim to none." SLIM to NONE. Of course, he does have Sutherland blood coursing through his veins, so going rogue and flipping the bird to authority doesn't come as that much of a shock. At this point, I am thinking head down happy thoughts and hoping it all works itself out. 

Cravings: Water, water and more water. My feet have yet to swell up like balloons and I thank my friend, Agua, for that little awesome bit. 

Annoyance: I would be lying if I said the whole breech thing wasn't the biggest annoyance of all. I'm having some anxiety about it, though I'm trying to remain as calm as possible. Moving around has also become a bit of a pain; they aren't kidding when they say you really slow down in the last month (or month and a half if you're me, I suppose). If you were to see me walking down the street right now you'd first think, "What is she wearing?!" and then you'd think, "That is the biggest duck I ever did see." The waddling is out of control, friends.

Highlight of the week: My safari themed baby shower in northern California was such a good time! I wish you could have seen the cake my Aunt Margie whipped up, or the diaper cake my Aunt Judy put together (those are two crafty sisters, let me tell you)! I love visiting with my family, and since my chances to do so are few and far between, it's nice to be able to spend time with them, especially during this incredible time in my life. Also, staying at an awesome house in Calistoga with my husband, sister and two of my best friends wasn't shabby. 

Non-Highlight of the week: Breech baby, breech baby.

Fears: Starting to sound like a broken record: that he won't flip and I'll have to have a cesarean.

Nursery: We spent all of Fourth of July organizing and cleaning house (as I mentioned before), and though it looks like we've been burgled, I can assure you, it was a major step in the right direction!

Additional Notes: We may have not had the most relaxing Independence Day, but we did cook up some delicious eats: barbecued baby back ribs, grilled corn with garlic butter, kale chips, macaroni & cheese and strawberries with vanilla bean whipped cream. DELICIOUS and the perfect midweek treat.

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 33

Here we are, just a couple of young crazy kids, whiling away the afternoon and enjoying summer.

Oh wait, forgot, those are the lucky bastards that are under the age of 22. I, meanwhile, am sitting at my computer, wishing I had spent $2 in Chinatown at some point on a flyswatter to kill all the damn flies buzzing in my house. A special shout out to the crazy cat lady who lived here before we did; your frisky felines sure managed to leave perfect sized holes in the screens on our windows! Well done, Madam, well done.

They are driving. me. insane. They're driving Moe insane, too; I've never seen this dog so crazy intrigued by insects before.

I feel like there's much ground to cover this week, so on to the photos!

Musings on weekly photo: This stopped being a fashion show a long time ago, didn't it? I received an email this morning (from yet another baby website) titled, "Puffy Cheeks?" The creative author asked if we had recently started looking like chipmunks storing up for winter. I've always had a roundness of the face that suggests perfection for hibernation, so the added bloat that's begun is especially pleasant and cute.

Size of baby: According to all the emails I get each week updating me on my son's progress, he's grown a full inch this week alone! Don't ask me how they determine that generalized "milestone." I have no clue. I'm pretty sure it puts him at the 19-20 inch mark and almost 5 pounds. We'll get a better estimate next week at our last ultrasound, which seemed so far off at his gender reveal.

Movement: Whether or not he's actually grown a full inch this week, it certainly feels that way... Boyfriend is wiggling all over the place like only a future Sutherland male child could, and I think his head has officially begun it's grand trip south for the winter.  

Cravings: I haven't been craving all that much, but I will say I could go for a bowl of cookie dough right now. Oatmeal chocolate chip, naturally.  

Annoyance: I think I may have totally blown it this past weekend. I was asked at the pool of the hotel we were staying in (by one of Orange County's biggest d-bags, to paint a picture), if I felt weightless in water. I told him I wasn't feeling all that heavy yet, and there friends, right there, is where I made my mistake. Two days later, I felt like I'd gained 100 pounds, which is why I think BBS is starting to drop the way he's supposed to. Waddling like Donald Duck is what I do best now. 

Highlight of the week: Definitely, hands down, our Palm Springs getaway to The Parker. It was all kinds of relaxing, and I cannot recommend that property enough. Also, we had a delicious meal at a restaurant in downtown called Johanne's. While the idea of Austrian/Asian fusion cuisine is probably throwing you, every dish we had was unique and tasty in the extreme.  

Non-Highlight of the week: I had a bummer non-highlight this week: the biggest social media account I'm currently working on overextended their summer budget and pulled the plug until September. Granted, I was going to be done for a while as of August, but it has certainly shifted a few things for me. Oh well. When life hands you lemons, make lemon drops. Or drink some lemonade and save the vodka for August. But if Grandpa Don hands you oranges, you are not, strictly NOT, allowed to make cocktails with them. They are for eating only.  

Fears: Too many to count, not enough to list... I feel fear is an ever-present, always ignored thing when you're about to birth a human into the world. 

Nursery: Things are not looking as bad as last week, but we are certainly pushing its debut to the last minute. We've set aside next weekend to really whip it into shape. I'm hoping I'll be able to share photos before BBS is residing there. 

Additional Notes: I am off to Napa this weekend for my second shower, hosted lovingly by my aunts, Judy and Margie. I cannot wait to: see my family, road trip with my sister, hang out in Calistoga, lounge by a pool with some of my best friends, and try to soak up every ounce of enjoyment this summer has to offer before my world is consumed by baby, diapers and no sleep. You know, kids' stuff.

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 32

Happy first day of summer, everyone, and happy anniversary to my husband and me! Three years ago we figuratively "jumped the broom," and after having spent almost a decade together, I have to say the last three have been the most interesting and adventure filled yet.

I mean, adding a baby into the mix couldn't make it any MORE interesting, right?

On to the photos, which get more difficult to shoot with each week that progresses.

Musings on weekly photo: I took these hastily after a walk with my dog... no judgement! Also, hallelujah for stretch fabric.

Size of baby: Right around four pounds and probably between 18 and 19 inches. We have our last ultrasound scheduled for July 3 (which, of course, can't come fast enough), and our doctor will predict his size at birth at this appointment. I'm putting my money at the over 8 pound mark, but we'll obviously have to wait until August to see if I'm right!

Movement: BBS kicked for his Auntie Lindsay this week, which I believe makes her the second person to feel a kick and the fifth person to feel movement. He has a tendency to stop moving the second anyone turns their attention to his activity, so I was pretty happy she got to experience it.

Cravings: We received a Vitamix this past weekend from my awesome in-laws at my phenomenal baby shower, and I have officially broken it in with this green smoothie. It is uber-healthy, uber-delicious and I can only imagine that baby boy loves it as much as his mama!

Annoyance: The usual suspects, naturally: sleeplessness, heartburn, and when I actually fall asleep, waking up sore all over. We've entered fun territory, let me tell you.

Highlight of the week: The shower was the definite highlight of my week. Seeing some people I haven't in years, enjoying the company of my friends and family and celebrating my baby was beyond a good time.

Non-Highlight of the week: I... don't think I have one? Oh, there's a person who owns a red Jeep who keeps parking where I normally park, and while it's technically not "my spot," I've come to see it as such. So I curse the red car every time I see it. I realize this is an appropriate spot to mention we bought a new car a couple weeks ago, but I completely forgot to say so when it would have been relevant (you know, for the HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK section). It's a silver Toyota Rav4 and I love it quite a bit.

Fears: Oh golly gosh, I'm good for right now. No fears this week, folks!

Nursery: The nursery looks like a bomb went off, mainly due to all the amazingly generous gifts we received on Saturday. This baby is already spoiled and well loved, let me tell you.

Additional Notes: We are off to Palm Springs this weekend to celebrate our anniversary and relish in one last vacation that's just the two of us (I think they've been known to call them "babymoons" in some circles). I plan on floating around like a beached whale in the pool at our hotel and eating great Mexican food. I also feel this is a good time to mention I had a dream last night involving dinner with Kareem Abdul Jabar. Que interesante...

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 31

Another week, another post. Thank god I've made a habit of putting these up each week; this blog might be devoid of any current content whatsoever if I didn't.

Yesterday was the official "two months out" point. I know how quickly it's going to fly by, but I've decided I need to start tackling things or I'm going to have a major freakout. Like a "no more wire hangers" kind of freakout. Lists have a way of being by friend (most of the time), so I think after I'm done taking care of this, I'll turn my attentions to creating one.

Do we... dare move onto the bump photos?

Musings on weekly photo: This is one of the remaining shirts left in my repertoire from pre-pregnancy. I like to think the stripes make it look like I've gained a ton of weight, but you'd be wrong. I look like I've gained a ton of weight because I have! Thus, I had to include the bare belly shot. I feel it gives a better assessment of what 7.5 months pregnant looks like.

Size of baby: 3.5 pounds and 18 inches, Bébé! Size wise, the sites are comparing him to a pineapple, but I have yet to find an almost 4 pound pineapple in my life; how about you?

Movement: Hiccups, wiggles, flips, twirls. Senor Sutherland appears to be following in his father's hyperactive footsteps, even from the womb. It makes me hope he won't be getting into any major oops moments like these (which are HILARIOUS, yes?).

Cravings: I'm not sure I would call this a craving, but I have been thoroughly enjoying my homemade pico de gallo. The recipe is fairly simple and the flavors make my heart and palette sing (for the record, it's cherry or pearl tomatoes (they're the only tomatoes I'll cook with before tomato season in the summer), diced red onion, cilantro, lots of lime and lemon juice, and salt). 

Annoyance: Sleeplessness. Heartburn. You know, the usual.

Highlight of the week: Ivory Sparrow did our first ever inspiration shoot on Saturday, and it went off beautifully! I can't wait to see the photos via our photographer, Kimberly Hernandez, but until then, enjoy this sneak peak of our table setting: 

 

 

Coming up this weekend is a Roald Dahl themed baby shower hosted by my mom and sister. I can't wait to see how it all comes together because they have busted their booties working on it! Also, I'm excited to see all the people with whom I'll be spending the afternoon; they are some of my favorites.

Non-Highlight of the week: It turns out they weren't lying when they said pregnant women should take it easy- I pushed it WAY too hard at the photo shoot on Saturday, and paid for it all Sunday. It was by far the worst day of my pregnancy, which unfortunately coincided with Kyle's birthday. Foolish, foolish lump of a girl!

Fears: I'm trying to change my attitude about childbirth and coming at it from a "bring it on" perspective now (as opposed to "If I believe hard enough, he will magically appear" way of thinking). Having said that, I'm afraid of not getting everything done before August 12. I think it will be a fear that hangs around until D-Day, which as I mentioned, I think is actually going to be August 18.

Nursery: Let's just remain hopeful, shall we?

Additional Notes: Kyle had a dream this week where he wrapped our baby in a breakfast burrito. It doesn't get much better than that. It truly doesn't get much better than that.

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 30 (Seriously?! Week 30?!)

Yes, it's true. There's "officially" only 10 weeks to go. How did that happen? I have this song playing through my head as I type this, and I may find myself, with a beautiful house and a beautiful wife, and I may ask myself, how did I get here?

Confused?

Me too.

As of next week, we are in the single digit week countdown (full disclosure, we kind of already are, but what can you do?).

Musings on weekly photo: Remember when I told you guys I'm afraid of facial swelling? We've entered that territory. I fear for the size of my nose by the time this baby makes his debut. Oh, and this full ensemble is courtesy of the Gap Memorial Day 40% Off Sale I was telling you guys about last week.

Size of baby: At this point, he's probably passed the three pound mark and is now being compared to members of the squash family size-wise. I receive pretty much every weekly "baby update" that the expecting websites can muster, and it's as if they're determined to not use the same fruit or vegetable. "Oh, so xyz.com is using butternut squash as a comparison? Nevah! 'Tis the size of an acorn squash, it 'tis." Apparently, in my brain, the authors of these websites are Victorian gentlemen.

Movement: Yup, still moving like crazy. It's a strange sight to watch your abdomen sway from one direction to another while you're sitting still on the couch. I know many women say they miss this, but I'm... not sure I will? Don't get me wrong; it's all kinds of cool and reassuring, but I'm getting to the point where I'm excited to have my body back just for me.

Cravings: Do yourself a favor and make Marcela Hazan's bolognese recipe. I made a huge pot of it Saturday night and finally reached the end of my leftovers today. It is all kinds of delicious.

Annoyance: No annoyances this week, folks! Enjoy it while it lasts.

Highlight of the week: Too many. (1) Our friends came down and ran the Rock N Roll Marathon on Sunday (CONGRATULATIONS Jenny and Trav!!!!). Thus, we had 3 straight days of them (very satisfying) and had the honor of watching them complete an impressive feat. 26.2 miles is a LONG distance to run, amigos. (2) I got a prenatal massage at Equilibrio in San Diego yesterday. If you're pregnant and live down here, I highly recommend them! They're incredibly knowledgeable and I had a fantastic time relaxing. (3) Birth Preparation Class begins tonight... I'm excited either way, even if it ends up being a tad frightening. (4) Kyle's birthday is this weekend, as is a photo shoot for Ivory Sparrow. (5) OH! And I almost left out a huge one: Brittney of Our Poverty with a View fame had her baby on Sunday! Hudson James was born at 9 pounds 9 ounces and is one damn cute baby. Hooray Brittney and Matt, and welcome to the world, Hudson!

Non-Highlight of the week: With that many highlights, how do you have a non-highlight? Oh, Kyle spilled hot tea on my second degree sunburn Sunday. Thanks for that, babe.

Fears: I watched a ton of scary movies growing up, but I won't lie: I'm a little afraid of the birth videos we may or may not encounter at class tonight.

Nursery: I'm happy to report that everything looks EXACTLY the same as last week. Read: not at all like a nursery should.

Additional Notes: Question for all you mamas/expectant mamas: Facebook... Does having a child affect your comfort level to how visible your profiles are? I'm feeling a major "friend" purge coming on. Kyle and I talked about it over the weekend, and I think we are barely going to put any pics of Mr. Man up when he's born, if any. What's your take on the whole sitch?

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 29

Full disclosure: you are lucky to be reading this. I only realized it was actually Wednesday because my husband just reminded me over the phone.

Phew, sigh of relief, I know!

Unfortunately for you, you have to enjoy me in all my unadulterated glory. No makeup. No perfectly coiffed hair (because my hair is always perfectly coiffed, this should come as no surprise to you). No cute maternity get-up. Don't think I've let everything go to hell in a hand basket though! There's simply no time to get pretty AND get this up on time.

The things I do to put these photos on the internet for you. ONWARD!

Musings on weekly photo: Heads up: I refer to myself as a "skinny-ish" pregnant woman later in this post. By the looks of these photos, one might call me a delusional liar. I know I am!

Size of baby: We are nearing the three pound mark... ma goodness gracious, me oh my. Apparently, his brain starts to do all sorts of building in the coming weeks. Right now, it's rather smooth, but soon it will have many wrinkles like yours, mine and Kanye West's (errrm, scratch that last one).

Movement: It literally looks like something out of Alien. If you watch my stomach when he's going to town on moving around in there, there are dips and waves and forceful kicks. It's quite the sight.

Cravings: Fruit and ice cream. Not together, mind you. Good god, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of both?! Although, I suppose a banana milkshake manages to give a hat tip to each craving simultaneously (and deliciously).

Annoyance: Not too much to complain about due to pregnancy this week. My friend Nigel said to me over the weekend, "You're much skinnier than I expected you to be, Elizabeth. I thought you'd be fatter." I don't know why I'm putting this in the annoyance category, because it actually made me quite happy! However, while I may look like a somewhat "skinny-ish" pregnant woman, my wardrobe is shrinking by the second. I'm starting to have to make decisions on what I'd be ok with having stretched out after the baby's born and what I'd rather just put into storage and bid adieu to until next year. Decisions, decisions (oh, and note to all you pregnant gals out there: wearing tighter clothing actually makes be feel better about my appearance. Yes, I realize this may not be the case for all, but I figure it couldn't hurt to mention it).

Highlight of the week: Memorial Day weekend was pretty stellar. We spent the entire time hanging out with college peeps, which translates into about 72 hours of non-stop laughing and inappropriate jokes. I love my friends with all my heart, and cannot believe how much they already love our son. It makes me melt into a ball of goo.

Non-Highlight of the week: Yeah, girlfriend didn't put sunscreen on her legs at the beach on Sunday. And she's still suffering from 2nd degree burns on her calves. Being a person of Scandinavian descent, as well as one who does all she can to stay out of the sun, this may be one of the biggest "baby brain" moments she's experienced thus far. Foolish, foolish lump of a girl.

Fears: I've returned to worrying about getting the nursery set up and ready to go by August. We were doing well for a while, and then life kind of got busy, and we stopped. I recognize that the more I do, the better I feel, so I shall eat my beans with every meal. Wait a second...

Nursery: See above. Not much progress made on that front. Although we did get his mattress (which Kyle scoffed, "It's better than ours!").

Additional Notes: Another little mention to expectant moms out there: I wait until holiday weekends to buy maternity gear because sites tend to have big sales. So far, it's worked like a charm, especially for awesome basics from Gap Maternity. They've done 40% off sales every holiday weekend I've been pregnant, and if you purchase over $50 worth of stuff, they ship it to you for free. SCORE.

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 28

Yowza, the weeks keep flying by, don't they? This past weekend, Kyle and I did very low key things because we realized the next 6 weekends (!) are filled to the brim with all sorts of greatness, friends and adventures.

Which is awesome because I love adventures. And friends.

However, I know it means it will make time speed by even faster. Which means I will be a mom in the blink of an eye.

Shall we... move on to the photos?

 

and why not one from the front... for fun!

 

Musings on weekly photo: Holy moly, we're starting to get into big girl territory. Is it just me, or do I actually look significantly bigger from last week's photo? Naive Elizabeth mentioned "stretch fabric is her friend" back around Week 18. Stretch fabric is no longer her friend; it's a necessity.

Size of baby: If we're going off the guesses made at this week's doctor's appointment, he's about 2.5 pounds and the size of an aubergine (that's eggplant to all you non-European folk. Holla, Gurs and Nigel!). What's really crazy is that the majority of his length growing is almost done; he'll only tack on a couple more inches before August. But the weight gain? That's just beginning.

Movement:  It's to the point now where I have to keep track of how much he moves. I'm not a huge fan of this kind of stuff because sometimes it encourages anxiety for me ("Has he moved enough? Is he moving? Dear GOD, is he alive?!?!"). However, the boy is clearly Baryshnikov, what with all the pliés and pirouettes that he does, so luckily, I don't have to dwell on the concern.

Cravings: Nothing new to report in this department, although I am obsessed with this local find from Little Italy's Farmer's Market. Yes, the name is horribly cheesy. Yes, the sauce is damn good!

Annoyance: I feel like I mention this once every couple weeks, so bear with me. Sleeping just sucks, man. I'm hot all the time now, I wake up about 4 times a night, and when I do, everything just aches. EVERYTHING. Ok... I'm done throwing myself a pity party.

Highlight of the week: Kyle and I took Moe to Fiesta Island this Sunday and caught the eclipse. Aside from having a great seat to watch it all, we had the privilege of watching him go swimming in the bay. This might not sound like a big deal to most, but Moe is not a swimmer by nature and he does this hysterical horse trot when he gets back onto land.

Non-Highlight of the week: I'm starting to get antsy about meeting BBS and there's still quite a few ways to go! I vacillate between excitement and terror, so these are passing feelings.

Fears: Never sleeping well... again?

Nursery: More organization is happening, slowly but surely, and I am excited to make a couple more furniture switches to bring it all together.

Additional Notes: If you own a dog and have a baby or are expecting a baby and you didn't have a chance to read my post about Dogs and Babies from last Friday, look it over. I could go on and on about what I learned at this class.

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Currently Making My Thursday

Ummm, yeah, it would be this lovely image put together and sent over by my totally awesome friend, Jenny.

 I have been playing around with iMovie to try to put something like this together at the end of it all, but you have to agree- she's pretty great to do it unprompted. It's amazing what can happen in 7 weeks!

Per usual, I am blessed to have the friends that I do. I love you, Miss Jenny!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 27

HELLO final trimester. There's a part of me that is giddy and horrified at the fact that I'm officially on the last stretch of pregnancy (where does the time go?!). Giddy because we are almost 12ish weeks out from meeting our son. Horrified because I can't imagine how much more pushing and pulling my skin can actually take.

Things are gettin' taut up in here!

Musings on weekly photo:  Ooooh, yoga clothes and a makeup-less face? You're suddenly feeling like we're back at Week 21, aren't you? I hope you really enjoy the dark circles on my eyes from the non-existent sleeping that's been happening. I have a feeling they're here to stay for a couple years, if not forever.

Size of baby: I think, based on my research, that at this point, BBS starts to put on about 6 ounces a week. Then, in the final two months, it's about 3/4-1 pound a week. I can't wait to give birth and be back to my pre-pregnancy weight. That happens immediately, right?

Movement:  Hiccups happened! I've been thinking about this since and I've realized that when it comes to recognizing what certain movements mean (kicking, Braxton Hicks, etc.), it's really about putting it into your own language or concept. Wow, I just reread that sentence and it makes no sense. For clarification: two days before I felt hiccups for "the first time" I read a passage where someone described hiccups as feeling like kicks, but with rhythm. Thus, I had an understanding of what that personally meant when I felt and recognized them as such... Anyone following my incoherence on this subject?

Cravings: Baskin Robbins ice cream. Baseball Nut is a particular fave. This is somewhat huge because during the summer of 2000, I worked at Baskin Robbins as a shift manager and haven't wanted it since. Do you know how horribly great it is to eat ice cream all summer? You'd be amazed at how much you can consume via those small pink tester spoons.

Annoyance: I think I have a cold and I am almost positive I caught it from a nice, but somewhat gross, Baskin Robbins employee (see above) who clearly was sick when I stopped in on Saturday. Instinct told me two things: to walk out and not have any ice cream or to ask her to wash her hands before scooping my treat. I ignored my own advice because, well, I was craving ice cream and didn't have the balls to make her feel like a leper. I am regretting my decision to stay silent. But I do not regret the ice cream!

Highlight of the week: I received an invite in the mail on Saturday... for my (and BBS') baby shower in Orange County next month. It is all sorts of glorious and I cannot thank my mom and sister enough for hosting it for me! Special kudos go out to Auntie Ginny for such a creative and delicious invitation.

Non-Highlight of the week: My dog's digestive system has been all sorts of wicked this week. Honestly, I'm not sure my olfactory senses have ever been subjected to anything quite like it before. And for those who've experienced "eau de Moe," that's really saying something.

Fears: Waiting until the last second to get the nursery pulled together, then being displeased with the result for having to rush it along. This is a recurring problem of mine.

Nursery: Are you wondering what happened to that nursery inspiration board I promised last week? It's still coming... things just take much longer these days. 

Additional Notes: Ok, I don't want to get everyone too excited about it, but the Dogs and Babies class at Sharp Mary Birch that I attended last night was AWESOME. I had been planning to do a review on it here, but honestly, it deserves its own post. Essentially, what they teach you is that both dogs and babies need to be "trained" in order to make sure everyone is copacetic and that the household dynamic remains a happy one. Stay tuned if you are a dog and baby lover like I am!

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!

Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 25

This Wednesday straight up feels like a Thursday, and with my IQ down about 100 notches, you're lucky I managed to remember today is bump day!

Musings on weekly photo: Hello Badunka-dunk. While I will say I expected to explode much more than I have, my ass continues to impress me. I don't know whether to cheer it on or curse it. And yes, I know a few of them are blurry and ok, quite speckled from the camera's dirty lense, but I can't help include photos where my dog is standing guard behind me. He is so predictable, I swear.

Size of baby: Apparently BBS is nearing the two pound mark. Two pounds! He's also putting on fat now, so he's getting farther from looking like some creepy thin alien and getting closer to looking like a chubby wubby baby.

Movement:  As each week passes, I can feel him boogeying down more and more. I can't figure out if it's because he's bigger, moving more or both. I'm guessing both? I'm no baby doctor though, so don't take my word for it.

Cravings: You know I try to be honest with all five of my readers (note, the increase from three to five!), so here it is. Picture it: a run to Target for a few office supplies. Paying for said office supplies, what do my olfactory senses pick up? Oh, the smell of freshly popped popcorn. "Why not?" I say to myself, "Why not?" So I go to purchase a bag. And what should catch my eye but the Blue Raspberry Icee machine. Yup. Haven't had an Icee since I was 10 (no exaggeration) and let me tell you: it was delicious.

Annoyance: Heartburn, heartburn, you clever foe! I think my husband genuinely thinks I like the taste of tropical flavored Tums now since I reach for the container so often. This is a fallacy because have you ever tasted one yourself? It's like eating papaya flavored chalk (with none of the danger!). Either way, I keep thinking I've outsmarted this symptom until it begins to rear its ugly head. If I believe the old wives tale that lots of heartburn means lots of baby hair, then this child's going to come out looking like Michael Bolton circa 1988.

You're welcome.

Highlight of the week:  So many! Kyle's sweet goddaughter Charlotte was baptized on Sunday (a quick word about Charlotte: you know those babies that people talk about and always say are "SO EASY." This child is SO EASY everyone (and by easy, I mean as easy as a newborn child can be. Those suckers are hard work, even when they're "easy"). Honestly, if Baby S is half as mellow as she is, we're doing a-OK). Charlotte's mama gave me some maternity clothes to borrow, so my wardrobe is much less depressing than it was a week ago (thank you, Micaela!). Also, got to eat out quite a bit last week and this restaurant and this restaurant were both PHENOMENAL. Finally, book club is tonight and I can't wait (it's something I look forward to every month).

Non-Highlight of the week: In the vein of book club, I have to say that while I thoroughly enjoyed the first 300 pages of The Historian, the last 350 DRAGGED. I have never been so happy to bid farewell to a book at the library before in my life. To all the people I recommended it to pre-page 301, you have been warned.

Fears: Now that I'm 60% of the way done with this and almost 100 days out from giving birth, I have to say I am starting to get terrified of pushing something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a lemon. As you know, I try to avoid all biology lessons on this blog, so I will leave my annoying junior high comparison to pushing a child out of my vagina at that.

Nursery: Our crib and dresser came last week! We still have a ways to go, but it's two huge things to tick off the list and I've been trying to rub my remaining brain cells together to come up with a clever, fun nursery for Baby Boy (as if he'll care. Jeez, the kid will only be able to see black and white for the first 6 months of his life, apparently. I learned this over the weekend, in case you were wondering if this is a well known fact).

Additional Notes: California mamas: what do you put on the wall behind your baby's crib? With the fear of earthquakes, I'm obviously not going the "wall of glass and nails" route, but it seems like such a sad thing to leave blank. I've looked at some decals, and they're just a little too cutesy for my taste. Thoughts?

Happy Hump Day, Bump Day everyone!