Oh how time flies......

Somehow blogging ended up on the bottom of my priority list. Every time i would think about doing it, it would seem like too much work and that there was something else to be done. Lame things even like playing candy crush. Stupid, addictive game! Or else I would start writing, and wouldn't finish so I would put it off till later. Anyway, I'm finally here, and doing this!  
Teagan is now 15 months and quite an amazing little creature!  It amazes me how smart she is and how she understands way more than I think she does!  She is very head strong and had started with the NO's. Yup it happened one day, and that was it.She even sometimes say it with a grimace, that I have no idea where she got it from. Maybe me? who knows! She's a little sponge.  She is so energetic, it amazes me how she can keep going without stopping! just watching her makes me tired! Anyway here are some photos from the last few months!

My baby, the character

Here are a few funny photo's we captured of T this month. I'm not sure what she was doing in the first one, maybe pre sneeze? Hahaha  Anyway, She is definitely a little character and is developing quite the personality!  

Bitter sweet

I am 7 months in to my maternity leave, and am only starting to sometimes enjoy being off work.  Before I had Teagan i was so excited to not have to work for a year.  I didn't think that having a baby would be a cake walk. I wasn't THAT dilusional.  I just pictured the things I would get to do with my baby, not have to get dressed for work every day, the play dates we would have, just hang out at home and not have to go outside on really cold days.....
 Well. One week after T was born I think I was already wishing I was back at work.  I would look longingly at Marc getting ready for work and wish it was me.  I would count down the hours to when he would be home from work and I could have a break.  Even though I wasn't "going to work", I was at work. And not getting paid. If I was at work, my clients were not crying all day (If they were that would mean that either I was a very bad hairstylist, or something was very wrong with them), I was brushing hair off my clothes, not changing for the third time because I was spit up on again.  I actually had time to sit for a few minutes for a coffee.  I think it wasn't until T was 4 months that I actually fired up the coffee maker at home and made coffee for the first time in 4 months.  Because I actually thought I might have a few minutes to drink it. To say I had a rough go at it is an understatement. Still, I tried really hard not to let her colic keep us from doing things.  I think I got out on a daily basis, mostly because I had to to keep from going crazy, and many of these days were spent at my moms. I didn't get much of a break, It was like being at home, only I had company. Walks were mostly out of the question while she was awake, so I would plan to do them while she was sleeping. I would nurse her and after she fell asleep, put her in the carrier and away I went.  Play dates were tough, I would have to make sure she was either well rested or sleeping when I went.  I had a breast feeding support group I would sometimes go to that really just gave me another opportunity to go out. I never really felt that the mom's were dealing with the same thing, and it sometimes made me frustrated that they could just sit there with their content baby and not have to be walking them around, bouncing, or nursing them.  When people would tell me "It gets better" I wanted to yell at them "When!!??? cause it's not happening!"  The idea of 3-4 months of colic seemed like an eternity, and in retrospect, it sometimes feels like it has been.
Now fast forward to T being 6 1/2 months and things are finally starting to get better.  I wouldn't say I feel normal, because how can you when your life as you know it has completely changed. I will never feel like my old normal.  I'll have to create a new normal.  I guess things have settled down more.  I don't have as much anxiety, Marc and I get out for dates once in awhile, I am finally getting to cook a bit more again, something I couldn't even imagine investing time in in those first few months (thank god for those freezer meals I made).  Things aren't perfect, but my days are a bit more predictable (which can actually be good and bad).  I am really hoping that I get to really enjoy some of what I have left of maternity leave.  I am already trying to figure out how it's going to work when I go back to work.  I just want to start off with a few days a week, but It can be tough to find part time care.  One of my clients is retiring from her job as a day care worker this fall to take care of her grandson, so there is a possibility she could take T for a day or two a week.  My mom could do a day, and Marc could take her Saturdays which is really the most important day I work since it's the busiest.  It's so funny because even though some days I wish I had time away from Teagan, the thought of someone else caring for her all day is hard to imagine.  To possibly miss some of her milestones, like walking or saying new words makes me sad.  I used to think it was funny that so many moms had such a hard time dropping their baby's off at day care for the first time. Now I get it.  I think I need to write a post soon about all the things I "get" now. Because you really don't get it until you've been there.  Wow this has really turned into a long post, but there was a lot I felt I  needed to say.  Maternity leave has been bitter sweet,  but they are starting to get more semi- sweet :)   And all because of a special little someone

Teagan at 6 months!

We're actually a few weeks behind with this post but I'm going to give myself a break with this.  My little peanut is 6 months!  Here is what has been up with T lately....

-I haven't had her weighed since last month but I'm guessing she weighs somewhere between 13 and 14 pounds. I'm hoping to get her weighed sometime soon, she definitely is starting to feel heavier to me, her legs are filling out, and she can eat like an animal!
-Did I mention she can eat?  she is currently eating 3 meals of solid food a day. I can usually tell when she's had enough because she just gets distracted and disinterested in the food. She will, however usually still open her mouth if the spoon is there anyway hahah
-She LOVES her mum mums and when i put frozen fruit in her mesh feeder. That thing is great for teething and it keeps her entertained for quite awhile
-T loves being in the Baby Bjorn.  When she was small and we had to have her faced in, she hated it. Now that she gets to face out and can see everything that is going on, she really likes it.  We'll walk around the mall and she just blows bubbles and smiles at people and kicks her legs.
- She is still a pretty serious and intense baby but you can definitely get some good smiles out of her, and she is laughing more and more
-She is still not a fan of the car seat. She still cries sometimes when i put her in but when she does she usually stops once we get outside and in the car.
-T has two teeth, the bottom front ones, and more on the way!
-Her favorite toy right now seems to be a rubber crab that goes in the bath.  I think it's something about it's little legs and how they make good things to chew on. She also still likes her crinkly books, her owl stroller toy, her Exersaucer and seems to be obsessed with our T.V. remote. We bought her her own, but it doesn't seem to compare for some reason.
-Her favorite things to do are sit on the floor with her toy basket in front of her and pull all the toys out (I think it makes her feel very independent) , play with the sink faucet in the bathroom (although we now have to be careful because she has figured out how to turn it on!), attempt to climb on everything, especially the back of the couch, going out to places with lots of people and staring at them (she can win any staring contest, she's so funny!) and chewing on her feet.
-She is reaching for EVERYTHING and seems to think she can crawl and climb. She's not quite there yet and gets frustrated when she can't get at something she wants
-T takes between 2 and 3 naps a day. Her naps vary in length but she usually has her first one around 10, sleeps on average 1-11/2 hours and goes for the second sometime around 2. Depending on how long she naps for the second, I sometimes try to put her down for a quick 3rd nap around 4:30 or 5.  If we're out at this time she'll often have this last nap in the car. For bedtime, we start her routing at about 6:30. Marc will giver her a bath, put her in her sleep sac, giver her a bottle, read a story and then i will nurse her. She is usually asleep by 7:30 sleeps all through the night (I know, I'm lucky!) and gets up between 7:30 and 8.
- Like I mentioned, T is very intense and has a huge personality already.  She is not the most cuddly baby but is getting more so.  She is so much more content now that she can sit on her own and has some independance.  She is off all medication for reflux (although still spits up a lot, but doesn't seem to bother her) I am eating dairy again (Yay!) and her digestive system seems to be working better. She is way less gassy, and all around just a happier baby.  I don't know what did it, could have been the Bio Gaia probiotics we were giving her, the introduction of solids or just maturity that has helped, but whatever it is, we are all so much happier!

Her cute jester hat made for her by Tante Lise

Christmas dress!

She looks so grown up!

I love how she is so fascinated by her cousin Aubrey!

Teagan and her 2 cousins Aubrey and Manon

Random cuteness

Christmas is coming!

So I decided that given I have a baby and Christmas is fast approaching I was going to get a head start on shopping for presents. I started already in the beginning of November and I'm glad I did! I have a little more than half done, and most of the rest I already know what I am getting so It shouldn't be too stressful to get it all done in time. Every year I have started shopping for the holidays a little earlier and it has made a big difference on feeling ready and not frazzled by last minute gift getting.  One thing I do to make gift giving easier is to really pay attention throughout the year to when someone makes a comment about something they like or something they need, I make a mental note of it. So when a birthday or Christmas comes up I go back to that little area of my brain (my long term memory that has not been affected by mommy brain!) that stores these comments and pull out an idea.

Now lets talk about Xmas decorations.  We haven't decided yet if we are going to do a tree this year. I know, this makes me sad, but my husband's reasoning is that we aren't having any of the family at our place this year, and with the baby, getting a real tree this year will be pretty messy. I guess it is one more thing to have to do, then clean up, and lets face it, we don't have a lot of free time in these parts lately.  There are just so many things i want to do related to the holidays and I don't think it will be realistic to do many of them.  While Teagan is getting a lot better, she is still pretty demanding and we are still working on figuring out the naps. Many times she only naps 40 minutes, and this makes it hard to start any project, never mind finish it. I may have to leave all of these big ideas I have until next year, sigh.  Hopefully though, then she will only have to nap once or twice a day and her naps will be much longer. Also she may be able to help me with things like decorating cookies!

Teagan is almost 5 1/2 months!  I am starting to really notice that she is catching on to things very quickly.  Last week i started balancing her on her feet. At first she didn't understand what she was supposed to do and kept bending her knees. Then, within a few days, she was putting pressure on them and balancing with me holding her.  She really likes her exersaucer and will now stand up in it herself.  I noticed too that her sitting is getting closer to her being able to do it on her own! she can sit and balance herself with her hands in the front, and can let go for a few seconds without falling over.  I am thinking that by xmas she may just be sitting all by herself!  We have been feeding her solids now for a little over a month and she loves her rice cereal. She smiles and kicks her feet and gets excited when she sees the bowl.  Any other foods we are still working on.  So far we have tries sweet potatoes, avocado, corn, green beans mixed with apple sauce and chicken. Chicken was the worst! she actually gagged and looked at us like we were crazy!  the corn probably went over the best.  I have also been trying to mix some of these with breastmilk and cereal to help her get used to the taste. A little more success this way!

I have quite a few new pictures that I have not gotten around to transferring to the computer, but they are on the way!

Teagan's first Halloween!

Here's my little caterpillar!

Latest happenings.....

Most people say that time goes by so fast when you have a baby.  In some ways I feel like just yesterday i was pregnant, but most of the time it really does feel like it's been almost 4 months.
When you have a colicky baby, you are just counting down the days until that magic month where things are supposed to get easier. Well, we're almost there, at that magic 4 months.  Have things gotten easier? in some ways.  I think you have figured you baby out a bit more to help you deal with the difficult times.  But it's like so many of my friends have said, just when you feel like you have something figured out, it changes.  Teagan is still very spitty and gassy, so, as a recommendation form her Dr., I am off dairy again.  This is so hard for me!  she is also on Prevacid which is an antacid to help control any uncomfortableness she may have due to the reflux.  I honestly have no idea if any of this is making any difference.  Her Dr said however, sometimes you just have to tackle everything at once and hope something works.  The unfortunate part is that if one does, you don't know which one!
T has also been fussy breast feeding and I'm not sure if this is due to gas or lack of supply for me.  I think that what might have happened is that since she started sleeping through the night last month (I know, I am VERY grateful!) my supply might have decreased.  She seems hungrier during the day now so I am just trying to feed her as often as possible. We went three weeks without seeing a weight gain so I am supplementing her 2 bottles a day to help with that.

Now for the positive section of this post.  Teagan is an adorable baby. My favorite part of the day is going in to get her up in the morning and she's smiling.  It's crazy because she often wakes up from naps upset, but in the morning she'll lie there for quite awhile looking around before she starts trying to get our attention.  Last month she found her hands and then forgot about them it seemed. Now it seems like she's found them again and is often trying to fit both fists in her mouth at once! hahah
She is rolling over and getting a lot stronger in her neck muscles. Hopefully in a few weeks we can break out the baby einstein activity saucer!  She is getting more vocal, no laughs yet but I think she is very close. Her favorite thing is making motor sounds and bubbles with her tongue. Here are some of the latest photos of my little peanut :)

Cautiously optimistic

So a big milestone! Teagan has slept through the night for the last 3 nights.  I am pretty happy and cautiously optimistic that this may mean the start of things getting slightly easier with her colic.  She has definitely become very alert and can go longer periods of entertaining herself without crying. The downside to the alertness, however, is that her naps haven't been great, and she gets very overtired quickly, so there are longer periods of me having to constantly try to sooth her. It is a struggle to try to pick up on cues of a colicky baby for when they are getting tired, because sometimes they are just fussing.  So with all of this said, my latest plan of action had been trying to get her down for a nap within 2 hours of her being awake. Sometimes she can't even last that long.  Also I am trying to encourage the development of her morning nap.  I always told myself that I didn't want to be a slave to my baby's schedule, that hopefully when my baby was tired she could just nap wherever and whenever she was tired.  This has proven to be a little harder than I thought given that I have a colicky baby that  cannot self sooth very well.  Ideally i would like her to get to a point where she can have a morning and afternoon nap on a schedule that is not super strict, but for now I am realizing that some structure may be exactly what she needs given the type of baby she is.  She is 3 months old next week and I am crossing my fingers it is the beginning of the end of the worst of the crying!

Teagan is definitely a little character, and her smiles and coos are getting cuter and cuter.  She has recently discovered her hands which I am hoping will soon take the place of our pinky finger being her pacifier!  Oh! and I almost forgot, She rolled over this week! At less than 3 months old!  I told Marc that I think we have a bionic baby. She is sooooo strong, when she is in the change table, she will arch her back and lift it of the table into a bridge pose and you can see her abs! Yikes!  I am seriously scared she will be crawling next month and walking by six months. Ok maybe that might be a slight exaggeration but I really believe that this colic has made her muscles super strong and that she is going to be early with walking!

Teagan at 2 months!

Seriously, this kid has crazy hair! granted, there was a lot of wind!

Reading fashion magazines with mommy at the lake

Planning her first hairstyle

Teagan discovering her hands

After bath

So I am FINALLY getting around to writing a new post.  My baby is officially 2 months old!  In some ways it seems like just yesterday she was born, and in other ways it seems like a lifetime ago. We love our little peanut like crazy, but we have had a lot of challenges so far!

Ok here we go, in all honesty, life has been HARD.  Yes, it needed capitals.  As luck would have it, Teagan is extremely fussy, gassy, and has reflux. Most of my day is spent soothing her.  In the last few weeks a few things have gotten a bit better, but it's a sloooow change.  I feel like I have tried everything, cut out dairy for awhile, tried ovol, gripe water, slings, baby bjorn, every position imaginable. She was on ranitidine for the reflux but recently we stopped giving it to her since there wasn't a major improvement.  I feel so bad for her and it breaks my heart not being able to make her feel better :(  It is really hard for me to accept that she just has an immature digestive system and that I just have to wait things out.  I feel like I am counting down the days until she is 3 months, which is when colic is supposed to start to get better. This makes me sad too because she is only this little for so long.  I really really want to enjoy every stage that she goes through, but this stage is so hard.  We do have some good days, and that allows me to put some things in perspective a little.  I really have to work hard at pushing all my negative feelings away when they come up, because really, I have a beautiful, healthy baby who's new little smiles and coos make me melt.  She has quite the little personality emerging and it will be so neat to see what kind of person she becomes. I imagine as she becomes more aware of the things around her she will get a bit better at soothing herself, and her being uncomfortable with the gas and reflux will subside.  I am just taking it one day at a time, and trying to enjoy what is left of this summer with her.

Teagan Natalie Alary

She's arrived!
Our little peanut, Teagan, was born on June 22nd at 2:04 am, weighing 6lbs 11 oz, 21 1/2 inches long (the little string bean!)
She was born about 10 days early. Looks like that plug loss really DID mean something! Hah!
It could also be due to the fact I went to aquafit class the night I went into labor! (I highly recommend it)  I felt the week before she was born, as you can see from one of my last posts, i was so frantically trying to get things done.  I really think it was my body sending me a message!
I will post more later, as I have been just a little busy, but here are a few photos so far!

38 1/2 weeks!

I seem to be not getting to my posts quite on time lately, but I have decided that being punctual is overrated at this point.  Its crazy to only have 10 days until my due date...and? I lost my plug today!  I don't know why but I had a weird feeling that I was going to see it today....
So I had my doctor's appt. this morning and let her know of this exciting progress (to me) only to be told.... it means absolutely nothing. :(   but.... it does mean that things are progressing and that I am likely starting to dilate.  Since women can dilate very early on however this is why it doesn't necessarily mean anything.  Dr. said "it can be today, or in a month!" WAHWAH (cue sad cartoon music)  I still think that it may mean that things are going to go down before due date...
I have been getting mild period like cramping very low down and crazy spasms in my thighs still.

In other news, I got most of the stuff on my list done! Yay!  I feel sooooo much better now.  I am still trying to make some foods to freeze but I have done quite a bit, and if I don't get around to any more, I will be ok with that.  Just have a few more things to put in the hospital bag, finish up some thank you cards and I'll be good! So baby, you can come any day now! I think I'm ready! (or as ready as i can be!)

How far along?  38 weeks + 4 days!

Total weight gain? 29 lbs. So strange, because it's been fluctuating. A week and a half ago i was at 28, then at my appt last week, 25...now at 29.  I guess its normal to change quite a bit depending on the amniotic fluid, but I am pretty happy with the weight gain overall!

Maternity clothes?  Most

Stretch marks? No!  I think it's safe to say i may be out of the woods?

Sleep? Not great, although I do feel rested when I wake up. Lots of achy muscle and hip pain if I lay one one side too long. Stretching during the night when I get up to pee helps, and also the daily quick massages my husband gives me before he heads off to work (I love him). 

Best moment this week?  Feeling like I have gotten things done and am now ready!

Miss anything?  Maybe a glass of wine, maybe being able to sleep without tossing and turning so much, but nothing major.

Movement? Has slowed down quite a bit (except last night...what was it doing? it was serious constant party in there) but still get leg, foot and knee jabs off to the side, and when I sit baby gets very squirmy low down, i guess due to the pressure of me being folded over.

Food cravings? Still ice cream sandwiches

Food aversions? Nope

Labor signs? Yes! Lost the plug (hopefully this is a sign, at least progress), low cramping, pressure on pelvic bone, thigh muscle spasms

Symptoms? Still the back pain, the shooting pains low down from baby pressing on nerves, also see above

Belly button in or out? Kinda out a bit, depends on the day though!

Wedding rings on or off? on

Looking forward to? Meeting my baby :)

Please excuse these photos... they were taken basically before bed, when I actually remembered I was overdue to take them.  Nothing glamorous about these. We'll just forget that I make my living as a hairstylist for now........

Now, I may or may not be off to make more muffins.......

37 Weeks!

Which means....Full term!

I know I missed my 36 week post, but since finishing work i have just been so darn busy!
I have this huge list of stuff that I want to do before baby arrives, and unlike most women who just want their baby out at this point, I wish that mine will stay in another week or two!  (I don't however want an over due baby, guess I'm asking a little much from the delivery date wish fairies).
Today my mom is coming over to help me weed the garden, which means I can soon get those plants and vegetables in that I insisted we purchase this year. Later is a walk with a fellow pregnant mama that I met at aquafit class, who is by the way due ten days after me! Then hopefully I will get around to  making more meals to throw in the freezer for when after baby gets here and I am pulling my hair out and can't get it together to make something for dinner.

How far along? 37 weeks + 3 days

Total weight gain?  Last time I checked was 28 a few days ago, so could be more

Maternity clothes? Pretty much

Stretch marks? No

Sleep? Hasn't changed much the last month, getting up 2-3 times a night to pee, still some pain on the side of the hip I will lay on if it is for too long, then I have to stretch it out

Best moment this week? Being full term!

Miss anything? Maybe just a glass of wine

Movement? Getting a little slower, but still lots of stretches. Baby gets a bit squirmy when I sit and I can feel it's little hands way down

Food cravings? Oreo ice cream. I really am not a huge sugar person, but if I have noticed anything about my cravings the last few months, they have definitely gone the way of ice cream

and some other sweet things.

Food aversions? Nope

Labor signs? Not yet.....

Symptoms? My need to pee during the day has definitely increased, so I guess this means baby has moved down a bit, but It doesn't look like it has actually dropped. Some back pain, blah blah, the usual, and braxton hicks (although not painful, just uncomfortable), belly seems to be getting a little pointier

Belly button in or out? Sometimes it's flat, sometimes it protrudes a teeny bit

Wedding rings on or off? Still on but tight

Looking forward to? Getting my list done! Okay I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but I will feel soooo much better when I do!

Random things....

• You know you are pregnant when at the grocery store, suddenly ALL the fruit looks good and you go on a crazy pregnant lady fruit buying frenzy.

• I think this whole nesting thing is setting in. Or maybe it's anxiety that I won't have the time to do what I have on my list before baby comes

          Included on this list are:
          -weeding my planters and garden, then planting the flowers and few vegetables I have to go
           in (believe me I have scaled down this year)
          -getting together with friends I want to see before baby arrives (several BBQs planned)
          -finish the few last things in the baby's room (like hanging pictures, putting up shelves)
          -make and freeze some foods so we won't starve when baby gets here (a little exaggeration
            I know)
          -get my employment insurance form filled out so I at least get some measly pay while on Mat
           leave
         
           and the list goes on.......

• Last night I had a dream that I lost my mucous plug and it was basically 2 hearts (yes the organs)  (!!??!! gross) and I was running around trying to figure out what to do with them... to flush...or not to flush...will it go down??  soooo weird.  That's not even the weirdest thing I have dreamt about this pregnancy.... there have been many more, but I might spare you the details of those ones.  I generally have very vivid dreams, but these last 9 months have been some of the strangest.

• I am still trying to get around to my 36 week post.  I still have to take a picture. Add this to the list.

• Becoming slightly obsessed with Facebook Scrabble

• The distance I can walk now is seriously shorter.  Its giving me Braxton Hicks and when I feel tightening really low down, it feels like it's radiating in my thighs

• I really wish I could get rid of this persistent headache

35 1/2 weeks!

This weekend was super busy, so I'm just getting around to doing my 35 weeks post now!
Saturday I worked all day and then had my good friend Joyce's bday party to go to. It was bowling and I actually had a great time! I'm not going to lie, it was slightly challenging...everytime I got up to take my turn I would get a BH contraction! I mostly bowled between my legs (not that this is really out of the ordinary, I have noticed the last few times i have gone, I actually suck less this way) but I actually kicked everyone on my teams ass. Hah!  Who would have thought! I should bowl pregnant more often!
I have found that I have been a little less sociable while being pregnant.  Especially if it's going out with people I don't know that well (don't always have the energy to converse) or where we just sit at some pub and I watch others order drinks.  Anyway, I realized part of the reason I think I had more fun was that it was an activity that was different and it didn't involve just sitting there.  I can only sit for so long (lying down is better). Even the movie chairs start to hurt my back after awhile. It could have also had something to do with the fact that they had deep fried pickles there. Sounds gross, but OMG I think i have found a new favorite.

Sunday I had my baby shower!  My sister was in town and was able to make it, and that made it even  more awesome.  Everyone was so generous, and I feel like I am pretty prepared with all of the things I received!  Sunday night after my shower Marc and I went out for dinner for our one year anniversary!  (our actual anniversary was the next day). We went to our favorite restaurant called Segovia, which is this really cool Spanish fusion tapas place.  They are always switching up the menu so there are always new things to try, and I love how every thing is meant to share....you get to try so many more dishes that way! Halfway through the meal I realized I had not taken any pictures of the food. Oh well.  Probably a sign that it was good if I was to busy eating :)

Monday I went out with my mom and picked up a few things that we needed for baby, such as a car seat, pack and play, bath etc. Later on that night Marc and I went to see "What To Expect When You're Expecting."  I thought it was just ok, but he actually liked it a lot more than I did!

So now I am on my last week of work. 3 days left! I can definitely say that I am ready to have this break before the baby. Being on my feet has been getting increasingly difficult at work. Also, I sometimes hit clients with my belly and it gets in the way when I shampoo people.  It has been hard giving up my clients, but I have spent the last month training our new girl who we hired to replace me, and just have to trust that she will do her best to take care of them while I am gone.  I'm ready to be done.

How far along?   35 1/2 weeks

Total weight gain? 24 Lbs

Maternity clothes? Pretty much

Stretch marks? No

Sleep? Um, yeah. Not great. Rolling over is a challenge and I am back to getting up twice a night to pee.

Best moment this week? Lots! My shower, my anniversary!

Miss anything? Being able to sit comfortably

Movement? Lots of kicks in my sides, and when baby moves in general it just feels harder and with more pressure, like there is less cushioning

Food cravings? Ice cream sandwiches, Juicy fruity things

Food aversions? Nope

Labor signs? Lots of Bh's and a bit of mild cramping, but I think it is still too early to mean anything significant

Symptoms? Lots of lower pressure now, sometimes in my pelvis and the muscles and ligaments that connect my legs to my pelvic area. Increase in the peeing, back pain. 

Belly button in or out? Kinda flat

Wedding rings on or off? On

Looking forward to?  Being off work!

<

34 Weeks

So we took advantage of the long weekend and went out to the lake yesterday afternoon until this evening.  It was really nice to get out of the city, if only briefly.  I love the outdoor smells, and food always tastes better there.  Sleeping on a double bed was a little more difficult with the husband and the snoogle, but did not prove to be impossible.  I am getting increasingly uncomfortable though and really starting to feel very pregnant.  All of baby's movements are so strong and much sharper now. I read that the amniotic fluid is maxed out a 34 weeks and you have little cushioning from baby's kicks. I can definitely agree with that. Some of the pokes and rolls actually hurt! and the braxton hicks are getting stronger.

 I wanted to get one lake day in this year before the baby came because lets face it, who knows what things will be like when this little monkey is born.  We may get really lucky and be able to take our baby anywhere, or we might have a very fussy baby and be pretty home bound.  I am playing it safe and not getting my expectations too high of having many lake days this summer.  I am very excited though to be having this baby in the summer, since i can at least get out and go for walks and not be stuck inside all day.  I am thinking that it may help with all of the overwhelming feelings that go on with being a first time mom, if I can at least get out of the house from time to time.

How far along? 34 Weeks

Total weight gain? 22 Lbs

Maternity clothes? Most 

Stretch marks? No

Sleep? Not great. Getting up 1-2 times in the night, some trouble rolling over and getting comfortable

again while everything settles in its place again (baby, organs and such)

Best moment this week? Getting out of the city

Miss anything? Being more mobile and being able to go on longer walks.  I get tired a lot faster and get lots of contracting when i walk

Movement? Lots of rolls, stretching, pressure from what I think is baby's head low down. Still lots of hiccups too.

Food cravings? Ice cream sandwiches and Sangria

Food aversions? Nope

Labor signs? No

Symptoms? Lots of Braxton Hicks, (especially when I walk or pretty much every time I get up from sitting) pelvic pressure, some back pain

Belly button in or out? Not really either! kind of flush with my belly...

Wedding rings on or off? Still on, Yay

Looking forward to? The husband and I's 1st anniversary on the 28th!

Mmmm Cupcakes

Last month I helped my mom throw a wedding shower for a good friend of the family.  I decided to make these Iced Pistachio cupcakes, as I had made them once before and they were fantastic!  They don't actually use any leavening agent and are still so soft!  This recipe comes from the "Martha Stewart Cupcakes" book.

You will need:

1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon coarse salt

3/4 cup coarsely chopped salted pistachios

Drippy icing (recipe follows)

1 1/2 cups unsalted pistachio slivers for garnish

Drippy icing

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until  smooth

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liner. In a food processor, grind shelled pistachios to a paste.

2. With an electric mixer on medium high- high speed, beat butter, cream cheese and pistachio paste until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low. Gradually add sugar; beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt, beating until just combined. Fold in chopped pistachios by hand.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to one day at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4. To finish, place cupcakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; spoon icing onto each, and garnish with pistachio slivers. Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

I ended up using pistachios cut in half for garnish instead of the slivers. Also i slightly adjusted the consistency of the icing.