Sofi's Eve

Hello my dear family and friends. I am beyond excited to write today's post! Sofi and I have made it to the finish line. Tomorrow is a big day, as she will finally be gracing us with her presence. Words cannot describe the happiness my heart is feeling.

3 years ago I met my husband, and shortly after we started dreaming up the perfect life together...we would get married, move to Dallas to be close to my family, and have a baby girl that we would name Sofia. I sit here today feeling like the luckiest woman alive, because not only do I get to see my dreams become a reality, but because my life has unfolded even more perfectly than I could have ever imagined. My role as a wife has fulfilled me in more ways than anyone deserves, and now I'm about to begin the biggest role yet, being a mom. Yes, I am nervous, as I know the journey us just beginning, but I am determined to bottle the memory of the way I felt on this very day. Dreams do come true. What a blessing!

One last belly pic!!!

WK 37

Only 2 more weeks! Boy, am I feeling it! As of yesterday my feet have officially started to ache, perhaps even swell up a bit. My belly is super itchy, and my dizziness comes and goes. However, the craziest part about this week is the amount of deep blue veins appearing all over my belly and chest! I seriously hope those are not here to stay, or worse, turn into stretch markssss! I have been cautiously trying to avoid the potentially unavoidable...so only time will tell. For now, I'm going to continue to lather on my coconut oil, and say a little prayer. :)

About week 37, according to Baby Center: Sofi is now considered full term!! If I was to go into labor now, her lungs will likely be mature enough to adjust to life outside the womb. She should weigh around 6 1/3 lbs. and measure a bit over 19 inches. Most babies will be born with a full head of hair, with locks from 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long. This will certainly be the case for Sofi, as she was already showing an inch of hair on her 35 week sono!!!

The baby shower last week was so beautiful! My BFF's outdid themselves with the gorgeous decor. Thank you to everyone who was able to come and celebrate such a special event. A few highlights....

Week 36

Week 36, only 3 more weeks to go! In just two more days I will celebrate my third and final baby shower, and begin to officially prepare for my new life as a mommy. Sofi has been such a trooper! She's hung in there tight and has been a delightful little guest of honor! :) We are so excited to welcome our princess into the world!!

About Week 36: According to Baby Center, Sofia is still packing on the pounds- at the rate of one ounce a day. She should weigh somewhere around 6 lbs. and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. At the end of this week, she will be considered full term. She should be in head down position, however, we recently learned that our stubborn little girl is still completely breech! I just hope she's not uncomfortable... :(

Week 35

This week my mom hosted a beautiful baby shower for us! Me, Sofi, and Daddy were surrounded by so much love and support. I couldn't believe all of the people that came out to celebrate this special occasion with us! Now I'm getting ready for baby shower #3 this weekend. Boy, am I a lucky girl or what?! Love my friends and family so much. I couldn't possibly ask for a better support system! 

How I'm feeling: While the shower was a success, and I was able to squeeze myself into my pre-pregnancy dress from H&M (which I'm not complaining about!), things haven't been always been roses and lilac water. I still have terrible sinuses, I feel more and more tired every day, and I'm starting to feel major cramps/Braxton Hicks Contractions. I've had a wonderful pregnancy, and I'm so thankful for that, but I'm definitely feeling very pregnant at this point. I'm so out of breath and all I want to do is lay in bed and eat Cheetos and Fruit Loops! Needless to say, at this point I am ready for this baby Sofi to prepare for take off! Just a few more weeks!!! 

  

Week 33

We're getting close! I have a huge belly right now and Sofi's running out of room to move around. I feel every kick, every turn...everything! But, the festivities are just getting started, so she needs to hold tight for just 6 more weeks. I have 3 baby showers planned over the next 3 weeks, please, please don't come early!  

 

How I'm feeling: Over the past few weeks I've had an awful case of sinuses. I've tried everything under the sun to get rid of this agony, but nothing has really worked! I have gotten myself a humidifier, tried all kinds of medicines, multiple nasal sprays, and I'm even sleeping sitting straight up...why isn't this going away?! As if that wasn't bad enough, now I'm feeling really weak and experiencing suddent waves of hot flashes. Oh, and don't even get me started on the constant heartburn. I've never just randomly burped so much! I feel like I'm insulting everyone around me, but I can't help it. Ahhh!! Please don't judge...this stuff is real, people! :) 

 

About Week 33 (According to Baby Center): Baby Sofi is weighing about 4 lbs., that's as much as a pineapple! Her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap. This makes it easier for her to move through the birth canal. Thes bones will continue to harden and mature through adulthood.  

 

 

Week 31

How I feel: This week I've experienced a case of extreme mood swings. Between my long commute to work, the constant stress of getting things wrapped up in the office before my maternity leave, and the anxiety of the next few weeks ahead, I think anyone would feel a little exhausted and out of their element too.  Luckily, my husband and sweet mom have been the there along the way to help me get through the highs and lows. I've been a bit of a hormonal monster, but they've been nothing but supportive and extremely forgiving. Every preggy should have a strong support system, so thank you mom and hubby!

 

How I'm preparing: I have to be honest, due to the limited amount of "free-time" I have, it's been difficult for me to catch up on reading or attend as many classes as I would like. The classes are extremely time consuming, lasting anywhere between 3-5 hours. I just don't have that kind of time! So, I've resorted to the next best thing...online videos. I've found Baby Center and You Tube to be particularly resourceful. Another fantastic resource has been Babies R Us. Do you know that they offer parenting classes every other Wednesday of the month?! The best part? They are FREE and only last about an hour! On the 27th I will be attending the first class on breast feeding! So, if you're strapped on time and/or cash, this may be a good alternative. I'll keep you posted.  

 

About Week 31: Baby Sofia measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3 lbs. (Baby Center compares it to carrying 4 naval oranges). She can now turn her head from side to side, and her little body is starting to plump out. She's extremely active and seems like she's developing as expected. Only 8 more weeks until her arrival! Hooray!

 

Week 30

30 Weeks today! Can you believe it?! Exactly 9 weeks from today I will be holding my sweet baby girl in my arms! And yes, I said 9 weeks. To fill you in, I have decided to schedule my C-section for Week 39, April 12th. I know it may seem unnatural but during the early stages of my pregnancy my doctor discovered a very large cyst on my ovary. Luckily it is not cancerous, but it must come out! After much consideration I spoke to my doctor and decided to schedule my C-section and cyst operation at the same time. Since we're already going to cut me open, might as well take care of everything at once! I am scared of the surgery, but I trust my doctor very much and I trust that I am making a good decision for myself and my baby. So, unless she decides to comes early...on April 12th she will be making her first grand appearance!

About week 30: Baby Sofia weighs anywhere between 2.75-3lbs, about the size of a head of cabbage. I have gained approximately 12 lbs, and should continue to average +1 pound a week. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it is not very keen- 20/400 vision (normal adult vision is 20/20).

How I am preparing: For the past several weeks I have been working on getting the nursery ready, finalizing my registries, and tying up any lose ends at my job before my leave. With less than 10 weeks to go I still have so much ahead! I haven't registered for any birth classes, but I did manage to squeeze in 2 birthing videos (which I'm still dreading!). Just a helpful tip for any preggies out there, stay away from youtube videos about birth. If you missed that day in anatomy class, this isn't the time to catch up on reproduction. What they show on these videos is graphic and scary. I think I cried for one solid hour after watching. Both options (c-section and vaginal) are very intimidating (to put it nicely) and can make anyone question WTH they've gotten themselves into. Luckily I've had some great family and friends who have more than reassured me that everything will be just fine and it will all be worth it once I'm holding Sweet Sofia in my arms. :) Happy Friday!

Week 29

Hello! Today marks 29 weeks into my pregnancy. Things are starting to feel much more different than they ever have. Miss Sofia is kicking and moving around a ton! Every now and then I get a little startled by her sudden jabs. It's such an interesting feeling...very hard to describe- you must experience it to even begin to understand. It's like I have a little alien inside of me. Creepy, I know! None the less, it's a beautiful time in my pregnancy. With only 11 more weeks until our bundle of joy arrives, I couldn't feel more happy and excited about all of the changes taking place- physically, emotionally, and mentally!

Week 27

Week 25

After a long holiday season of indulging in all things fatty and sweet, it was apparent that I was officially no longer able to fit in my 00P jeans. So, after many weeks of contemplating my first visit to a maternity store, I finally made my way to Motherhood Maternity. OK, can I just say that I wish I would have discovered maternity jeans LOOOONG ago?! Ladies, I'm going to be honest, I may never go back to regular jeans again! Between those jeans and my BellaBand, I'm feeling free as a bird. There's no sucking in, no more saying a little prayer before attempting to zip up my fly; nope! And the best part is that they come in a variety of sizes to accommodate any body type. I was able to find XSP jeans that fit like a glove! Thank you Jesus. :) Below are a few pictures of me wearing the Bella Band and the  jeans from Motherhood. 

With BellaBand (Week 25)

XSP Maternity Jeans from Motherhood Maternity (Week 24)

Week 23

Hello! I am posting one day early this week because we are on our way to gramma's house in Michigan and I didn't want to forget. Last night we did some heavy pizza indulging, but Sofi is loving it! I haven't experienced any major cravings lately other than the usual, pizza and fro-yo. I love having an excuse to eat any of those more than once a week! :) Well, we're outta here! Off to grandma's house we go for the holidays!!

Week 22

Hello! It's been a few weeks since my last post, sorry for the lapse in time. The last few weeks have been a little hectic, but very exciting! We just purchased and moved into our brand new home, so as you can imagine, we've been busy...Now that we're all settled in I wanted to share a few pics of my progress, as well as some fun things I've been working on for my sweet Sofi. Enjoy!

Week 22 Belly

Sofi's Here In Spirit

Sofi's First Stocking

Week 20: Half Way There!

Happy Friday! My sweet macaron is well on her way. Baby Austin is 20 weeks today!!! What a milestone! I'm finally starting to feel her kick, and I can't help but think she's going to be a great dancer, just like mommy. ;) Hahaha(!)

It's A Girl!

I'm so happy I could scream! Yes, it's true, we are having a girl! This was such a fun surprise, I decided I wanted to do something special to pass on the excitement to the proud grand-parents-to-be. After much anticipation and days of torturing them with the big secret, I finally revealed my sweet macaron's gender in a really fun way! Please note their reactions- absolutely priceless! By the way, we are naming her Sofia {after my favorite champagne, of course}.

Week 17

Week 17 greeted me with a burst of energy. I felt extra happy and well-rested; it was awesome! I also caught myself reaching for an extra snack or two throughout the day...but hey, I'm preggie! {Anything for the baby! :)}

Only 1 more week until we get to find out the sex of my little bug!!! Stay tuned for next week's big reveal! XOXO

Week 16

Hello friends. Here's Baby A at week 16. I had an early flight yesterday morning, so I quickly pulled together the most comfortable outfit I could find and head out the door. I promise I didn't purposely match my phone to my outfit! I wish I had about 20 more of these pants and tops. My gosh are they comfortable! Especially when you're stuck in an airport all day due to flight delays...bleh! 

So, while I waited and waited to finally board my flight, I caught up on some mommy reading material. My sister in law gave me this hilarious baby book called Taboo Secrets of Pregnancy. This book is funny and scary! The author is very experienced in child baring as she's been through 3 pregnancies herself... so in this book she reveals alllll the gory details about the stuff that no one really talks about, like growing an extra nipple..or two during pregnancy. I didn't even know it was possible {is it??}! Eeeek! Needless to say, it's a very interesting read! XOXO

Week 15

It's not a pumpkin, folks. My belly is that big! Ok... I'm not loving how enormous my stomach looks these days, but I'm excited to officially be showing. My belly looks extra wide...I'm going to blame it on the cut of these jeans. They are not so flattering in pictures. 

Now, there is another part of my body that's growing along with my belly and I'm not complaining...yes, my breast! There are definitely perks to this whole pregnancy thing, starting with that. :) I never thought I'd have cleavage, so thank you Baby Austin for making it all possible for me. Haha 

Happy halloween weekend everyone!  

14 Weeks

Hi Friends! Sorry for the delayed updates. It's been a crazy month! I've been doing a little bit of traveling and lots of celebrating these past few weeks. Dustin's birthday was October 2nd, and my birthday was this past weekend on October 18th! We had such a great time, thanks to our lovely family and friends who always make us feel so special. :) 

As you can probably see from these pics, my belly is growing more and more every day. A few weeks ago my belly was still a little mushy, now it's starting to feel pretty solid and round. I was recently at the doctor for my 2nd trimester check up and baby A is doing so great! His/Her heartbeat is at a very healthy 156 bpms. :) In less than one month we'll be able to get a read on the sex. Hopefully! Fingers crossed!!

Week 12: Hooray!

We finally made it to week 12! I am a happy mama. I am feeling so much better this week. I am not as nauseous, hungry or tired. Almond milk has become part of my daily routine and I really think it has made a difference in my life. :) 

Last night was my first night out on the town since I found out I was pregnant. I had a great time! I made it to 11pm without feeling exhausted or irritable. If this is any indication of what the second trimester has in store, I gladly welcome it! Here's a pic of me enjoying a fabulous evening with some very fun ladies at my work BFF's birthday party! PS, isn't Dallas beautiful?!

Miracle Milk!

What am I loving and craving today? Almond Milk! OK, for those of you who think I'm a little behind for just discovering almond milk, I should start by telling you that I have never liked milk. In fact, it's been over 20 years since I seriously had a glass of milk. I've been scared of the taste, texture (or lack there of). I have even hated it in my cereal!

This week, however, I decided I was going to make a change in my life. I was going to try milk in efforts to boost my calcium intake. Baby Austin needs it! So, I decided to start with almond milk. So glad I did. Let me give you just a few great reasons why this is not only my new favorite treat, but it's now becoming my pregnancy miracle!!!

1. It makes my nausea disappear! (This is first and foremost!)

2. Tastes like ice cream (I like the vanilla flavor)

3. Unsweetened almond milk contains half the calories of dairy skim milk

4. 50% more calcium than regular milk

5. More antioxidants (each serving provides 50% of the recommended daily value of the essential Vitamin E nutrient) 

6. No lactose, saturated fat, or cholesterol

Now, pour a glass and enjoy!