26 Weeks

Baby A is getting bigger and bigger each and every day! Here's what's new with him this week:

 The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take two to three days.

Seems like everything is moving right along...

• How far along? 26 weeks
• Total weight gain: According to my scale I've gained 0.8 pound in the past two weeks - for a total of almost 13 pounds. I have 14 weeks left, which include Thanksgiving and Christmas, so we have plenty of opportunity to eat!
• Sleep: This week I kept drifting onto my back and waking up, but I think the warmer temperatures might have been to blame too. Once it cooled down at the end of the week, I slept much better.
• Movement: Every day now, and he's getting stronger!
• Best moment this week: Celebrating Halloween at school and Mr. Z.'s birthday
• Food cravings: Have you tried Count Chocula cereal lately?? OMG... so good!
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Still only need pants - I even have some that are still too big! :)
• Belly Button in or out? In
• What I miss: Wearing sweaters... they just look funny now. 
• What I am looking forward to: Heading to Florida with the girls on Thursday! Fun in the sun!!
• Weekly Wisdom: My MIL said we have a beautiful baby! She dreamed about our son and said he looked just like me, but with John's nose. I'm convinced we saw John's nose in one profile shot at our last ultrasound. Plus, her dreams are pretty accurate. ;)
• Nursery Progress (I'm finally able to add this category): This past weekend I cleared out all the furniture and moved in the twin bed. I also taped out where the other pieces of furniture will go (crib, dresser, and glider). This afternoon I also patched a few nail holes and plan to touch up the paint this week.

Here's a tour around the room:

Can you see the faint outline on the floor to the left of the table? This is where the glider will go. I'll also paint that table to match the room, but I'm not sure which color just yet.

This rug will stay. It's made from all natural fibers (no off-gassing!) and I think it will match the glider nicely.

The dresser will sit to the right of the bed and we'll put the changing pad on top to the left. I'll also have a table fan and some cute accessories on the right.

The location of the crib - where as I've mentioned before, Baby A will sleep peacefully through the night. :)  I also like that I can peek right in from the door to see him.

Saturday
Breakfast - organic egg and cheese on an English muffin with organic ketchup; half cranberry/half water
Snack - fruit snacks
Lunch - organic mac and cheese; five water crackers and hummus
Snack - four pieces of cheddar cheese and crackers; four multigrain chips with salsa
Dinner - mashed potatoes; corn, asparagus; vegetarian stuffing; dinner roll; garden salad
Dessert - piece of chocolate birthday cake; decaf tea with one sugar


Sunday
Breakfast #1 (before church) - dinner roll; decaf tea with one sugar
Breakfast #2 (after church) - dinner roll; organic eggs and cheese with ketchup; Trop 50 OJ
Snack - fun size Reese's peanut butter cup; fun size Kit Kat (Thank God Halloween is over today!)
Lunch - organic mac and cheese
Snack - fun size Skittles
Dinner - pasta with all natural tomato sauce and two "meatballs"; mixed veggies (broccoli, peas, and zucchini)
Dessert - bowl of Count Chocula (see above)

Double digits!!

Guess which one of us is 6 1/2 months pregnant? ;)  Mmmm... now I want peanut M&Ms.

Today Baby and I hit double digits - 99 days to go until my due date! Of course, I'm anticipating an extra week or so, but you never know what might happen. I am proud to admit that I did not have one party treat at school today. I passed up cookies, cake, cupcakes, potato chips, and candy. Now if I can just make it through the weekend (and Thanksgiving and Christmas) we should be in good shape.... literally!

Last night I got a burst of energy before bed and started dismantling the guest room/nursery. Here's a not-so-great phone pic of what I ended up doing, which was apparently just make a mess.

My mom will be the first to attest to the fact that I will never be allowed to yell at Baby A for having a messy room. I think they finally gave up on me after ten or twelve years.

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an English muffin; baked hash browns; OJ

Lunch - vegetable spring roll; broccoli, carrots, and celery with brown rice

Snack - fruit snacks; handful of almonds

Dinner - veggie soy patty on half a roll with light spicy mayo; half a baked potato

Dessert - four Starbursts (OK, so I caved to the candy again)

To Do List

As you know, I've been thinking a lot about the nursery this week. It's been a bit since I updated my to-do list, so here goes:

• crib - ordered!
• ceiling and walls - painted!
• order fabric from javis davis (love this company!) - check!

Still to-do:

• order glider and ottoman (I like the idea of waiting until Black Friday - never know if Walmart might have a fun sale)
• purchase dresser and organizers (Ikea)
• exchange furniture between guest rooms (twin bed coming into nursery)
• paint side table(s)
• order ceiling compass decal and wall decor (this is the fun stuff!)

Eek! That's a lot of stuff to do. Sitting on the couch watching Vampire Diaries and The Office probably doesn't help get any of it done either, though, right? ;)

Breakfast - bowl of Frosted Flakes; cranberry juice/water mix
Snack - Kashi granola bar
Lunch - natural peanut butter on an English muffin; reduced fat Cheez-Its; four Starbursts
Snack/Lunch #2 (baby wasn't really feeling like that lunch was enough) - 9-grain wheat bread with spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, banana peppers, red onions, and honey mustard; apple slices
Dinner - veggie soy patty on half a whole wheat pita; half a baked potato

Not Much to Say Today...

I took a nice little power nap after school today, ate dinner, ran an errand and went to yoga. Now I'm beat, and going to bed! :)

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an English muffin
Lunch - black bean vegetable soup; half an English muffin with natural peanut butter; handful of pumpkin seeds
Snack - five water crackers and hummus; organic red grapes
Dinner - veggie soy patty in half a whole wheat pita with light spicy mayo; half a baked potato
Snack - glass of light chocolate soy milk

There's always some time for a little nursery planning...

I know I said that this week would be too busy with report cards for anything else. But I made more progress than expected yesterday and started to think about the nursery. The party on Saturday is over, and while it was such a blast, I'm glad we can focus on getting ready for the little guy. I've been agonizing over thinking about the upholstered glider and came across this potential candidate:

paired with this ottoman, to better match our dark furniture

Obviously this is a little girl's nursery (and very bright!!) but I think this combo could work for us. The best part - both pieces come in around $400, which is a better fit for my budget than the $600-800 chair/recliner/ottoman combinations I had previously seen. I've sent an email to the blogger who uses this chair to get her opinion, so hopefully she'll have some favorable feedback.

I also think we've finalized the fabric choices for the bedding and window treatments. JA and I looked everything over, and while I'm sure selecting fabric isn't his main priority in life, he did pitch in and offer his opinion. :)  Here's the current plan:

Pleated crib skirt - green and white polka dot

Window valences - anchors with ecru floor-length panels and black out cordless shades (hidden behind the valences) 

Accent pillow on glider - minkee navy

Accent pillows on twin bed - wide stripe and minkee navy

Crib sheets - ecru and sage solids

Changing pad cover - ecru, sage, and navy solids

What do you think??

Breakfast - one organic egg and cheese on an English muffin with organic katchup; OJ

Snack - Kashi granola bar

Lunch - penne vodka; five water crackers with hummus; Greek blueberry yogurt; slice of homemade Irish soda bread

Snack - handful of pumpkin seeds; homemade brownie

Dinner - soy veggie patty on half a whole wheat pita; half a baked potato

Dessert - bowl of Count Chocula cereal with organic low fat milk

Report Card Week

Report cards are due on Thursday, which means I am "in the zone." We have a new electronic system this year, which I am loving! This means, however, that my posts will be strictly limited to the food journal. All candy references are to cope with report cards. :)

Breakfast - plain bagel with light cream cheese; OJ
Lunch - baked ziti; five water crackers with hummus; Greek strawberry yogurt; handful of pumpkin seeds
Snack - sliced apple; organic grapes; fun size Milk Duds and Sweet Tarts
Dinner - half a veggie burrito (onions, peppers, zucchini, beans, and cheese); handful of tortilla chips and salsa
Dessert - fun size peanut butter cup and Hershey's chocolate bar

This Halloween candy is going to be the DEATH of me! I can't wait to get rid of it on Sunday!

25 Weeks

We are 5/8 of the way there! (I told you I liked math, remember?) ;)  Here's what's new with the little man this week:

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

My guess is that Baby A has straight, dark hair... how could it be anything else??

• How far along? 25 weeks
• Total weight gain: + 12 pounds total
• Sleep: Still fantastic... I am so thankful!
• Movement: Every day now. :)
• Best moment this week: Seeing our friends and family yesterday at our party - which was a total success!
• Food cravings: Halloween candy!
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Definitely pants, but regular tops are still fine. My goal is to not have to buy any more the rest of this pregnancy, but who knows what will happen...
• Belly Button in or out? In
• What I miss: Being able to bend over at the waist - it's weird to have this belly in the way!
• What I am looking forward to: Reports cards are due on Thursday - I'm looking forward to having them done!
• Weekly Wisdom: My friend Alice wrote me a beautiful email this morning telling me that I looked pretty darn good for being six months pregnant. That felt so nice to hear!!

This is the reason I can't bend over anymore! All in all though, I feel pretty great. :)

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an English muffin
Snack - three pieces of cheddar cheese with crackers; assorted chips; organic red grapes
Lunch/Dinner - cavatelli and broccoli; penne vodka; baked ziti
Dessert - two chocolate chips cookies; piece of apple crumb cake

I felt like I was eating all day yesterday so I stepped on the scale this morning - no weight gain! Phew!

Breakfast - one organic egg with cheese on half an everything bagel; slice of Irish soda bread with butter
Snack - organic red grapes; small piece of pumpkin bread
Lunch - half a grilled veggie burrito (peppers, onions, zucchini, black beans and cheese); a few tortilla chips
Snack - fun size Skittles
Dinner - bowl of cereal with organic low fat milk
Dessert - Hershey's fun size chocolate bar and fun size Milk Duds

Last Hurrah

This weekend is our last big party before getting the house officially ready for the baby. I'm so excited to see our friends and family and to have a full house of sleepovers! I blame it on only child syndrome, but I really love sleepovers. I love preparing the rooms, making sure we have breakfast items, and leaving notes for our guests. It's like our home becomes a B&B. :)  After this weekend though, I'm really excited to get ready for our little boy. It is getting a bit more difficult to maneuver with this growing belly, so I'd like to get started on his room. It is my favorite guest room right now, so I'll be sad to see it go, but I have a feeling that the nursery will become my new favorite room soon enough.

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an everything bagel; OJ
Lunch - wonton chips; broccoli, carrots, celery, and green beans with brown rice; Vitamin Water
Snack - four pieces of cheddar cheese and four Triscuits; Kashi granola bar
Dinner - cheese pizza; fun size Nerds and Skittles

Pumpkin Massacre

Each year John and I host a party in October called Pumpkin Massacre. We gather our friends together, head over to a local farm stand, buy pumpkins, carve them, and then eat and drink ourselves silly for the rest of the night. The carving competition is getting fierce and I'm trying to find some good ideas for my pumpkin. Since I'll likely be one of the few sober ones wielding a knife, I feel good about my chances. :)

Breakfast - bowl of Life cereal with organic low fat milk

Snack - three pieces of cheddar with four Triscuits and two bagel chips
Lunch - natural peanut butter on an English muffin; pita chips and hummus; POP chips; Greek raspberry yogurt
Snack - handful of almonds
Dinner - Chipotle veggie burrito - Yummm!
Dessert - fun size Sweet Tarts and one mango melon Starburst

Presents!!

Maybe it's the only child in me, but I love getting presents! I'm 32 years old and the UPS driver is like Santa Claus in a brown suit instead of a red one. ;)  Today he brought us this:

Santa UPS man was even kind enough to move it into the foyer for me. I think he spotted the bump!

This is our Graco car seat and pack 'n' play in the very stylish Laguna Bay pattern. I love them! The PnP is too heavy for me to unpack so I'll have to wait for JA but I was so excited! Our family is too generous!

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an English muffin; baked hash browns with ketchup; OJ
Lunch - veggie burger (no bun); pita chips and hummus; POP chips; Greek peach yogurt
Snack - Kashi granola bar; Rice Krispie treat
Dinner - organic, low sodium vegetable soup; small baked potato
Dessert - bowl of Count Chocula cereal with low fat organic milk

Tired

For optimal functioning, my body has determined that I need ten hours of sleep a night. Seriously, this is how I feel my best. TEN HOURS! How often does this happen? Almost never. Eight is sufficient, but really ten is the magic number. So lately I've been staying up late trying to get things ready for our pumpkin party on Saturday. My ten hours has decreased to six or seven - unacceptable! Tonight I am vowing to be in bed by 10 PM at the latest. The magic housecleaning fairy will take care of the rest, right?

Breakfast - natural peanut butter on whole grain toast
Snack - pita chips and hummus
Lunch - slice of cheese pizza; mixed greens with Craisins and light balsamic dressing; POP chips; Greek blueberry yogurt
Snack - Kashi granola bar; handful of almonds
Dinner - organic mac and cheese; cheddar cheese and five triscuits
Dessert - apple turnover; cup of decaf tea with honey

Heartbeat!

Somehow hearing that sound never grows old. :)  I had my 24-week appointment today and all is progressing well with our little boy. I've gained 12 pounds total, which according to my reading (and my doctor) is right on track. My goal is still to keep my total gain under 30 pounds, which I should be able to easily do if I stay on my current path. Keeping this food journal each day is definitely helping, and even though I ate pizza for dinner tonight, I think I'm going to make this work!

At my appointment today we learned that I have quite a few tests coming up. I scheduled my one-hour glucose screening and HIV test (mandated in the state of NJ). I also have to call the hospital to schedule my RhoGam shot (which I think I get in my bottom - ouch!) JA and I also scheduled a 3-D/4-D ultrasound in mid-November. We'll get one more chance to see our son before he makes his grand entrance in February. I read that he'll be growing about half a pound each week from now on - isn't that crazy?! I guess that means I can only gain half a pound too, if my total gain each week should be around a pound. :)

Breakfast - bowl of Cinnamon Life cereal with organic low fat milk; apple juice
Lunch - veggie burger (no bun) with light honey mustard dressing; pita chips and hummus; POP chips; Greek raspberry yogurt
Snack - Kashi granola bar; Hershey's miniature dark chocolate
Dinner - one slice of cheese pizza; black bean soup

24 Weeks - V-Day!!

Happy V-Day Baby! 24 weeks is officially known as viability day. If our baby was born today he'd have a 50% chance of survival. Of course, we're going to keep him in there for at least another 16 weeks! :)

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Our little guy is getting bigger and bigger each day... and so is this belly! :)  I can still tie my own shoes and pick things up off the floor by my myself though, so I feel pretty good about that.

• How far along? 24 weeks
• Total weight gain: +12 pounds total
• Sleep: Still fantastic... I am so thankful!
• Movement: Every day now. :)
• Best moment this week: Telling my class about the baby
• Food cravings: I did enjoy a few desserts this week.
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Definitely pants, but regular tops are still fine.
• Belly Button in or out? In
• What I miss: We have a few parties coming up... I miss having a few drinks with friends.
• What I am looking forward to: Tomorrow's doctor's appointment - we should get to hear the heartbeat on the Doppler again.
• Weekly Wisdom: "You should name the baby Dude!" - from one of my students

Saturday
Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an English muffin
Lunch - black bean soup; handful of salt and vinegar chips; organic pear; handful of sour gummy candies
Snack - pita chips and chipotle hummus
Dinner - veggie burger (no bun); corn; mashed potatoes; broccolini; garden salad
Dessert - half an apple turnover with decaf tea

Sunday
Breakfast - scrambled eggs and cheese on a sandwich thin with ketchup; half an apple turnover; cup of decaf tea
Snack - a few sour gummy candies
Lunch - garden salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and croutons) with honey mustard dressing; sweet potato fries
Dinner - veggie burger (no bun); mashed potatoes; mixed greens with raspberry vinaigrette and candied walnuts; cup of decaf tea with honey

Friday Night Naps

Today I came home from school, took the dogs out, and promptly fell asleep on the couch. I slept through text messages, phone calls, and the ringing of the door bell. I seriously hope what they say is true about mothers being able to hear their babies because I can sleep through everything! Maybe he'll just inherit his mom's sleeping habits and I won't have to worry about it.

Breakfast - baked hash browns
Snack - one Hershey's kiss
Lunch - vegetable spring roll; mixed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, celery, and snap peas) in a spicy sauce with brown rice; two chocolate chip cookies (homemade by me!)
Snack - cheddar cheese and five Triscuits
Dinner - garden salad (lettuce, tomato, red onions) with honey mustard dressing; Star Tavern pizza (seriously, if you're ever in NJ and you like thin crust pizza, this is the place to go)

Mrs. A is going to have a baby!

I played "hangman" with my class today. The first phrase I gave them was "Mrs. A. has the best class." Note to any teachers out there... if your students guess A and S before they guess C and L, you will write a naughty word on the board. This may or may not have happened to me. ;)  After that phrase I wrote "Mrs. A. is going to have a baby." It took them a little longer to get it, but they did eventually. Their questions ranged from "Is it a boy or a girl?" to "What will you name him?" (My favorite suggestion was Dude.) They also had a ton of questions about when I was leaving and when I was coming back. I assured them that the person coming in would be wonderful and they wouldn't even miss me. I'm going to miss them terribly, but I'm sure I'll be quite busy at home.

I know it's politically incorrect to play this game. I don't really care. ;)

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on a multigrain bagel with ketchup
Snack - top of a bran muffin
Lunch - oraganic apple; cheddar cheese and Triscuits; handful of popcorn
Snack - rest of my bran muffin
Dinner - grilled cheese and half a sweet potato

Private Yoga Class

Aren't I fancy? ;)  Actually, I'm fortunate enough to have a neighborhood friend that is a certified yoga instructor. She is giving me and two other pregnant neighbors semi-private classes once a week. Yay! This means I don't have to drive forty minutes to class anymore. Baby A and I get all the benefits of yoga without the hassle of the drive.

Here's some other great news: John and I will be able to keep our free benefits through the summer. I will have to go back to school for fourteen days in June, but Baby A won't have to go to day care thanks to our amazing moms who have agreed to watch him while I go back to work for those days. THANK YOU!! This is a huge weight off our shoulders and a total testament to how great our families are. We are truly blessed!

Breakfast - bowl of Life cereal with low fat milk
Snack - cheddar cheese and four Triscuits
Lunch - pasta salad with artichoke hearts and tomatoes; mixed greens with Craisins and candied walnuts with light honey mustard dressing; organic pear; Hershey's minature dark chocolate
Snack - bowl of Cinnamon Toast crunch with low fat milk
Dinner - cheese ravioli with "meatballs"; slice of garlic bread

Spinning!

That's how my head feels after trying to figure out this maternity leave stuff. It's a good thing I like math. :)

I'm hoping to have this all worked out by the end of the week so I can submit my official letter to school. Maybe then my principal will let me tell my class. I'm seriously questioning their observation skills at this point. ;)

Breakfast - cheddar cheese and five multigrain crackers
Snack - one Hershey's kiss
Lunch - vegetable soup; Triscuits and hummus; Hershey's minature dark chocolate
Snack - grapes and almonds
Dinner - handful of salt and vinegar chips; veggie burger on a whole wheat pita; baked sweet potato fries
Dessert - frozen fruit juice bar

23 Weeks

Moving right along! Here's what's new with our little guy this week:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb.

Hear that M&M... the baby can hear you barking. I'm also impressed that he's being weighed in pounds now. I didn't gain any weight this week, but I'm glad our little guy did! :)

• How far along? 23 weeks, 1 day
• Total weight gain: +10 pounds total (no change from last week)
• Sleep: Excellent! I've started sleeping on my left side with a small pillow tucked between my knees and I wake up feeling great.
• Movement: Every day now. I even felt him from the outside. :)
• Best moment this week: See above - coolest thing ever!
• Food cravings: I seemed to really like cheese this week, though that's nothing really new to pregnancy.
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Definitely pants, but regular tops are still fine. I just ironed a bunch of clothes and I think I'll be in good shape for the rest of the pregnancy.
• Belly Button in or out? In
• What I miss: As the weather cools, I miss lattes and cappuccinos. Decaf ones are an option, but still not the greatest thing for baby. I will indulge every now and then.
• What I am looking forward to: We'll see JA's parents tomorrow night. They were in Italy for a few weeks so it will be nice to catch up.
• Weekly Wisdom: "Don't worry about the delivery. With my first child I had the baby in about two minutes with almost no pain." -Told to me by a friend's mom at a housewarming party yesterday... not sure I believe it, but it sounded nice!

Here's the belly at 23 weeks. It is obvious to strangers that I am pregnant, but not one of my third graders has said anything to me yet. Too funny!

Sunday
Breakfast - two scrambled eggs on half a whole wheat pita with organic ketchup; grapes and strawberries
Snack - fruit and veggie smoothie (mixed greens, carrots, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, OJ and blueberry pomegranate juice)
Lunch - cheese and veggies on a whole wheat wrap (broccoli, carrots, green beans, and cauliflower)
Snack - two pieces of crostini with grilled veggies and beans
Dinner - asparagus cous cous, roasted veggies and potatoes

Monday
Breakfast - cheddar cheese and five multigrain crackers
Snack - fruit and veggie smoothie (mixed greens, carrots, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, OJ and blueberry pomegranate juice)
Lunch - grilled veggies with rice (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and sprouts); pasta salad with artichoke hearts and Italian dressing; Triscuits and hummus; strawberries and grapes; Hershey's miniature Krackel
Snack - organic apple; Kashi granola bar
Dinner - two small dinner rolls; vegetable soup; pear and walnut salad
Dessert - apple crustada with vanilla ice cream

Baby Sleeps Here

In one week I will be six months pregnant. This fact hit me last night and I thought... I should probably order a crib soon. So when I woke up this morning to a beautiful fall day I knew it would be a good day for crib shopping. Although I had already picked one out, I wanted to double check the store once more for the color choices. And it's a good thing I did! It turns out the color I thought I liked (espresso) was actually more cherry that dark brown. Also, the crib was a bit more flimsy in real life than I expected. Luckily, the store had a good selection and I was able to find another crib by the same designer that I loved. Clean, simple lines, dark, chocolate color, solid feel, good reputation - we have a winner. May I present where Baby A will sleep (soundly, I hope!)...

As a reminder, we'll be pairing it with this dresser from Ikea.

The woman at the store gave me an estimated delivery date in mid-December, so I'm glad I went in today. Hard to believe by the time this comes in Baby A's arrival will be shortly forthcoming!

Friday
Breakfast - cheese and crackers; OJ
Snack - Terra chips
Lunch - egg white and cheese on whole wheat toast; home fries
Snack - five strawberries; Kashi granola bar
Dinner - vegetable sushi roll; garden salad with ginger dressing; vegetable fried rice with grilled vegetables (broccoli, carrots, zucchini, squash); small piece of ice cream cake

Saturday
Breakfast - bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch with low fat milk
Lunch - bowl of vegetable soup; small square of cheese pizza
Snack - cheese and crackers
Dinner - penne vodka; Caesar salad

Dessert - two brownie bites and a glass of low fat milk

"Are you in the family way?"

This was an actual question that one of the women asked me tonight. I almost started laughing until I realized she wasn't joking. I may have failed to mention that I am the youngest woman in my DKG group by about 20 years. I was told that I am the first member ever to be pregnant. Most of them are becoming grandmothers now. :)

I am so glad that this meeting is over, and I'm pleased to say it was a total success! There is a fair amount of food left over which Baby A and I will be happy to snack on throughout the weekend. :) JA and I are hosting one more she-bang in October and then I am committed to starting to work on the nursery. As I was preparing for this meeting/dinner party, I realized how much more tired I get doing the things I used to be able to do without a problem. Standing up and prepping food for a few hours used to be easy... but now I need to sit and rest every so often. Therefore, I'd rather start sooner on setting up our little guy's room.

Also, on a totally unrelated note, I have a bit of a crush on this boy. I'm catching up on Vampire Diaries right now and I think he's just dreamy...

IMDB tells me Paul is from NJ... we obviously make some cute boys here!

Breakfast - bowl of Total cereal with low fat milk
Lunch - my ghetto tapas ;) - four multigrain crackers with cheddar cheese; unsweetened apple sauce; pita chips and hummus; fruit snacks; popcorn; Hershey's miniature dark chocolate
Snack - organic pear
Dinner - veggie wrap; pasta salad with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and asparagus; mixed greens with Craisins and walnuts with raspberry viniagrette
Dessert - one brownie bite and a few bites of peach crisp

Procrastinating

So I got most of my to-do list done, but now I have to clean. Which is why, of course, I am blogging instead. I'll make it short and sweet since I really do have to get back to work but since I was taking a brownie break anyway, I figured I'd post.

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an English muffin; baked home fries
Lunch - organic broccoli and corn; "chicken" patty; pita chips and hummus; fruit snacks
Snack - Kashi granola bar
Dinner - Annie's organic cheese ravioli; four multigrain crackers and a slice of cheddar cheese
Dessert - small homemade brownie and glass of soy milk

Prepping for a Party

In two days I am hosting a meeting/dinner for my chapter of DKG. Today my to-do list included:

• cleaning out the front hall closet
• setting up the dining room table
• cleaning the kitchen
• make brownies for John

OK, so that last one wasn't an official item for the party, but he had a big interview today so I'm treating him. :)

Tomorrow's list includes the following. I might not update tomorrow because I also have prenatal yoga so we'll see what happens. The following must get done however:

• slice the cheeses and prep the fruit for the appetizer trays
• prepare the vegetable soup
• wash the veggies for the salad
• candy the walnuts for the salad
• make the brownie bites
• peel and slice the peaches for the peach crumb dessert

Here's the before and after of the closet. Don't tell anyone all of our coats are on a bed upstairs until after the meeting on Thursday.

Breakfast - two slices of toast with natural peanut butter; OJ
Snack - cup of french vanilla decaf coffee (my classroom was freezing!)
Lunch - two slices of American on a whole wheat pita; unsweetened apple sauce; organic celery with natural peanut butter; Hershey's miniature dark chocolate
Snack - pita chips and hummus; Kashi granola bar; Hershey's kiss
Dinner - two slices of cheese pizza
Dessert - small brownie and glass of soy milk

Hmmm... needed more veggie today. I'll have to fix that tomorrow.

22 Weeks

I'm a day late with this update, but our weekend was pretty busy. On Friday I met up with the girls for registering, Saturday was the first birthday party, and yesterday JA and I went into the city for an engagement party. What a debacle! We drove to Hoboken, parked a few blocks away, walked to the PATH, took the train to 33rd, got on the N, got off at the wrong stop, turned back around on the N, got off at the right stop, transferred to the 6, rode to 86th, and walked to the apartment. The good news is I can proudly report two incidences of "pregnant woman preferential treatment" on the subway. That was fun! I think I was a trooper trekking around the city at 5 1/2 months pregnant. :)

Here's what's new with our baby boy:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Sounds like everything is progressing nicely in there. Keep it up little guy!

• How far along? 22 weeks, 1 day
• Total weight gain: +10 pounds total
• Sleep: The past couple of nights have been so-so. I think it's the changing of the seasons...
• Movement: Every day now - and it's awesome!
• Best moment this week: Getting recognized as a "pregnant lady" on the subway. I believe the exact quote was, "Hey everyone, move in. There's a pregnant lady trying to get on the train!" The train was PACKED, but everyone moved in just a bit more so John and I could squeeze on.
• Food cravings: still loving salty things
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Pants are a must now, but I can still wear regular tops. I am wearing a pair of button down jammies right now that will probably only last another week or so. :)
• Belly Button in or out? In
• What I miss: It would have been nice to have a glass of wine at the party on Sunday.
• What I am looking forward to: I'm hosting my Delta Kappa Gamma meeting on Thursday and I can't wait!
• Weekly Wisdom: "Every ache and pain you may feel between now and delivery is totally worth it!" -from a mother of two I met at the party :)

I will update with a pic tomorrow.


Sunday
Breakfast - two scrambled organic eggs on half a whole wheat pita
Lunch - Five Guys: cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a sesame seed bun; fries; lemonade
Dinner - carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers with hummus
Dessert - small piece of cake with strawberries and cream

Monday
Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an English muffin; baked home fries
Lunch - "chicken" patty; organic broccoli, peas and corn; two pieces of zucchini fritte; Hershey's miniature dark chocolate
Snack - pita chips
Dinner - broccoli, carrots, peas and corn in an Asian orange sauce with jasmine rice
Snack - handful of bbq POP chips

Children's Birthday Parties

Our friends' son turned one recently and we celebrated at their home today. It was fun to catch up with people we hadn't seen in a while. However, I have to confess I'm not a huge fan of the first birthday party. As we gazed down at the dozen or so children lined up to smack a Mickey Mouse pinata I leaned over and asked John if we had to do this. He responded with an emphatic yes! Grumble... maybe I'll feel differently next February. I think I just feel out of place because we don't have a child (out of the womb, anyway) and I never know what to do at these things... besides eat of course, which I was trying really hard not to do much of after last night's dinner!

This scene makes me cringe almost as much as bride/groom cake smashing.

Breakfast - bowl of Total blueberry pomegranate cereal with skim milk
Snack - leftover gnocchi in a tomato vodka sauce
Lunch/Snack - assorted chips; roasted asparagus, zucchini, and artichokes; two pieces of rigatoni stuffed with cheese; three olives; handful of M&Ms; two bites of ice cream cake (Thanks JA!) - Can you tell we went to a party this afternoon? ;)
Dinner - leftover zucchini fritte (two pieces); garden salad with organic balsamic dressing

The Registry

Whoa Nelly, did I underestimate the stuff one little person needs! Katie, Kristi, Abby, and I spent over two hours going through aisle after aisle of gear at Babies R Us tonight. And we still didn't get through everything! To any new moms-to-be, my best advice is to take experienced women with you. They were AMAZING! I've been reading up on baby gear for months, but nothing beats the knowledge of women that have been through it recently. I can't thank them enough!! :)  The best part of the night was spent just talking and catching up at dinner afterward. As Kylie knows, sometimes you just need a girls' night out.

Who knew they let a little white boy named Elton join this fun club?

Breakfast - whole wheat everything bagel with light veggie cream cheese
Lunch - veggie spring roll; broccoli, carrots, and celery in a spicy sauce with brown rice; Vitamin Water; Hershey's miniature dark chocolate
Snack - reduced fat Cheeze-Its; Rice Krispie treat
Dinner - two slices of bread; three strips of crispy zucchini fritte; two pieces of bruschetta; Caesar salad; gnocchi in tomato vodka sauce; one lemon cookie (I was starving, and even though I had smaller portions of salad and pasta, I ate WAY too much tonight!)