Isn't he the cutest?!?!

JA and I had our follow-up 3-D ultrasound today and we had better luck this time around. Charlie was still pressed against my placenta, but with a little moving around, we did get a few images of his adorable face. Here's the one we have now, and we'll get a bunch more on Friday once the tech finishes the CD. What do you think? 'Cause I think he's perfect! :)

Breakfast - Total raisin bran with organic, low fat milk
Snack - organic celery with natural peanut butter
Lunch - garden salad (organic romaine, tomato, and cucumber with balsamic vinaigrette); vegetable lasagna; four bagel chips with cheddar cheese; piece of dark chocolate
Snack - Greek strawberry yogurt; whole wheat English muffin with natural peanut butter
Dinner - three veggie burrito bites; baked potato
Dessert - two organic pumpkin spice mini-muffins

Finally bit the bullet...

...and purchased the glider for the nursery. After considering a long list of possibilities, we ended up with this one (ordered from walmart). Here's hoping Charlie likes it!

I'm going to purchase a storage ottoman as well, but I'm going to wait until this comes in and it's set up in the space to get a better idea of what looks best. Slowly, but surely, it's coming together!



Re-commitment to health!

So I have a confession to make... I haven't been to yoga in over a month! It hasn't always been my fault because sometimes class was canceled, but there were definitely a couple of classes I missed on my own. Now that I'm just 10 weeks away from 2D-Day (Due Date Day!), I've decided to recommit to taking extra-good care of my body (and, most importantly, Charlie). This means limiting the number of "treats" I eat, fewer dinners out (too much sodium and processed foods), and making sure I am exercising at least three times per week. My food journals haven't been too awful lately, but they could definitely be better. And with lots of holiday gatherings coming up, this re-commitment will help me stay strong! So here are my organic salads and veggies packed and ready to go for the week:

In Charlie related news, today was the first day I could feel him moving even when I was super active at school. I usually don't notice him until I'm sitting quietly, but today I was in the middle of teaching and could feel him. Super cool! He must be getting stronger and stronger. :)

I also wanted to leave you with these photos of one of our guest rooms. Incredibly, this is not even half of what we got at the shower on Saturday. Oh boy!

It may not seem like it, but it's actually pretty organized. :)

Breakfast - Kashi Go Lean Crunch with organic, low fat milk

Snack - two mini corn muffins; Kashi granola bar

Lunch - vegetable lasagna; Greek blueberry yogurt; five bagel chips with cheddar cheese; two mini chocolate chip muffins

Snack - five bagel chips with hummus

Dinner - garden salad (organic romaine, organic grape tomatoes, organic cucumbers); soy "chicken" patty on whole wheat bread with light mayo

Dessert - piece of dark chocolate

30 Weeks and a Shower Recap

What an amazing weekend! John and I got to spend Thanksgiving with our parents, see some old friends from college, and experience our first baby shower. Charlie is one lucky little man... everyone was so incredibly generous and I am amazed at how much stuff he got! My plan right now is to put it all in one of the guest bedrooms until after the NJ shower. Then I can go through everything and decide where it should all go in the nursery. John was really cute... his only comment was, "I think I need to learn how to use all this stuff." You and me both, JA! Here are a few photos I snapped before guests arrived. We had someone taking pictures throughout so I'll post those once they come back.

Tables set and ready to go... each one was set with sets of china from my mom and aunts

Mmmm... still thinking about that cake!

Prizes for shower bingo (bottles of wine, lotion/body splash sets from Victoria's Secret, and hand soaps from B&BW)

My handsome guy helping set out the salads :)

Wendy and me (and Charlie!)

Charlie was very active this weekend and I think I got my first kick to the ribs on Friday night. Both JA and my mom got to feel him which was very cool. He's a moving machine, but isn't keeping me awake at night. Unfortunately I'm managing to do that all by myself. Being away from my bed and body pillow did not make for great sleep this weekend, so I'm hoping we'll be OK tonight. Here's what's new with Charles this week:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision – which means he can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Ironically, my uncorrected vision is 20/400 so I know exactly how he'll be able to see shortly after birth. I figure it's a good thing since I'm sure JA and I will be so sleep deprived that we don't want Charlie to see us looking so haggard! ;)

• How far along? 30 weeks
• Total weight gain: +17 pounds (this was how much my mom gained with me - with 10 weeks to go, I think I'll gain just a bit more) ;)
• Sleep: See above... but I'm confident we're going to get back on track tonight.
• Movement: All the time - plus John and my mom got to feel him too. He's moving right now, as a matter of fact!
• Best moment this week: Baby shower!!
• Food cravings: shower cake (I had two pieces, and I don't even like cake that much!)
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Absolutely for pants, and most regular tops don't work anymore. Time to break out the maternity shirts. Luckily, I found some in my closet I forgot I had and my friend Katie brought over a bunch of tops I can use too.
• Belly Button in or out? In, but it's getting more shallow
• What I miss: Sleeping through the night on my back
• What I am looking forward to: Our 3D ultrasound - take 2 - on Tuesday
• Nursery Progress: I gave the fabric to Wendy so she can pass it along to Mrs. M. I also sorted the shower gifts that fit in our car into piles in one of the guest bedrooms, but most of the stuff is at JA's parents' house and we'll get that on Friday.

Holy belly, Batman!  How much more can this grow in 10 weeks?!?!

Breakfast #1 - egg and cheese on a deli flat with ketchup; decaf mint tea
Breakfast #2 - egg and cheese McGriddle; hash brown; OJ
Snack - apple
Lunch - slice of cheese pizza
Dinner - vegetable lasagna
Dessert - two mini chocolate chip muffins and a glass of organic low fat milk

'Twas the morning before the shower...

Today is our first baby shower here in good ol' Massachusetts. I'm so excited to see our friends and family and to celebrate Charlie's arrival. I'll probably be a little overwhelmed like I was at the wedding shower, but maybe it won't be so bad since all of the fun things will be for our little guy. I think I'm most looking forward to the clothes... I've been pretty good about not buying too many things. In fact, there are less than ten outfits at home right now... which is pretty good for a first time mom. I picked up a few infant gowns, PJs with puppies all over them (I'm a sucker for puppies!), an outift with guitars on it, and a lion Halloween costume I found on clearance for $7. Not too bad, right?

Of course Charlie's closet will be equally neat and organized. :)

Friday
Breakfast - egg and cheese on a deli flat; decaf mint tea (no sugar!)
Snack - two bites of apple pie; Granny Smith apple
Lunch - garden salad with one-fourth of a pita; ziti with sauce; garlic bread
Snack - chocolate chip cookie
Dinner - Portuguese roll (half with butter, half with sauce); garden salad; broccoli; fries

Saturday
Breakfast - one whole wheat pancake; decaf mint tea
Snack - bowl of Kashi Go Lean Crisp; one hard-boiled egg white
Lunch - veggie crudite; salad with romaine, grape tomatoes, mandarin oranges, gorganzola, and walnuts; piece of vegetable lasagna; half a boiled potato
Snack - half a cup of decaf coffee with milk and one sugar; piece of cake
Dinner - three nachos with cheese; one mozzarella stick
Snack - piece of cake (so good!)

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! With Charlie on the way, JA and I are certainly thankful for so much this year. We enjoyed a delicious meal crafted by my dad, Chef Jeff; we also enjoyed the company of our parents for a lovely day! I'm pleasantly full, but not too stuffed.

No worries, turkey... I had a vegetarian Thanksgiving. :)

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an everything bagel; OJ
Snack - half a Portuguese bolos muffin with natural peanut butter
Lunch - garden salad with romaine, tomato, and croutons with Caesar dressing; mashed potatoes; corn; cranberry sauce
Snack - mixed fruit; cheese and crackers
Dinner - mashed potatoes; corn; cranberry sauce (gotta love leftovers!)

UPDATE: Monogram Image is done!

I really like it!

Nursery Art

I've decided on a few prints from etsy for Charlie's nursery. We're staying with the color scheme in the fabric, but I'm adding a splash of red, as inspired by the lobster I picked up in Florida. My plan is to frame them with a wide matte and hang them above the twin bed. Over Charlie's crib I'm going to install his monogram. It's currently being designed by another etsy seller (love them!) and I'll post a pic when I get it. Here are the prints:

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on a croissant

Snack - Vitamin Water

Lunch - garden salad with romaine, spinach, tomato, cucumber, shredded cheese, chickpeas, and carrots with honey mustard vinaigrette; Kashi granola bar

Snack - apple; Greek blueberry yogurt

Dinner - a few tortilla chips and salsa; mixed green salad; slice of cheese pizza (can't wait to see our friends for 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving!)



It's my lucky day!

Let me set the scene for you... this morning John left for work and I was all snuggly in bed. I got up and got ready, took the dogs out, and went to the key rack to grab my keys. Hmmm... where are they? Let me check the table. And there I see John's keys. Which of course means my keys are currently on their way with him into NYC. Grrr! I panic, then calm down and call my friend Nicole who lives in town. She usually gets to school about 10 minutes before me though, so I'm worried that she's going to be gone already. But lucky moment #1 - she had to go to the post office and is still in town! Yay - she picks me up and we're on our way. Then I realize I'm supposed to get my hair cut and colored after school just in time for the baby shower on Saturday. Luckily, Nicole is also babysitting her cousins in town after school and can drop me off at the salon. But, oh no! The salon calls and says that Lisa has pink eye and has to cancel. But wait! Lucky moment #2 - there's another girl who can take me fifteen minutes later. I'll take it! Nicole drops me off at the salon and lucky moment #3 - this girl is soooo good! I love the color and cut even more than my usual girl. Hooray! Now I just have to hang around town for an hour until John can come get me. But wait! Lucky moment #4 - my neighbor Barat is getting his hair cut behind me and finishes up just as I do. Barat can drive me home now! Phew.... what could have been a disastrous day turned out just great. I should go buy a lottery ticket!

Breakfast - natural peanut butter on whole wheat toast; OJ
Snack - two chocolate chip cookies
Lunch - mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette; broccoli, snap peas, and zucchini with basmati rice; apple
Snack - french onion Sun Chips; Kashi granola bar
Dinner - two slices of cheese pizza; side of kidney beans

Needles

I was feeling a little like a human pin cushion. On Saturday I had three vials of blood drawn for the glucose test. Today I had another vial drawn, plus I got a shot in my upper arm of RhoGam. I'm looking a little like a junkie with all these needle marks. But then I started thinking about the women who undergo fertility treatments and the drastic measures they have to undertake. My three needle sticks are nothing compared to what they have endured. So I'm keeping my mouth shut and thanking God that JA and I were able to conceive our son so easily. It always helps to put yourself in someone else's shoes whenever you think about complaining. :)

We had dinner tonight with a friend we haven't seen in a few months and it was great to catch up. As we were leaving the house I was all buttoned up in my coat and asked John if I looked pregnant. "Not really from that angle." Yeah, I still got it! Of course, as I step out of the car, Amanda takes one look at me and says, "I can tell it's been so long since I've seen you. Look at you!" as she gestures to my belly. Maybe not... ;)  She did later comment that I haven't gained anywhere else - just the belly. I'll definitely take that compliment. I always feared my butt would grow just as much, and while I admire the J.Los/Kim Kardashians of the world, it's just not for me.

Breakfast - egg and cheese on a whole grain English muffin; OJ
Snack - five crackers and cheddar cheese
Lunch - cavatelli and broccoli; mixed greens with fruit and raspberry vinaigrette
Snack - homemade brownie
Dinner - hummus with whole grain flat bread; basmati rice with orange and pistachio nuts

29 Weeks

The nursery is a total disaster right now but I have to show you the crib, dresser, and room darkening shades I installed this morning. Yay for progress! Also, here's how Charlie is progressing:

Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week he weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is getting bigger to accommodate his growing brain – which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.

• How far along? 29 weeks
• Total weight gain: +16 pounds
• Sleep: I bought a body pillow on Wednesday and that's been helping me sleep better. I usually wake once or twice through the night to turn over. My hips just get a little sore from sleeping on them.
• Movement: He's definitely getting stronger. I feel him move more and more each day. :)
• Best moment this week: Seeing our little guy at my 28 week appointment - even if my placenta was in the way.
• Food cravings: Pretty much just all food in general. :)
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Absolutely for pants, regular tops are OK sometimes; I feel a growth spurt coming on though.
• Belly Button in or out? In, but it's getting more shallow
• What I miss: Being able to get up out of a deep chair with having to use my arms. :)
• What I am looking forward to: Thanksgiving in MA and my first shower!
• Nursery Progress: The dresser and crib are assembled and the room darkening shades are installed.

Here's the belly... oh, boy is it growing!!

And here's Charlie's room... eek! The dresser is definitely darker than the crib, but it's not as bad as it looks in these photos. I think it's someone's way of helping me be less OCD.

The shades do a nice job of darkening the room. They'll be hidden behind the valance until we pull them down for naps.

Breakfast - bowl of Kashi Go Lean Crunch with soy milk
Lunch - half a veggie wrap (romaine, tomato, cucumber, banana peppers, cheese, and oil & vinegar); small fruit salad
Snack - Go Naked strawberry banana drink
Dinner - sweet potato tempura roll; mixed vegetables in a red curry sauce (broccoli, okra, green beans, asparagus, snap peas) over rice
Dessert - homemade brownie with a glass of organic milk

Busy Day at Work

Just kidding! We've had two clients come in today and I've been here for four hours. This is why I'm posting again... lucky you!

I just wanted to give a shout out to my talented friends who have/are creating adorable gifts for Charles. Kate made this adorable knit hat (love the pom poms) and Meghan is making this very cool fish mobile (perfect for his nautical nursery). Between these fun gifts and the custom bedding and window treatments, Charlie is going to have one fun and original room!

The Six-Day Work Week

Not really a fan of this. I told my mom that I was "too pregnant" to work six days a week. In reality, though, today isn't too bad. I work part-time once every couple of months at a bridal accessories boutique. I do actually like it, though I joked with mom this morning that I'll be tempted to say, "Who cares what earrings you wear on your wedding day? Let's talk about me - I'm having a BABY!" :)

Charles and I took the one-hour glucose test this morning. We were up bright and early at 6:30 for a 7:30 test. The experience wasn't bad at all. I had read all of these horror stories about people puking from the drink, passing out after the blood draw, etc... The drink tasted like a chilled, sugary, somewhat flat, orange soda. I actually really like orange soda, but never drink soda anymore so I viewed it as a little treat (weird, I know). After the drink, the lab set me up in "the glucose room" where I sat for an hour on a leather recliner and read Mockingjay (which I know I'm three months late on). When my hour was up I got to "cut the line" since it was a timed test and they drew three vials of blood. After getting my Garfield bandaid, I was outta there. Of course, I had a little snack of cheese and crackers waiting in the car, along with my trusty water bottle. I also stopped at Starbucks for a post-test treat. Here's hoping the results come back soon and I passed!

Officialy the best water bottles ever created. I have three, but often contemplate puchasing a few more to store away.

In other exciting news, today we get the crib and dresser assembled by my very talented father-in-law! I am quite excited to go home and see how everything looks. Here's a reminder of what we're getting:

Bonavita Metro in Chocolate

Ikea Hemnes 8-drawer dresser in black-brown

At this point, we still need to purchase the mattress, but I've done my research and know which one we want. Then Baby A will have a place to sleep, a place to have his diapers changed, and a place to store his adorable little outfits. Once I order the glider on Black Friday, we'll be good to go!

Oh, here are the curtain rods I got for the nursery (in espresso). My plan is to install these room-darkening shades on the windows, then white floor-length curtains (from Ikea), then the valance with the anchor fabric. Slightly ridiculous that our son will have three types of window treatments, but I'm sure that deep down he'll appreciate it. ;)

Pre-test breakfast - one hard-boiled egg white

Snack - four crackers with cheddar cheese

Breakfast - Starbucks spinach and egg white wrap; decaf peppermint mocha soy latte
Lunch - half a whole wheat wrap with romaine, tomato, cheese, pickles, banana peppers, and oil & vinegar; small side of organic mac and cheese; fruit (grapes, melon, pineapple, watermelon)

Dinner - baked ziti; dinner roll

Busy little bee!

Yesterday M&M went to the groomer, which is a six-hour process door-to-door. After school I rushed home to get them, feed them, take them to Bridgewater, and drop them off. Then I ate dinner, went to Babies R Us to update the registry, went to Michael's to buy a baby book, and went to BB&B to get curtain rods for the nursery. After getting their vitamins at Petsmart, I picked the girls up and we all headed home where I promptly fell into bed. FYI, my new body pillow is great! I slept much better last night - either because I was exhausted or because it's just that good. :)

Tonight I'm meeting up with friends and family to watch HP7!! So excited! I told JA last night that I already have the collection of books set aside in hardcover for Charles. I hope he enjoys them someday as much as I did.



Thursday
Breakfast - two eggs on a whole grain English muffin with hot sauce; OJ
Lunch - slice of cheese pizza; garden salad with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber with light Italian dressing; Sun Chips
Snack - fruit snacks
Dinner - veggie burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and pickles on a bun; fries

Friday
Breakfast - egg white and cheese on a croissant; baked hash browns; decaf iced latte
Lunch - tofu, green beans and carrots with brown rice in a spicy sauce; handful of wonton chips; all natural apple sauce
Snack - Sun Chips
Dinner - slice of cheese pizza; bowl of Count Chocula with light soy milk (I think this officially qualifies as a weird pregnancy thing)

Ikea!

Well, the 3D ultrasound didn't work out yesterday, but my trip to Ikea was a success! Here's what I picked up today for Charlie's room: the Hemnes dresser and drawer organizers, a bed skirt for the twin bed, white panels for the windows, baby hangers (so cute!), storage cubes for the closet, and accent pillows. Yay! The crib and dresser are getting assembled on Saturday and it will soon start to look like a room. :) I can't wait to post some photos... because this is what we've got right now:

Breakfast - baked hash browns; organic, light, chocolate soy milk
Snack - cheddar cheese and crackers
Lunch - natural PB&J; spinach and artichoke dip on crackers; natural apple sauce
Snack - Kashi granola bar; fruit snacks
Dinner - two slices of cheese pizza; garden salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and red onion with light Italian dressing)

3D Ultrasound - FAIL!

Well, Charlie did his best to cooperate and was in a good position today, but my placenta was in the way. :(  We'll try again in two weeks at my next appointment to see if we can get better shots of his face. We did get to see his spine, heart, ribs, head, arms, and legs, so that was good. He's weighing in at 2 pounds, 15 ounces. Way to go buddy! I did gain my recommended four pounds this past month, which the nurse was happy about - though seeing those numbers go up on the scale each month is kind of scary!

We also met the new doctor at my OB's office. Not. a. fan.  First off, she was super late. I didn't care for her bedside manner at all. And at the end of the appointment she mentioned something like, "I assume you're fine with an epidural, right?" I responded with, "Actually, I'd prefer not to have any medication because of the potential side effects." "Like what?" she asks in a somewhat snotty/defensive tone. Oh no.... I'm not having this woman deliver my baby. We'll just assume that Dr. G. will be available and he will deliver Charles Henry. I told my mom I'd rather a doctor I hadn't met yet deliver him rather than this woman. Grrr! ;)

Breakfast - two eggs on a whole grain English muffin with ketchup
Lunch - pasta with tomato sauce and cheese; spinach and artichoke dip wih pita chips; natural apple sauce
Snack - Kashi granola bar
Dinner - edamame; two vegetable spring rolls; vegetable tempura roll (broccoli, avocado, and asparagus)
Dessert - two homemade snickerdoodles; glass of light vanilla soy milk

Financial Planning, Take 2

About six months ago, JA and I met with our financial planner to discuss our investments, retirement, and planning for the baby. We were very newly pregnant then, and my primary concern was making sure that we had enough money for me to stay home with Charlie until school started again in September. Well, we've definitely worked that all out, and thanks to JA's new promotion (way to go!) and our amazing moms, we are in good shape. I still feel like we spend more than we should on certain things, but I'm hoping that we'll continue our savings goals and be in a comfortable position come February.

On another fun note, JA and I found out that two of his coworkers are also expecting!! Charlie gets two more friends with which to grow up and play - yay! The couples live in neighboring towns so in addition to my two neighbors currently expecting, Charlie has four friends within a few months of his age. Fantastic!

Breakfast - baked hash browns; organic, light, chocolate soy milk
Snack - chipotle cheddar snack mix
Lunch - natural PB&J on whole grain bread; banana; natural apple sauce; fruit snacks
Snack - chipotle cheddar snack mix (thank goodness I'm not getting heartburn!)
Dinner - Gardenburger on a whole grain bun with lettuce, tomato, guacamole, and pickles; handful of fries and two onion rings
Dessert - glass of vanilla soy milk

28 Weeks - Third trimester!!

I remember when I was 12 weeks pregnant and thinking it was such a milestone. Now I only have 12 weeks left! What?!?!?! ;)  Charlie is growing and moving like a champ. Here's what's new this week:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

I wasn't sure what Chinese cabbage looks like, but here's what Google images has to say...

I'm willing to bet that Charlie is a little bit cuter. :)

• How far along? 28 weeks
• Total weight gain: + 15 pounds
• Sleep: Still making it through the night, but I do think I'm switching sides a couple of times. I barely wake up if I do, and we've been at my parents' house since Thursday, so it's hard to judge since it wasn't my own bed.
• Movement: Every day throughout the day. Some of his movements are so big now I feel like I'm on a roller coaster!
• Best moment this week: Spending time with Mom and Dad
• Food cravings: None that I can really think of right now...
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Absolutely for pants, regular tops are still OK, and if I never had wear a bra again I would be happy. :)
• Belly Button in or out? In, but it's getting more shallow
• What I miss: Being in control of my emotions... the hormone craziness of the third trimester is not fun! I had a mini-breakdown when some maniac almost ran us off the road on Saturday and we got a flat tire. I'm also experiencing pregnancy brain a bit more. Today I left to go grocery shopping without my purse so I had to turn around and drive back home. I'm pretty sure my good looks were not going to cut it.
• What I am looking forward to: At our 28 week appointment on Tuesday we're also doing a 3D ultrasound. Sooo excited to see our little guy's face!
• Nursery Progress: I cleaned out the closet and washed the walls and floor. My goal this week is to get to Ikea and purchase the dresser.

Friday
Breakfast - natural peanut butter on a wheat deli flat; half a granola bar; orange
Snack - handful of Special K crackers
Lunch - salad pocket (pita filled with lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, pickles, banana peppers, cheese, oil and vinegar); Baked Lays; Vitamin Water
Snack - handful of Swedish Fish
Dinner - piece of spanikopita; brown rice, mixed veggies (broccoli, carrots, snap peas); lettuce with balsamic vinaigrette
Dessert - brownie; handful of trail mix (mixed nuts, raisins, M&Ms); Vitamin Water

Saturday
Breakfast - egg and cheese on a deli flat with ketchup; hash browns
Snack - apple turnover; decaf tea with one sugar
Lunch - handful of trail mix (mixed nuts, raisins, M&Ms); apple
Dinner - three slices of Papa Gino's cheese pizza (delicious MA treat!)

Sunday
Breakfast #1 - egg and cheese on a deli flat with ketchup; decaf tea with one sugar
Breakfast #2 - half a chocolate chip pancake; mixed fruit (pineapple, melon, canteloupe, red grapes)
Lunch - veggie wrap (Romaine, tomato, cheddar, and croutons with honey mustard); handful of snack mix (pretzels, rye chips, nuts); Vitamin Water
Dinner - "meatballs" in an all natural sauce; two pieces of garlic toast; mixed veggies (broccoli, zucchini, and peas)

Heading Home

JA, the pups, Charlie and I are heading up to MA this weekend. My mom and I get to spend the whole day together tomorrow. So excited! On another fun note, the fabric I ordered for the nursery arrived today. I love it, and can't wait to see what Mrs. M. creates. :)

Breakfast - egg white and cheese on a croissant
Snack - half a bagel with veggie cream cheese
Lunch - "meatball" and cheese on half a whole wheat pita; apple; Kashi granola bar
Snack - fruit snacks
Dinner - handful of tortilla chips with salsa; organic mac and cheese
Dessert - bowl of Count Chocula with organic, low fat milk

The Curse of the Short Torso

Lately I've been feeling like Charlie is living in my rib cage instead of my uterus. Holy cow! JA will attest to the fact that I hate wearing bras because they are so uncomfortable! Tonight I finally gave up and bought two bras in the maternity section of Macy's. Goodbye cute little Victoria's Secret bras... hello comfort! I can't wait to be able to breathe in the afternoon again. :)

In other news, I'm going to start those prenatal aqua aerobics classes at the end of November. It should be interesting to see a bunch of rotund ladies bopping around in the pool. I'm sure it will be quite the experience. My neighborhood yoga class is fun, but it's not exactly consistent. It's been canceled a few times because of illness or child care issues with the other women. At least the aerobics class will be sure to meet each week and Baby and I will get our exercise. If all else fails, I'm just going start this woman's workout.



Breakfast - small slice of crumb cake; half a plain bagel with veggie cream cheese; handful of red grapes; strawberry banana juice
Snack - small slice of crumb cake (it was good!)
Lunch - half a burrito with rice, black beans, and cheese with salsa; fruit snacks
Snack - bowl of Count Chocula with organic low fat milk
Dinner - two slices of cheese pizza with "meatballs"
Dessert - glass of organic, low fat, chocolate soy milk

Holiday Craziness!

Today on the way home I started thinking about how crazy our schedules get around this time of year. Between getting together with friends and family, work functions, and shopping it seems like there's always something to do. Every weekend between now and Christmas is booked (sometimes on Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday). In addition to that, we have mid-week dinners, birthing classes, and have to find time to pick up the crib and other nursery furniture. I booked a few more get-togethers this afternoon and then thought - let's keep January free from obligations! While I love seeing our friends and family, I think I'm getting into that infamous pregnancy "nesting" mode where I want to stay in and get ready for Charlie. I'm continuing to feel great, but don't want to jeopardize that by running around too much during the holiday season. I am noticing when my body gets tired and my primary concern has to be as a Mommy... our little guy deserves it!

Breakfast - baked hash browns; organic, light, chocolate soy milk
Snack - Kashi granola bar; organic, light lemonade
Lunch - half a veggie wrap; half a baked potato; fruit snacks
Snack - three water crackers with hummus; organic apple
Dinner - mixed veggies (broccoli, zucchini, and peas); half a burrito with black beans, rice, and cheese

Stroller Love!

So you already know about this little gem I bought over the summer. But now I have NEW stroller love. Actually, it's my original stroller love, mentioned here. May I present, the Baby Jogger City Elite... I have but one word - sa-woon!

More details to follow... right now I just walk past it and smile!

27 Weeks!

One more week until the third trimester - dun, dun, duuunnnnnn! ;)

Here's what's new with our little guy this week:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Haven't felt those hiccups yet, but I'm curious to see what they feel like.

• How far along? 27 weeks, 1 day
• Total weight gain: +14 pounds
• Sleep: I'm still making it through the night most nights; occasionally I'll visit the bathroom if I've had something to drink too late.
• Movement: Big milestone this past week - I saw the baby move from the outside! I thought it might be weird, but it was really cool instead.
• Best moment this week: Relaxing and swimming in Florida
• Food cravings: French Fries!! (I'm off the fries for at least a week after my trip to Florida - I think I ate them three times!)
• Gender: It's a boy!
• Maternity Clothes: Still pants only, though in the pic below I think I'm testing the limits of my little pink tank top!
• Belly Button in or out? In, but it's getting more shallow
• What I miss: Brie cheese
• What I am looking forward to: Seeing my family this weekend!!
• Nursery Progress: I spackled and sanded any rough spots and used a Magic Eraser on any wall marks. My goal this week is to wash the walls and floor, and to clean out the closet.

And here is what Charlie looks like from the outside. Quite a difference from June. :)

Sunday
Breakfast - two organic eggs with cheese on whole grain toast with ketchup; OJ; decaf tea with one sugar
Snack - Greek strawberry yogurt
Lunch - cheddar cheese; apple slices with caramel dip; fries
Snack - fruit snacks
Dinner - natural peanut butter on whole grain bread

Monday
Breakfast - whole wheat everything bagel with light veggie cream cheese; Vitamin Water
Lunch - slice of cheese pizza; Kashi granola bar; four water crackers with hummus; organic apple
Snack - fun size Skittles; fruit snacks
Dinner - two mac 'n' cheese bites; half a grilled veggie wrap (broccoli, carrots, peppers, green beans, zucchini); half a baked potato

Lazy Saturday

Sue and I did the Polar Bear Plunge into the pool today. It's heated, so I'm totally exaggerating, but it was chilly when we got out. We had a totally fun day relaxing today. At the moment we are watching Eclipse and wondering how the books we loved became such ridiculously awesome awful movies. Oh well...

Oh, I wanted to show you the lobster I bought for Charlie. That's right, we have a name!!!!!! Charles Henry will be making his debut in February 2011. I've been testing it out for a week or so now and I'm really liking it. John and I talked about keeping it a secret so we wouldn't have to listen to everyone's opinions, but ultimately decided to share our choice.

As my mom said, this is a great way to welcome Charlie to New England. :)

Breakfast - Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal with organic light vanilla soy milk; OJ
Lunch - Romaine, Craisins, pecans and pears with raspberry vinaigrette; penne vodka
Snack/Dinner - Triscuits, Wheat Thins and Tostitos with hummus, spinach and artichoke dip, and homemade guacamole
Dessert - homemade brownie with organic light vanilla soy milk

Vacation

Today was a great example of a perfect vacation day! We woke up, ate breakfast, went for a walk, went to lunch, did a little shopping, laid by the pool, watched a movie, and went to dinner. Our plan for the rest of the evening is to watch another movie and maybe play some cards. The only thing missing is JA... Vacation is not complete without him. I am enjoying this girls' weekend but miss my guy.

I did buy a fun stuffed lobster for our little guy's nursery today. So cute! I also received a call from Crib World that the crib is in... Earlier than expected, but I'm excited! The nursery isn't ready for furniture yet but it will be soon. The store will hold the crib for as long as we need until we can get it. My father-in-law has graciously offered to use his truck to pick it up and help us assemble it. We'll have the dresser as well to put together. I'm not sure about the glider, but I feel like we'll be assembly experts in no time. :)

Breakfast - two organic eggs scrambled with cheese on whole grain toast with ketchup; OJ
Snack - Greek pomegranate yogurt
Lunch - burrito salad (lettuce, black beans, salsa and cheese); handful of fries
Snack - organic apple; natural peanut butter on whole grain toast
Dinner - mozzarella, tomato, and pesto on a grilled pita; fries

It's raining :(

Well, we arrived safely in Florida, but the weather is not cooperating for my "lay by the pool plan" - but that's ok!! We are just happy to relax and chill out. Baby A seems to be enjoying himself so far and he did very well on the plane. It was a bumpy ride, but he was a trooper and we even managed to comfort Aunt Dana who was not enjoying the ride at all! I wore those oh-so-sexy compression socks and drank a liter of water on the plane so I could avoid any swelling. It seems to have done the trick... Thanks Mrs. Z. for the socks!

The plan for the rest of the day includes watching movies, making dinner, and watching Vampire Diaries! Vacations are not complete without Stefan and Damon.

Wednesday
Breakfast - baked hash browns with ketchup; decaf caramel latte
Snack - Kashi granola bar
Lunch - egg white and cheese on an English muffin; fruit snacks; organic apple
Snack - fruit snacks; Kashi granola bar
Dinner - Amy's organic veggie burrito; pasta with tomato sauce; two slices of Portuguese bread with Smart Balance

Thursday
Breakfast - everything bagel with cream cheese; Odwalla strawberry banana smoothies
Lunch - garden salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, and pepper with honey mustard dressing; nachos with cheese
Snack - Wheat Thins with spinach dip; piece of organic dark chocolate
Dinner - penne vodka; Romaine with Craisins, candied pecans, pears, and raspberry vinaigrette
Dessert - Hershey's nugget and fun size Butterfinger

Packing!

I'm leaving for a girls' long-weekend to Florida on Thursday and I'm soooo excited! It will be nice to get away after this week of parent conferences. Everything is going very well, but I'm ready for a break. I'm trying to figure out what clothes to pack that A - are appropriate for Florida weather, and B - fit. Should be interesting... :)

Breakfast - bowl of Life cereal with organic low fat milk; toast with all natural peanut butter; half cranberry juice/half water
Snack - Kashi granola bar
Lunch - ziti with two "meatballs"; five water crackers with hummus; organic, low sugar pink lemonade
Snack - fruit snacks
Dinner - mashed potatoes; vegetarian stuffing
Dessert - Count Chocula with low fat organic milk

I promise to eat my veggies tomorrow... just wasn't feeling it today. :(

Conference Marathon

I'm still at school!! It's our late-night conference day with parents, so I'll be here until 9:00 PM. Just thought I'd update the food journal... pay no attention to the Halloween candy still being eaten. ;)

Breakfast - baked hash browns; decaf caramel latte with skim milk
Lunch - egg white and cheese on an English muffin; broccoli, peas, and zucchini; five water crackers and hummus; fruit snacks
Snack - organic apple; half an apple muffin
Dinner - veggie sandwich from Quiznos (cheese, onions, peppers, tomotoes, lettuce, and guacamole) on a wheat bun with red wine dressing; Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips; raspberry lemonade
Dessert - fun size Kit Kat; fun size Hershey's bar