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Friday, May 31, 2013

How working out has changed during pregnancy

Before I got pregnant, I worked out pretty hard and even taught Zumba for a couple of months. I am pretty sure I was in the best shape I'd ever been in pre-pregnancy and assumed I'd be able to keep up with workouts, modifying only slightly for pregnancy. And boy was I wrong! For previous posts about my workout regime/routines, see here

The first few weeks after finding out I was pregnant, I worked out normally, just removing abs from my regime. And then I got sick. Really sick. And tired. Once I started treating my chronic sickness with Zofran, I was able to jump back into a regular (ish) routine. 4 workouts a week- cardio, back/triceps, shoulders/biceps, and legs. I started embracing taking days off and letting my body rest when it told me to. I continued to take cardio kickboxing classes until about week 20 where jumping around started to become uncomfortable. Baby has been head down pretty much the whole pregnancy and his head pushes on my bladder making it feel like I need to pee 24/7!

The hardest part of going to the gym is putting on my shoes and socks haha! 29 weeks & 5 days pregnant

According to Baby Center, here are some great benefits to working out during pregnancy...

1. Boost energy- totally true! It gives me the energy motivation I need to get through the rest of my work day
2. Sleep better
3. Reduce pregnancy discomfort- some workout moves seem to increase my discomfort but for the most part stretching and walking really loosen me up
4. Prepare for childbirth- I hear it makes it a little bit easier... we'll see!
5. Reduce stress and lift your spirits- I am a firm believer in exercise releasing endorphins and there are very few times I feel bad after a workout. I always listen to music or a radio show during my workouts so I am entertained. 
6. Improve your self image- as I continue to gain weight, I know that working out will help keep my arms and legs toned
7. Get your body back faster after childbirth- working out won't be a top priority for me when baby comes but I do plan on getting back in shape once my body has healed. I hope this one is true!

I am finishing up my 31st week of pregnancy and continue to exercise and hope to until the baby is born. I may go to the gym 4 times one week and 1 time the next week and that is perfectly fine with me. Jon is very encouraging and constantly tells me how great I look which is exactly what pregnant women need to hear! We are committed to living a healthy lifestyle and plan on raising our son the same, so there is no better time to start then now. It's weird to think back and know how quick and agile my body was, I never thought I could be slowed down but pregnancy is worth it 100%!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Getting away

Last weekend, Jon and I made an hour and a half drive to San Antonio for a little getaway. Jon gifted me this weekend for Mother's Day and knowing that in 4 weeks, we need to stay within an hour of our doctor, this was the perfect time. We stayed at the Westin on the Riverwalk and even though we'd both been to the Riverwalk before, we'd never been together. San Antonio has a lot to offer beyond the Riverwalk...Sea World, Six Flags, the Alamo, etc. but honestly I was just looking forward to being away from home, relaxing in a hotel.Sometimes I find it hard to relax at home when I have projects and chores calling my name.


Halfway between Austin and SA there is a massive outlet mall so we hit a few stores and got on our way. We spent the afternoon at the Mexican market (El Mercado/Market square) and had a delicious lunch at Mi Tierra. If you are in SA, it is a must visit restaurant! It was worth the 1 hour wait at 2 in the afternoon. Jon came on a mission to buy a chess set for his office and bought a beautiful onyx set that fits perfectly with the colors of his office. He's taught me a few times but I pretty much stink at chess (I will blame it on my impatience... Jon is such an engineer in every aspect of life, including games and strategic decision making)

Happy boy at home with his chess set!
(I should mention we now own 2 chess sets haha)

Now I've told you we are game nerds and had no shame walking into our fancy hotel with our huge marble board. We play at least 1 game a day so we couldn't miss a day just because we were away from home! The funny thing is the game is 4 player but we make it work. My grandpa actually hand made this board for us when we got engaged so it is really special for us. A normal marble game for us includes a Louis Armstrong or Cas Haley concert on the iPad (helps calm us when we get too competitive haha).


My big ole pregnant belly was a trooper walking around the Riverwalk but we had a fun time taking breaks to "people watch"... one of our favorite past times. We had an incredible dinner at Paesano's which we highly recommend and decided to forgo the piano bar by our hotel in favor of hot showers and an awesome foot massage for my tootsies. 

(first time I thought my belly looked HUGE was in this picture)

It's funny when your wife is a blogger, you are constantly coming up with ideas or bits for the blog. Sunday night was definitely good blogging material thanks to my husband. A few weeks ago we watched a Dateline special with Chris Hanson where he went to meet internet scammers, phony mechanics, and Craigslist weirdos and Jon was hooked. I was telling him about To Catch a Predator and he'd never seen it. Lo and behold, 10pm rolls around and old To Catch A Predator episodes were on HLN. I wish I could have filmed Jon watching them, he was hilarious. He couldn't believe these guys were real and was looking them up on LinkedIn lol. We kept saying this will be great material to talk about on the blog... our romantic weekend getaway and watching To Catch a Predator! 

We slept in and had a yummy breakfast at Schilo's by our hotel before heading back to Austin. We spent some time downtown, browsing, shopping, and having a late lunch before picking up our little piglet and heading home for some more R&R. Tonight we are heading to Dallas one last time before the baby comes for some time with our sister, brother in law, and precious Embry. We've been on the go but we gotta pack it all in before we set up camp here in Austin. Time is flying people!! I am savoring these sweet times with my husband and so thankful for weekends like these.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

30 weeks

(my belly always looks so red in pictures! And I am now sporting two unequal "la linea negras"... awesome!)

Thoughts: 30 weeks! I feel like I have been telling Jon I can't wait to get to 30 weeks because it feels so much safer. Not that I want to have him now but each week he stays in, the more he grows! We took a picture this weekend and it was the first time I felt like my belly looked really big and I have a feeling those thoughts will only increase the next 10 weeks. Last week a dear friend gave birth at 35 weeks to a perfect baby girl so it is hard to believe we could meet our boy so soon (or he could be stubborn and stay in for 42 weeks). I am slowing down a LOT and trying to pace myself because man even going grocery shopping is exhausting. Jon has really stepped up and is really helpful and makes sure I am always comfortable. He doesn't mind at all that I require daily naps now ;)

Baby: baby is big!! Our What To Expect App says he is 17-18 inches which is nuts because he won't get much longer before he is born! He was almost 3lbs 2 weeks ago so I am guessing he's about 3.5 or so? We will find out next week at our 31 week appointment. Even though there isn't anything to smell in the womb, his little nose works and he can perceive information from all 5 senses. 

Symptoms: 15 days Zofran free! Hallelujah. You may be wondering why I keep mentioning it each week but it is a huge step for me since I have been so sick since week 7. Tailbone pain/lower back pain are pretty regular these days. Shortness of breath and heart flutters are also here to stay. We did lots of walking last weekend and I am incredibly slow! I've noticed a major decrease in bloody noses this week which is awesome considering I've had 1-2 a day for 3 months. Hmm what else... I am still feeling a sharp pain on the left side of my pubic bone every so often. Not fun. 

Movement: all the time and to be honest, it is starting to get painful at times! I will be completely at rest and bam, a foot in my ribs. For the most part I love feeling his kicks but he is getting so big and moving into my rib cage which isn't fun. I now know his sleep patterns but it's crazy because I will still feel him roll around when he is sleeping. He seems to enjoy attempting to push his booty straight through my belly button. I will kindly pat his butt and he immediately moves it haha. 

Cravings/aversions/eating: well...2 weeks with cutting refined sugars and I miss it like crazy! I am not on a sugar free diet but just restricting any foods with a crazy amount of sugar which sucks because you know how big of a sweet tooth I have. We got froyo last night and I got sugar free chocolate but honestly it sucked because I didn't get any toppings (my normal toppings would have been Reeses or brownies). I am eating TONS of fruit, basically finishing a whole watermelon by myself in a matter of days, also loving peaches, grapes, blackberries, and strawberries. 

Workouts: I am considering going to the Silver Sneakers class at my gym because I swear some of those senior citizens move faster than me! I have been trying to go to the gym at lunch a few times a week for 30 or so minutes to do light weights or walk the track. I feel like being pregnant is a workout in itself though :). Just trying to stay healthy for baby!

Sleep: sleep has been fantastic this week! We stayed at a hotel last weekend (more on that tomorrow) and I swear I slept the best I had in months. I have to sleep with a small pillow between my knees and have started putting either a pillow or blankets under my belly for support. I can literally fall asleep at the drop of a hat and naps have been very popular!

Clothes: 100% maternity pants and shirts but excited that I can still wear a lot of non maternity dresses... although some of them are super short in the front because of the belly! I keep asking Jon if certain dresses are appropriate and I don't know if he is just being nice but we ran errands last weekend and I was wearing a dress and I am pretty sure my butt was hanging out. Whoops. I went to Forever 21 yesterday for some maxi skirts and for a second forgot I was pregnant when I was attempting to try on non elastic ones. Yeah that did NOT work. I found a pair of my favorite Old Navy skinnies in my pre pregnancy size for $8 but I was too chicken to wear them, not knowing what size I will be in the future... 

Random: We took our hospital tour last weekend and it was so exciting! I was giddy at the thought of coming to the hospital without our baby and knowing we'd leave with him. The women's center at our hospital is brand new and really nice (although I'm sure I won't care a bit when I'm in labor). I am glad we know kind of how things will work when we have the baby, I feel a lot more prepared! 

I had a surprise baby shower at work last week and I am still in shock! I figured my co workers would do something for me before baby came but I was so surprised!!! And they got us SO MUCH y'all! One of the greatest blessings during this pregnancy has been to see how many people love our family and our little boy.


Noticing some of my maternity shirts are getting kinda tight! 29 weeks

Last Wednesday (5/22) marks 4 years since Jon and I met and I managed to squeeze into the same dress I was wearing when we met. Fits a lot different these days! 29w2d


We will bring our our boy home in the same outfit my parents brought me home in in 1988 and I finally dug it out of my baby box and hung in his room. 

ADORABLE mustache boat shoes from Carolyn (who is also expecting a baby boy!)


Friday, May 24, 2013

Nursery is coming along

Good morning and happy Friday friends. I know I said from the beginning I'd share the nursery progress with you and I am excited to announce that we are really close to being done! We've been putting off hanging a few items but hope we can get that done soon. Below are just a few Instagram pictures I posted last week. 

My favorite part of his room is the gallery wall over the white dresser/changing table. I've loved collecting things and crafting and am still on the hunt for a few more items!
Whale- TJ Maxx

I made the curtains myself (fabric here) and hope to bring you a tutorial on the chicken wire frames soon. There are actually 2 of them hanging on the wall but I need some stuff to clip on them.

Pinterest inspired rain gutter shelves ready to be filled with books! The baby room has a Jack and Jill bathroom with another room so there is the perfect corner leading into the bathroom for a reading nook. Thanks to Mimi for the books! (many of them are mine from growing up)


The picture in the frame is Jon and his parents when he is only a few months old. It is a really special picture because his parents got divorced before he was 1 year old and this is the only picture we have of the 3 of them together (Jon's dad passed away 4 years ago so we love having his picture up). 
Lamp- HomeGoods
Whale- TJ Maxx
Frame- Target



I ordered this rug from Target and it should be delivered today. Not sure if it will be the right size or color but I wanted to add some more yellow to the room and since it's a large room, the middle of it looked really empty. I highly recommend getting the Target credit card because you get 5% all purchases and free shipping online! There are so many products they offer online that aren't sold in stores. 

Next week I am picking up a pouf/ottoman handmade by Caroline (she made us 2 for our family room and we love them!) and the rest of his bedding and pillows should be done soon. My baby shower is in 2 weeks and I can hardly wait! I am still in utter surprise and shock that my office threw me a surprise baby shower yesterday afternoon. And I am never surprised! Baby Hart cleaned up, I am so humbled by how many people love our son already. One of the gifts I got was our infant carseat so we can officially bring him home. They also gave us our video monitor, pack and play, and TONS of other gifts!! I can't wait to start setting things up!

This weekend Jon and I have our hospital tour, finishing some stuff up in the baby room (we want to make something with reclaimed wood for over the crib similar to our headboard), and then we are heading to San Antonio for a getaway.

Hope you have an awesome and restful holiday weekend!



Thursday, May 23, 2013

Breakfast Enchiladas

Jon and I are huge fans of Mexican food and have a standing tradition of making big, yummy breakfasts on the weekend since we are kind of rushed with work during the week. I came across this recipe for breakfast enchiladas and now Jon wants me to make it every week! They are DELICIOUS! You can even prep the enchiladas the night before so in the morning all you have to do is pop them in the oven. These will definitely be a weekend staple on our menu.

Ingredients
8 tortillas (I used corn but flour would be just as delicious)
9 large eggs
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp milk
2 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp canned green chilies
3 green onions, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1- 1.5 cup shredded Monterrey Jack or Colby Jack Cheese
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 avocado, sliced

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, taco seasoning, green chilies, onions, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Melt the butter into a large skillet pan and cook the egg mixture. When eggs are almost done, add 1/2 cup cheese and stir to melt
3. Fill tortillas with egg mixture, roll up, and place fold down in a greased baking dish.
4. Once tortillas are filled, top with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese (I did not use the entire can of enchilada sauce... your choice).
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
6. Top with tomatoes and avocado (and any other toppings of your choice) and enjoy!



Tuesday, May 21, 2013

29 weeks


Thoughts: last night we spent some time praying for our friends who were induced yesterday and waiting on their baby girl and got very emotional knowing that in just a few weeks, we'd be praying through our son's birth. For some reason I am so anxious to hit 30 weeks, not that I want him to come, but each week he stays inside of me, I feel so much more confident. Jon said I was glowing this week and that gets me so excited to meet my little boy. 

Baby: baby should be about 3lbs and 17 inches now... that is big! His bones are hardening and soaking up a lot of my calcium. Hopefully he'll take after his daddy and love milk!

Symptoms: 8 days Zofran free!! Yay! Friday night I started experiencing pretty bad pain on the left side of my pubic bone area. Of course we did research and it says don't sit down too long, don't stand up too long, don't carry things over 5lbs, etc, etc, etc. The pain comes and goes but it is really intense at times. Heart flutters/palpitations and still having a hard time catching my breath at times (I realized I can no longer sing worship at church because my heartrate would speed up and I'd feel exhausted lol!). TMI but I do want to remember this for my future pregnancies, I started leaking a little colostrum...lovely. 

Movement: yes, all the time. Some mornings he wakes me up with kicks and jabs and sometimes he sleeps in. One thing I know I will miss about pregnancy is feeling these precious kicks! He loves the music at church too.

Cravings/aversions/eating: after failing a portion of my glucose test last week, it's been interesting (and hard) to tame my chocolate/dessert/sweets cravings. I have been eating TONS of fruit and eating sugar free pudding cups and ice cream sandwiches for dessert. 

Workouts: this week has been the most drastic change in my energy levels. I tried to go to the gym last Friday and was just so incredibly exhausted. Walks here and there and I am going to try to do some light weights this week. 

Sleep: really inconsistent lately... womp womp. One night I was up 5-6 times going to the bathroom and tossing and turning and the next night I slept a solid 8 hours. 

Clothes: finally getting to wear lots of sundresses! Lots of my pre pregnancy ones fit me but are a little short up front but it's nice to have more options than just the maternity clothes I've bought. At night I have to wear Jon's boxers to bed because everything else is so tight

Random: I am a registered donor for Be The Match and knew right away that I wanted to donate our baby's cord blood since we decided against banking. Now that we are late enough in our pregnancy, we've been filling out forms to prep for the collection. Please pray with me that our son's blood would save lives!

I finally got in the pool on Sunday!!! I have been looking forward to that since I got pregnant and it felt amazing. I mostly laid on a float, and walked around the shallow end, it was so relaxing! And yes I am rocking a bikini as long as I don't get stretch marks, maternity suits are $$$ so I am using what I have (bought this suit for $5 at Old Navy last fall... score)

28w6d

Did you watch my video review of the new Bumped by BLANQI maternity cami?
28w1d


Monday, May 20, 2013

To the moms

We are going to pretend that today isn't Monday and go back to bed, k?


I saw this note posted on Facebook by a few friends/pages and absolutely loved it! As I prepare to meet my son and become a mother in a few weeks, I've learned that sometimes you just have to shut your mouth and smile when someone gives you unsolicited advice about pregnancy, labor, and parenting. I haven't run into too much crazy advice but we all know people can be very one sided when something worked (or didn't work) for them as a parent. The note below praises all forms of parenting and applauds moms for being so hardworking and great, despite how they choose to feed, diaper, sleep their child. With as much bullying that goes around the internet (and sadly  it doesn't end in high school), I think it is important to embrace the differences we share. Success in motherhood is defined a million different ways. I am so lucky to have so many examples of wonderful mothers (who all do things a little bit differently) in my life! 

---------------------------------------------

To the mom who's breastfeeding: Way to go! It really is an amazing gift to give your baby, for any amount of time that you can manage! You're a good mom. 

To the mom who's formula feeding: Isn't science amazing? To think there was a time when a baby with a mother who couldn't produce enough would suffer, but now? Better living through chemistry! You're a good mom.

To the cloth diapering mom: Fluffy bums are the cutest, and so friendly on the bank account. You're a good mom.

To the disposable diapering mom: Damn those things hold a lot, and it's excellent to not worry about leakage and laundry! You're a good mom.

To the mom who stays home: I can imagine it isn't easy doing what you do, but to spend those precious years with your babies must be amazing. You're a good mom.

To the mom who works: It's wonderful that you're sticking to your career, you're a positive role model for your children in so many ways, it's fantastic. You're a good mom.

To the mom who had to feed her kids from the drive thru all week because you're too worn out to cook or go grocery shopping: You're feeding your kids, and hey, I bet they aren't complaining! Sometimes sanity can indeed be found in a red box with a big yellow M on it. You're a good mom.

To the mom who gave her kids a homecooked breakfast lunch and dinner for the past week: Excellent! Good nutrition is important, and they're learning to enjoy healthy foods at an early age, a boon for the rest of their lives. You're a good mom.

To the mom with the kids who are sitting quietly and using their manners in the fancy restaurant: Kudos, it takes a lot to maintain order with children in a place where they can't run around. You're a good mom.

To the mom with the toddler having a meltdown in the cereal aisle: they always seem to pick the most embarrassing places to lose their minds don't they? We've all been through it. You're a good mom.

To the moms who judge other moms for ANY of the above? Glass houses, friend. Glass houses.

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Wholehearted Prayer

A few weeks ago in church, a sermon on wholehearted prayer rocked my world. Prayer is something that is important in my life and pretty darn important in my marriage yet when I pull apart the pieces of my prayer life, I see so much slack and brokenness. There are few things that are more essential to knowing God than prayer. Prayer is such a sweet blessing given to us by God through Jesus Christ on the cross and allows our interaction with him to be more than just facts but a 2 way relationship.

But we struggle with it.

With struggle with having passion, zeal, consistency with prayer. Our prayers seem supernatural, uncomfortable, and unattainable. There are many nights where I lay in bed waiting to drift off to sleep and remember a few things I wanted to pray about so I give God 30 seconds and I'm out of words. It's easy for us to think that is enough for Him but do we half ass our conversations with our spouses? Do we check the boxes in our heads of things we want to share when talking with our closest friends and family? How quick and efficiently can I get this over with? That is what prayer is like to most, if not all, of us believers. 

Tyler, who spoke at The Stone, really opened my eyes when he said often ties we feel like we need (and deserve) a next step rather than bended knee. Jon and I were talking about this very thing last night. We want God to provide the good yet when there is pain in our lives, we demand immediate answers and satisfaction and blame Him for not providing that. Our will becomes more important than His. Tyler also spent a good chunk of time talking about the amazing miracles God performs through people who lack theology or the bible, but have wholehearted prayer. Wholehearted prayer moves God to do the impossible

Through studying the gospel of Mark (specifically Mark 11:22-25), we uncovered 3 ways we must submit to wholehearted prayer.

1. Our prayers must be to God- there is no power in positive thinking or mantras unless you are praying to God. I know there are whole books and lifestyles about how positive thinking can change lives and I am not saying that is wrong, but God wants you to stop relying on yourself and cry out to Him for help. Unfortunately there are even famous pastors who preach positive thinking being the key to success in life. We are missing out on the power of God. Everyday I fall victim to thinking about my prayers than avidly participating in a conversation with God. Someone on Twitter asks for prayer and I respond I will pray for them, yet am I taking the time to beg for mercy on their lives and in their hearts? Is my heart in the prayer?

via

2. Our prayers are through Jesus- because of the cross of Christ, we have full access to God. So when we pray, it's as if Jesus is praying to the Father. What a precious gift that we don't deserve! 

3. Our prayers must have faith- our prayers move God to act when we actually believe He can. The thing about our God is He is omniscient...sometimes that's easy for us to forget when we continue to sin and try to hide things from Him. God wants our hearts to be in it! 

"You desire but do not have because you did not ask God" -James 4:2

The fact that sat with me the most, and continues to weigh on my heart is that halfhearted prayers do not honor God. I give me all to my job, my friendships, my marriage, yet I can't give it all to the one who gave me everlasting life and freedom? One of the most amazing thing about our God is that through His sovereignty, He allows our prayers to play an active role in His will. He will be done, but He isn't the puppeteer of your life. Prayers are the means to the end, which is His will. The hard thing to remember and accept is He does say no to prayers. Even Jesus, who lived 33 years without sin, heard no from God (Mark 14:35-36 Jesus knows of the horrific death he is about to die and asks if it is God's will, for it to pass him). And because God told Jesus no, you and I are made blameless before the throne. Now that is some powerful stuff. Think back to the times you've heard no from God and connect the dots to the doors He's opened. He is good, His providence is incredible, and He has the power to do the impossible. 

This sermon was a lot for me to take in and just because I heard it doesn't mean my prayer life has ultimately changed and I do not struggle. This sermon opened my eyes to the areas that need improving, helping foster such a deeper relationship with The Lord in just 2 weeks. I find myself using the following phrase so much more, knowing that 2,000 years ago, Jesus said these very words. "Not what I will Lord, but what You will". I know I will never take the selfishness out of my life and my prayer but truly trusting that His will is greater, more powerful, more thought out, more precious, than mine, is a start. 

Jesus is better than any answered prayer, amen?

Wholehearted Prayer
Tyler DavidThe Austin Stone
May 5th, 2013


Thursday, May 16, 2013

Bumped by BLANQI

I am so excited to share this product with you mamas and mamas to be! I was thrilled to be asked by the ladies behind BLANQI to review their new maternity support cami line for Target. I wish I would have had this cami since the beginning of my pregnancy because it makes me feel fantastic! The nylon fabric is meant to support the added weight your bump brings and help smooth lines. 

I filmed a short video review to let you take a peek at the cami. 


Bumped by BLANQI Review from Ruthie Hart on Vimeo.


Sorry for the over use of  "um" and random babbling. Pregnancy brain much? I'm not gonna lie, I was out of breath after standing and talking for 5 minutes hehe!

A few of my favorite things about the maternity support cami:
1. The material! It is super breathable, reminds me of workout tops that help hold in sweat. 
2. The "girls" are easily accessible for nursing when baby comes
3. It is made to fit a bump and clothes cling to the cami so I don't look like a giant house in maternity clothes
4. It is pretty long so no tummy shows and it covers your skin when shirts get a little too short




And remember there is a postpartum cami as well!


Find BLANQI...


Tuesday, May 14, 2013

28 weeks


Thoughts: 28 weeks down, 12 to go! Seems like just yesterday we were at our 12 week appointment, anxiously awaiting to announce that we were expecting. I am still pretty comfortable in pregnancy and despite the extra weight and slowing down, loving it so much. My belly button is out and proud, full on outie from here on out. I wonder if it will go back in postpartum? 

Baby: we went to the doctor yesterday and our little champ is growing and looking great! They can't get an accurate measurement of how long he is but they estimate between 16-17in. Based on a few measurements, his estimated weight is 2lb 11oz and they estimate he will be a solid 8lb baby. His head measurement was 2 weeks ahead so we have a big ole brain on our hands. His femur measurement was ahead which means he may be tall! The nurses and doctors kept saying he was so cute and had big cheeks and lips. 

Symptoms: womp womp... back on Zofran. I was sickness/med free for 12 days and got sick 3 times last week. I am mostly taking it on demand because it is so fast acting but thought I was in the clear. I started experiencing heart flutters last week and discovered that heart palpitations are common in pregnancy, especially the 3rd trimester. The severity ranges throughout the day but it is the weirdest feeling. It feels like I've just run a 5k and can't catch my breath yet I am laying perfectly still on the couch taking deep breaths. I still get a few bloody noses a week too. I swear, if it is a bad symptom of pregnancy, I have it!! As much as the symptoms suck, they are totally worth it. 

Weight: 20lbs total

Movement: lots of kicks, punches, booty bumps, and flips. I can tell when he is flipping around because his butt sticks out by my belly button and my tummy is lopsided. I think I have felt a few Braxton Hicks contractions but not 100% sure yet. They feel like quick tightenings and aren't painful but definitely out of the normal. 

Cravings/aversions/eating: fruit, sweets, plain buttered pasta. I thanked Jon on Mother's Day for allowing me to eat plain pasta without protein for dinner (he is usually the protein police!). Drinking TONS of water too. I've eaten a few salads but they have to be covered in toppings (I know this defeats the healthy purpose)

Thank you Chuy's!

Workouts: last week I went to the gym twice but took a few days off trying to control my heart palpitations. I've heard that doing light workouts can actually help them but I've enjoyed relaxing and being off my feet. I am gonna try to get a few weights workouts in later this week. 

Sleep: believe it or not, there have been multiple nights in the past week where I have slept 8 hours straight without getting up to go to the bathroom. This is great news considering I went through periods of time where I would go every hour. I am pretty content and comfortable on my left side and have to have a pillow between my knees at night. 

Clothes: Sunday night we were looking at my belly and it's crazy to see that I have grown so much below my belly button, so there is really no way I can wear non maternity pants. I wish I would have measured the circumference of my waist pre pregnancy but we did this weekend (with a belt, not a measuring tape so I don't know how many inches) and I am officially rounder than my husband haha. And I don't feel bad about it at all!

Doctors appointments: like I said above, we went to the doctor yesterday and unfortunately I failed a portion of my glucose test. I fasted in the morning and passed the fasting test (which is the one you want to pass) and then they pump you full of sugar, wait an hour, and test your blood sugar again which I barely failed. Much to my surprise, this test has NOTHING to do with my diet and shows that my placenta is hyper active. The good news is I don't have gestational diabetes and don't have to do the 3 hour glucose test but the bad news is they want me to cut out refined sugar and sweets (womp womp). I've talked to lots of women who had the same thing happen to them so it's not a big deal, it was just hard looking at the jar of Nutella and Reese's PB cups in our pantry last night. They will test again in 3 weeks so hopefully I pass! Everything else looked good. My weight gain is a little lower than average but on target for my height and my placenta/cervix/fluids look great... they don't see any reasons why I'd go early. 

Random: we schedule the rest of my appointments from now until delivery which was so surreal! We will go at 31, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 weeks and most likely get ultrasounds at all of them :). We are so excited!

Baby Hart was super active during our ultrasound. It's crazy to think we used to be able to see his whole body in the sono but now he's so big we can only get portions at a time. He had his hands up by his face and was playing with his umbilical cord... SO CUTE! We even got to see him move his little eyes around. The picture isn't the best but how cute are his little cheeks, it looks like he's storing up acorns for the winter. 

27w3d and loving maternity shorts

Baby Hart is ready for metal shows with his daddy (major joking)!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Little moments

I had been hinting to Jon for a few weeks of gift ideas for Mother's Day and never did I think I'd get treated so special on my first Mother's-To-Be-Day. My late sleeper was up before 7am making breakfast, picking out flowers, and letting this tired mama sleep. 

I don't think I have eaten a donut in about 10 years yet have been thinking about them non stop during this pregnancy. Jon is hypogylcemic and is really good about sugar so he just laughs when I ask for them. Well he brought home these on Sunday morning and I can honestly say I can go another 10 years without another one. They were good but I'd much rather indulge in other things :). 


In the past, Jon would wish me happy Mother's Day from Ernie or tell me what a great mother I would be someday but yesterday was different. Feeling my son kick all day was just one little reminder of the wonderful privilege  blessing, and job I will soon have as his mother. Yesterday I thought a lot about little moments. Jon talking to my tummy saying, "Little man, wake up!", having the song "no woman no cry" stuck in our heads for about an hour so making up our own rendition, and getting Ernie all fired up with belly rubs and kisses. This life, which is nothing extraordinary, is more than I could have ever dreamed of. Going to sleep at 8pm on a Saturday night is not desirable to most mid twenties but it is the perfect night for me. I remember meeting Jon when I was 20, he was 26 and thinking okay I need to be really fun for him. Yes we've had crazy nights, late nights, and nights we will never forget...but nothing tops the nights we choose now. 

Last night we played an intense game of marbles (I told you how game obsessed we are...we play at least once a day haha) and pulled up live Louis Armstrong performances on the iPad to pretend like we were at a concert. I thought to myself, this is exactly where my life is supposed to be right now. I am to the point in my pregnancy where I am not uncomfortable (yet) but I am so anxious to meet this baby boy. I think of my sweet niece or see moms at church with newborns swaddled in their arms and my heart yearns for that right now. But it's the little moments that makes the wait worth while. 

I really do think life will become so much sweeter when our baby is born but I know it will be a lot different. Last night there was a point where we were in bed and had tears coming down our cheeks and barely could catch our breath laughing about something I can't even remember. And I remember thinking... can we do this when we are parents? Will we still have our dumb inside jokes and laugh like kids together? I pray the answer is yes... that we will continue that bond with each other and our children.


Scenes from Mother's Day

We spent the beautiful morning at church with my parents and then an outdoor brunch at Blackfinn. So many cute kiddos running around the Domain (outdoor shopping center) and all dressed alike. 

Mom and 3 of her 6 kids

And 2 of my 3 boys! 
Thank you all for your sweet comments on IG about my belly... hard to believe he has 12 more weeks of growing to do, I think we have a big boy on our hands!

Jon surprised me with a weekend away just to San Antonio before the baby comes. Our trip to Mexico in a few weeks is acting as our baby moon but this will be a great way for us to purely relax and not too far from home. He even made me a powerpoint of the hotel amenities, activities we will do, restaurants, etc (if you remember one of our trips last year, he is good at power points!). 
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