26 weeks

How far along? 26 weeks
Total weight gain:  20 pounds
Maternity clothes?  Yes, especially pants.  My mom has given me varies pairs of maternity pants over the years and so I pulled them out, searching to find what I like...and that is still to be decided.
Belly button in or out?  Still in...but it is being stretched.
Wedding ring on or off?  On
Best moment this week?  I have been cleaning the house, garage and cars.  It is a bit uncomfortable to be bent over a toilet...it's a bit squished, but I did get all the toilet tanks cleaned out (the black mold in the tanks).  And the garage is swept out and ready for the fall weather.
Worst moment this week?  I've been experiencing heartburn occasionally in the evenings right before I go to bed.  Not fun!
Baby?  Some days the baby is kicking often and then other days, the kicking is only occasional.   But he is more on the quiet side.  It used to be that in the evening I would always feel him.  Now he'll kick a bit and then settle down.
Exercise?  I've cut back on my running.  My leg muscles are still tightening/cramping to prevent me from running.  But I have continued walking with 5 pound weights.  It's been cool and lovely in the mornings and I love going for my morning walk.  I am still exercising with ladies from the ward and though I am a little slower than most of them, I am keeping up and working hard during our Tuesday and Thursday exercise moments.  I found I can't do the burpee's since the blood doesn't get back up to my head very quickly and I see stars when I try to do them.

I am very happy and excited for the opportunity to be a mother.

25 weeks

I really meant to get these photos up last week but it didn't happen.  The weather turned a little cooler and I was able to pull out some of my fall clothing.  It's kind of fun that my fall clothing can be layered, and the layering hides my "baby bump" somewhat.

I am feeling great.   A fellow ward member brought by some baby items this week...a stroller/car seat, a playpen and a swing.  It is now a visual reminder that soon I will have a baby.  I've wanted a baby so long that sometimes I feel like I really must be dreaming that I am pregnant.

Faculty Kickball Team

SM played kickball this last week with some of the faculty from the law school.   The students were raising money for the Susan G. Koman for the Cure (Breast Cancer).  The team had a lot of fun...and they won their game against one of the student teams.

Here is the team cheer after they won their game.  What a fun group of people!  I wish I had a picture of several of the student teams.  A lot of them were wearing pink shirts and one team had matching pink collared shirts with tall pink socks.

Baby Bib+Apron=Bapron

I found this idea on Pinterest and decided to try to make this at home.  And I like how it turned out and it didn't take a lot of time.  I also bought some "waterproof" material and will make a bapron out of it and see how it turns out.

I made two baprons and sent one to my sister in the mail.  I'm  hoping she can give me some feedback and let me know what the best way to have it "tie" in the back, whether that is an actual tie, or snaps or velcro.  It's nice that she has a 10 month old baby boy that is at the age that he is eating food and wanting to feed himself. 

Keeping busy!

After finding out that I was having a boy, I pulled out my big bin of flannel material looking for "boy" stuff.  I found these cute dogs.  I also found  a few other...and by a few, well, I've been crocheting close to 15 burp clothes.  Though I hope not to use them all, I will have some for giving as gifts.

Just wanted a closer picture to show the fun crocheting pattern.

And here is a thin receiving blanket I made for Gizmo.  I used my regular crochet thread to go around the piece of flannel and then I used a fuzzy yarn/thread to go around it one more time.  The edging is so soft and fluffy.  I love it!

I love that I've been able to stay busy making cute stuff.

24 weeks

How far along? 24 weeks
Maternity clothes?  Well, the weather has finally started cooling down and so yesterday I pulled out my box of maternity clothes and found these Levi's.  They don't quite fit and I spent the day pulling them up as they kept falling down.  But my regular long pants won't work.  So, I'm very glad that today's weather is warm enough to be back to wearing my shorts that are not maternity but have a stretchy-like top or another pair have ties.  Anyway, I'm still small enough that I don't wear very many maternity clothes.  In fact, right now my favorite clothes are T-shirts.  Loose and hide everything!  (BTW I don't like this picture of me at all, because in my mind I look fabulous and this photo doesn't show me the way I view myself...but I'm not too proud to realize I may not look as fabulous as I imagine).
Best moment this week?  I am feeling so normal.  I go exercise with my friends twice a week and it doesn't wipe me out like it used to.  Normal energy levels!  I had a friend tell me that I was in the "honeymoon" phase of pregnancy.  I'm feeling great and not too big to be uncomfortable.
Worst moment this week?  I don't think I have one.
Belly Button in or out?  Still in...though it's beginning to stretch open...exciting!
Wedding ring on or off?  On
Hormones?  This weekend was General Conference and Pres. Monson announced a change in age for the missionaries. Boys can now leave at age 18 and girls at 19.  I wish I could say I was bawling my eyes out at this announcement because of pregnancy hormones but I'm pretty sure it was just me feeling the Spirit and the hugeness of this announcement.  This is just a cool time to be alive and to be a parent of these future missionaries.
Baby?  Gizmo seems to be a very quiet baby during the daytime until evening time (from 8-10 pm).  Then he'll wiggle around, thrown an elbow or two, he may even kick a bit.  One website said that baby weighs around a pound and is as long as a piece of corn.

Pumpkin Whole Wheat cookies

It's that time of year when the weather is cooler for all things pumpkin.  I have to say that  pumpkin cookies are one of my favorite kinds of cookies.   These cookies are very moist and soft and melt-in-your-mouth good.  So good that I thought I'd share the receipt with all my favorite people.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies (Whole Wheat)

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar (or ¾ cup honey or agave)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 can pumpkin (16 oz.)

2 cups whole wheat flour (might need a little more if sweetening with honey)

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon (or 2 tsp. if you love cinnamon like me)

1 tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. cloves

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts (optional)

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add egg, vanilla and pumpkin.  In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Combine both mixtures and stir in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.  (Remember not to over mix when working with whole wheat).  Place on greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  Makes approximately 36 cookies.

22 weeks

How far along?  22 weeks
Best moment this week?  People at church still don't think I look pregnant.  Part of that is because my Sunday dresses were never really tight or revealing so now they hide my baby from everyone.  Though this won't last for very much longer, I am enjoying it right now.
Worst moment this week?  For some reason my eye lashes are falling out.  I know that's not typical but I am not a typical person.  It's also a vanity thing.  I've always had incredibility long eye lashes and now I have a few long eye lashes while the rest are growing back.  It's just weird.
Another thing that wasn't fun this week.  I think I may have had a kidney stone.  Because the pain/attack reminded me of one I had a month ago, I decided to go to the doctor to make sure everything was okay with the baby.  So, the office got me in...I saw a different doctor...and ended up getting a sonogram/ultrasound on my kidneys.  Don't know the result yet but I do know that the baby is okay and still growing.
Food cravings?  Not really a craving but I really really really enjoy a banana milkshake.  Just a cup of milk with a banana blended in it and I'm in heaven.  So tasty!
Exercise?  Yep, still trying to do it every day though I'm doing a lot less running and just walking.  My lower back has begun to ache and so I will do some stretches while I'm out on my walks.  Plus, I've noticed that my feet are larger.  One of my exercise pairs of shoes is feeling rather tight.  Gotta love those hormones that loosen up everything (including my feet) and don't always get everything back together after the baby is born.
Baby?  One internet site said that the baby is the size of a papaya...and if you don't know how big that is, it's okay.  Let's just say that baby is over a pound in weight and around the length of a spaghetti noodle...still small but growing bigger each day.  Apparently he can perceive light and darkness, but I don't really think he's doing all that since I keep clothes on for most hours of the day.  He can hear my voice and SM's voice and should now have eyebrows, eyelashes, and may even have a bit of hair on his head.  The hair is white since all baby's lack pigment at this point.  But I wonder what color of hair he'll have, or even if he'll have any hair when he's born?

Walking in the Fog

 A week ago we woke up to dense fog.  It was still very warm outside and instead of pulling my hair back, I decided that I would just walk with my hair down.  I forgot that fog could be wet.  And by the time I finished my three mile walk, all of my makeup was off, my hair was wet and dripping, and my clothes were very damp.

I noticed a couple things while walking in the dense fog.  First of all, because my eyesight was hindered my other senses seemed to be hyped up.  I smelled laundry and breakfast in the neighborhood.  Another thing, the spider webs were all very visible because of the water particles that were hanging on the webs.  They were so beautiful.  Which reminds me how much Heavenly Father loves me and puts small little things of beauty all around me.  I try to not take things like that for granted.