Wednesday, December 28, 2011

36 Weeks

12/28/11

We're in the last month until our due date! Only 4 weeks left, but honestly, I'm expecting to go over the due date. So we may have a little longer than a month. We'll see :)

Christmas was wonderful this past weekend. We went down to my family's house on Friday afternoon and got back on Monday. My sister and family, my brother, and my Grandma were all there (and obviously my parents). My mom and dad let us have their bedroom, which was so nice, especially since I had to get up and use the bathroom several times a night. We ate lots of good food, and even had a little baby shower on Monday with my extended family. It was so nice to be home.

We were supposed to have a midwife appointment this morning, but I got a call that the midwives were with a lady in labor so it got moved to Friday morning. I'm curious to see what position the baby is in. I think it's still left occiput anterior which is great... the ideal birthing position. I feel like it's starting to get cramped, because when it moves I feel it in several different places. It's really fun feeling it move around, except when a foot tickles me behind the ribs when I'm trying to sleep. That has only happened a few times though :)

We got some more money at our baby shower, so on the way home from Grenada we stopped at Costco in Medford and found a pack n play and a carseat for way inexpensive! And today we went into Salem and found a glider on Craigslist that is in great shape. Then we went to Target and finished buying things for our registry with 10% off. Now we just have to get some things on Amazon and we'll be set! We're good and ready for this baby to come at any time.

Changes this week: I think I'm really starting to stick out there. I still don't really look terribly pregnant from behind, but my belly sure is there. No stretch marks yet though, fingers crossed... We're getting so excited to meet our baby!!!!!

Our friend Kristen took maternity photos of us last month and gave some of them to us yesterday. They turned out very cute... so here they are!








Wednesday, December 21, 2011

35 Weeks

12/21/11

This week Big Baby is about 5 ¼ pounds and is over 18 inches long. It just has some more fat to put on before it’s ready to be born, hopefully sometime in the next 5-6 weeks We’re getting so excited! I’ve been majorly nesting with huge to-do lists every night when I get home. Andy’s been great about helping me get stuff done. The only frustrating thing to me is being at work and not being able to check things off my list.

We had our midwife home visit this morning. We’re getting supplies ready for the birth, and hopefully we’ll pick up the birthing tub this weekend. As of today, I can officially give birth at home (until 43 weeks).

We’ve been working on our baby names. We’ve had a girl name picked out for a long time, but the decision on a boy name remains difficult. We said we’d have our names picked out by Christmas, so we have a few days still to decide. There are a lot of funny guesses as far as names on our baby pool (bebepool.com/jillcpullen) I really doubt we’ll name the baby Hermeker or Festis.

This weekend is Christmas! We’re heading down to see my family on Friday, and then we’ll come back up on Monday. It will be fun to see everybody. I’m anticipating lots of comments on my belly from people at my parents’ church. It’s kind of strange that we’re celebrating our last Christmas with just us in our family. We’re excited that we’re going to have a baby to share Christmas with next year.

The night before last I dreamt that our doctor friend Guesly had an ultrasound machine on his phone and he scanned my belly. Then he and his wife Sara knew what the gender of our baby was, and she told me that it was a girl. I told her not to tell anyone and I wouldn’t tell Andy in the dream. That was the first gender dream I’ve had about this baby. Every time I dream about it it’s just a baby, not a boy or girl. Andy keeps dreaming that it’s a boy… so we’ll see!

Changes this week: I’ve been having major hip pain in both hips by the morning. Getting up and walking on the treadmill or doing yoga helps. Last night I curled around my pregnancy pillow and made a cushion for my hip and slept on top of that with another pillow between my knees. That seemed to help, so I might just have to do that for the next month. Also, the baby has been pushing all of my organs around so much that my stomach is way high. When I drink anything and then bend at all, it gurgles really loud It’s kind of funny. I’m still feeling good overall at 35 weeks! I’m excited about that. I have little to no swelling and mostly only weight gain in my belly area. I’m really liking pregnancy!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

34 Weeks


12/14/11

We’re really moving along here in this last trimester! Only 6 weeks until our due date, 3 weeks until full term. The baby’s almost 5 pounds now, and I’m still feeling good! I walk briskly on my treadmill or do yoga every morning, so I think that has helped a lot. I’m also eating pretty well.

Except for Saturday night… We went with a group from our church to put on a Christmas party for the inmates at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility. It was really cool to be able to do that for those boys, but the food there was not good! Fried chicken, jojo’s, and lots of sweets. I was swollen for two days after that Thankfully that has gone down. I also went to a knife techniques class with my friend Kristen on Saturday morning in Portland, which was a ton of fun! I learned all kinds of things about knives and slicing/dicing.

Sunday afternoon was my Foothills church baby shower. There was a lot of people there (probably 35-40 or more), and we got a lot of very nice things. The baby’s room is kind of a disaster right now because we just put everything in there on the floor. Hopefully we’ll have time this weekend to get it sorted out and make returns of some duplicates. I feel very blessed though from everyone’s generosity.

We had our 34 week midwife appointment today. Everything's looking great still! The baby has moved around to anterior instead of posterior, which is great. Hopefully it will stay in that position, or a least get in it at the birth. The heart rate was 138 bpm. I had my iron levels tested, and they were great. I also got Easy Birthing formula to start taking next week, which will hopefully help me have a faster, more productive labor. Next week is our midwife home visit. I asked Carol when her first time moms usually deliver, and she said about 7-10 days after their due date! So I'm really starting to expect a February baby :)

We also met with our doula today to discuss and sign her contract. Her name is Amy and we really like her. I think she will be a great asset to our birthing team. We're getting excited about bringing this baby into the world!

Changes this week: Actually in the past few weeks I’ve been suffering from pregnancy stuffy nose at night. It’s pretty lame because then I have to breathe out of my mouth and it gets really dry. We got a humidifier at our baby shower, so we’ve been using that and it has been helping a little bit. My hip pain comes and goes at night still, and I've been getting up to use the bathroom about once every two hours, so that all makes for not good sleep, unfortunately. I wish I had time for naps every day, but I don't. I do, however, take advantage of nap time on the weekends. :)

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

33 Weeks

12/7/11

Only 7 weeks until go time! And only 4 weeks until the baby is full term. And we could technically deliver at home if I go into labor in 2 weeks! Craziness. There’s so much to get done still, but we’ve gotten a lot done already. After this week things will start to slow down before Christmas, which will be nice. Right now Big Baby is a little over 4 pounds and a little over 17 inches long, so about the weight of a pineapple. After next week’s midwife appointment we have a home visit, then we’ll go to every week appointments until the baby is here. As far as I know, the baby is still posterior. Please pray that it will get in the optimal birthing position by the end!

On Friday night at our birth class we did mock labor, which was actually fun for me. I had to hold onto an ice cube for the length of a contraction and we practiced different labor positions. Andy was great at helping me to relax, rubbing my back/shoulders, and just being encouraging. I’m actually excited to do labor together

Friday was also our 5th anniversary. On Saturday we celebrated by going up to stay at the Heathman Hotel in Portland, which is the one we stayed at the first two nights of our honeymoon. It was fabulous, as usual. We also went to a very nice dinner at Serratto which we ate at once when we were dating, and then we had dessert at the Heathman listening to Jazz music downstairs. It was a lovely weekend. We went to a few baby stores and looked at cute baby things along with strollers. Let me tell you… I’m kind of glad we don’t have a Babies R Us in Salem, because that store is huge and insane! We did get to park in the expecting mommy spot though. The whole weekend was just the thing we needed to relax. A nice little last babymoon.

I had a baby shower at work today during lunch, and got lots of nice gifts from everyone! It helps to get necessities and gift cards so we can get everything we need. Everyone was really generous.

Changes this week: I’ve started spilling things on my belly, it’s getting that big. It’s like I have a basketball strapped to my stomach. I’m also getting head butted in the bladder, which makes for quick trips upstairs to the bathroom at work. At least I’ve been keeping up on my kegels and haven’t had leakage issues My hips are feeling really loose too. I have to be careful so I don’t injure myself. The baby has been getting lots of hiccups throughout the day and the night, and that’s kind of fun to feel. It’s only a little annoying when I’m trying to sleep.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

32 Weeks

11/30/11

Big Baby is almost 4 pounds this week! He/she is getting big. We’re really looking forward to meeting this kid sometime in the next 8 weeks or so. This week was Thanksgiving, and we had a really nice time at Andy’s parents’ house on Thursday. Then on Friday we went up to my aunt and uncle’s house and I got to hold my baby’s second cousin Jonathan who was 6 weeks old. So precious!

I forgot to say last week that we took some maternity photos on the 19th with my friend Kristen. I’m excited to see how they turn out! I’ll post some here and probably on Facebook. We got lucky with decent weather, so lots of them are outside with the pretty fall leaves.

I’m not sure if I’ve said anything about the baby’s position, but so far it has been head down (since at least week 24), but is posterior. I’ve got feet in the front of my belly which is fun to feel, but it’s a lot harder to give birth that way. Hopefully it will turn around by the end so I don’t have to have horrible back labor and a longer labor… We’ll see what we can do to turn it.

Birth class has been going really well. We get to do mock labor this week… I hope I’m up for it! Apparently we get to hold onto ice cubes to simulate contractions. We’ve been practicing our relaxation, so hopefully that will help.

Our midwife appointment today was great. Everything’s looking pretty good. I did have a little glucose in my urine, but I’m pretty sure that’s because of the corn bread with maple syrup I had at lunch Carol said she’d keep her eye on it.

Changes this week: I’ve been having pretty bad hip pain at night. I wake up 4-5 times a night to use the bathroom and to flip over. I’m feeling like my hips are loosening up as well. Also last night I had the worst leg cramp of my life! I got up and tried to stretch it out, but it took a little while before it released. I think I freaked Andy out by jumping out of bed saying “Ow, ow, ow.” I’ve also been having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions. Andy has a theory that it will make labor faster and earlier, but we’ll see. I’ve asked a few friends and the ones that have had them did have shorter earlier labors… We can always hope!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

31 Weeks


11/23/11

This week the baby is about 3.3 pounds and 16” long. It’s getting pretty big in there, and I think it’s supposed to grow a ½ pound each week until week 38. The movements I’ve been feeling have changed from lots of kicks to more squirms because it doesn’t have as much space. Everything’s still going great with the pregnancy. We’re getting anxious to meet our baby in about 9 weeks!

My cold is much, much better. Those vitamins my midwife said to take really seem to have helped. I’m glad it’s mostly gone for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’m also just really glad that I have a four-day weekend. We’re heading to Lake Oswego tomorrow to spend time with Andy’s family, which will be fun.

At our midwife appointment last Wednesday Carol gave us a list of things to start getting together for the birth, so we’ve been working on that. We ordered a birth kit with things like umbilical cord clamps, gloves, etc. in it so we’ll be all prepared. I’m getting excited about birth at home.

We now have a baby pool online! We’ve decided that the prize for whoever guesses the closest will be a $10 Amazon gift card. If you want to make your guess, go to http://bebepool.com/jillcpullen. Good luck!

Changes this week: I’m starting to feel like my ligaments are loosening in my hips and pelvis. Our birthing class instructor told us ways to move around that will cause less injury, so I’ve been trying to do that. It feels weird though.

Cravings this week: Oranges

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

30 Weeks


11/16/11

I'm blogging early today because I'm home sick. I caught a cold yesterday and today it feels like my lungs are on fire. I've been drinking lots of tea and water and trying to get some rest. I hate being sick, and I'm glad it doesn't happen very often!

As for our pregnancy... only 10 weeks to go until our due date!! We're officially 3/4 of the way there. Big baby is approximately 15.5 inches long and about 3 pounds. It's getting big and I'm feeling it. Less kicks and more strange rolling movements all around. I love it. We're getting so excited to welcome our baby into our family soon-ish.

Andy's gone on a youth pastor retreat. He left on Sunday and is getting home this afternoon while I'm at my midwife appointment. It's been very lonely with him gone, but I've been very busy and sick. It will be so nice when he's home again, I miss him. We started birthing classes on Friday, and they go on for five weeks. The only down side is that we have to drive 45 minutes to get there. Our midwife highly recommended the lady who teaches them and says that her ladies do well in labor. It's very much geared toward natural birthing, kind of like a Bradley class. I think we'll get a lot out of it. She has me writing down everything I'm eating this week to make sure I get all the right nutrients and she had lots of relaxation techniques, stretches, and exercises for me to do.

I ordered some of our cloth diapers on sale, and they should be here tomorrow :) They're very cute and I'm excited to see them on our baby. Plus we will be saving tons of money!! People have been very generous in giving us things. Just this week we got a baby swing and a bag of girl clothes (if it's a boy we'll just give them to someone else). We're feeling very blessed.

Changes this week: I'm now experiencing tail bone and rib pain. Not sure why, maybe the baby is hanging out there. My tailbone isn't as sore as it was a few days ago though, so that's good.

Cravings this week: I'm just trying to eat healthy. Staying away from too much sugar is important for not growing a huge baby. It's so hard with it being fall and the holidays around the corner. Everyone at work brings in goodies all the time. I do feel very proud of myself when I say no though. I'll try to keep that up.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

29 Weeks

11/9/11

This week our baby is the size of a butternut squash, and about 2 ½ pounds, 15 inches long. It still has a lot of weight to pack on during the last 11 weeks, and about 5 more inches to grow. I’m not sure there’s that much room in my belly!

We had our first baby shower on Friday at the home of Jon and Janelle Furman. They threw a great party and there was tons of food and friends/family there. We were also given a lot of really nice gifts from everyone. They had an affirmation time, and it was really cool to hear encouragement from everyone. We also got lots of hand-me-downs from both of our sisters (thanks!!).

My parents were able to come up for the shower and the weekend, so that was fun. We had a nice relaxing weekend with them including going on a really long walk and going out to a yummy dinner. They brought us up a mattress for our bed, and it has been helpful with getting more sleep.

I’m majorly nesting. Last night I got home from work and made dinner, did the laundry, wrote all of our baby shower thank you notes, made applesauce and cleaned up the kitchen. Whew. My to-do list keeps getting longer though, not shorter… I keep thinking of more things that need to get done. Andy’s really good at helping do things, so I think together we’ll be able to tackle everything by January.

Changes this week: This third trimester is really different than the previous two. My joints are starting to crack more/hurt more. My belly’s getting pretty large, my hips hurt when I sleep, etc. It’s really fun to feel the baby’s little feet moving around though.

Cravings this week: Sweets and desserts, although I really need to limit those so I don’t grow a monster baby.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

28 Weeks

11/2/11

We only have about 12 weeks left until we get to meet our baby! We’re getting so excited to be parents. Our little one is about 2 ¼ pounds and 14 ½” long at this point. My parents are coming up this weekend for our first baby shower on Friday! We’re very excited to see our family and friends and to celebrate our little baby.

We went to the midwife today, and everything’s looking great! I measured at 26cm and the baby’s heartbeat was 144. The great news, is that Carol called our insurance, and it looks like they are going to cover more than we thought!

With the coming of the third trimester my nesting urge has increased. I’ve just been wanting to tackle my big to-do list and get stuff done. Last weekend we built shelves in our utility room, put some shelves in the baby’s closet, got our carpets cleaned, started organizing the stuff in the baby’s room, installed new smoke alarms, and probably a few more things that I can’t think of. I also had to go shopping for a few more work pants, because I was down to pretty much one pair that I don’t even really like. I don’t know why they make maternity pants so short… maybe I just have long legs. It’s annoying.

I’m definitely getting clumsy. I have so many little cuts and burns on my hands that Andy said it looks like I’ve been in a fist fight. On Sunday I made two pans of enchiladas which were delicious, but when I went to put the second pan in the fridge I completely dropped it upside down on the floor. That made me very sad to waste the delicious enchiladas. I guess that just gives me an excuse to make them again

Changes this week: I’ve started having Braxton Hicks contractions a few times a day. It’s kind of a strange sensation when my uterus tightens for a few seconds, then it goes away. It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s just my body getting ready to push out the baby! Sleeping is pretty much horrible. I can’t seem to get comfortable anymore. And I’ve gotten heavy so fast that my tailbone and my feet hurt most of the time from sitting and standing.

Cravings this week: Chocolate, but I really shouldn’t be having too much of it. I’ve really been liking plain yogurt lately too.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

27 Weeks


10/26/11

Hello third trimester!! We have 13 weeks until our due date, which doesn’t seem like very much. The baby’s about 2 pounds now and I’m feeling it all the time. Last night I definitely felt a foot sticking out by my belly button. We both love feeling it move and are getting so excited to meet our little one. We’ve been talking about what it’s going to be like… will it like Lego? Cooking? Sports? Computers? Math? We’ll just have to wait and see on those. I’m wondering what it’s going to look like. Our friends have a baby who looks exactly like a girl version of her daddy, then others are a combination of both parents. Only three months left until we know!

I’ve been remembering tons of dreams lately and having some strange ones that feel very real. The other night I was hanging out with a friend in my dream and then I prayed for her. I don’t think I’ve ever prayed in a dream before. I’ve been sleeping pretty terribly also. It’s the same old story where my left hip hurts and my right leg goes numb. I can do this! When I think of the issues I have, I get very grateful for the ones I don’t have (heartburn, exhaustion, carpel tunnel, swelling, etc.).

We’re getting ready to start taking our birthing classes soon hopefully. Our midwife recommended a lady in Dallas, OR so hopefully that will work out. I’ve been working on relaxation, and we’ll hopefully have a peaceful birth. I’m pretty confident in my birthing ability so far, and I’m not really worried at all. I’m really looking forward to having a big tub in my house for the delivery

Changes this week: The tendinitis in my foot is much better. I was able to jog on my treadmill this morning a little bit while I walked and it didn’t hurt at all. I’m really starting to feel pregnant. Moving around while I’m laying down is getting to be a chore.

Cravings this week: Fritos Someone brought a bag to small group and left it, so I’ve been snacking on them. I’ve actually been craving them for a while, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy them. It’s so funny how cravings change. I went from craving fruit and cheese to Cheez-Its to pickles to Asian food to chicken nuggets to Fritos. At least it’s mostly savory food and not sweets. It is going to be hard to keep away from sugar with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. I don’t want to grow a monster baby.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

26 Weeks

10/19/11

One week left of the second trimester, and just over three months until our due date. I’m starting to think of all the things we still need to do before Big Baby arrives, such as take a birthing class, get the baby room all ready (which includes building utility room shelves to put all the stuff in the baby’s closet), read some newborn books, finish my baby quilt and blanket, etc. Yikes that’s a lot!

The baby is a little less than 2 pounds this week and 14 inches long, about the length of an English cucumber. I’ve been feeling him/her so much lately. On Monday at work I felt what I think was the butt on my left above my belly button and on the right was a foot that kept kicking hard. It was cool. It likes to squirm a lot.

The rest of our New York trip was great. We did a lot more sightseeing and I did a lot of shopping while Andy was at his conference. On Saturday we rode the Staten Island ferry and got a pretty view of the city and the Statue of Liberty. New York is quite the place. I’m now an expert of the subway system for sure, and I walked so much that I got tendinitis in my right foot. It hurts still, so I’ve been trying to rest it.

We got the new iPhone 4s this week. My main reason for getting one is for the great camera that they have. Now I’ll be able to take good pictures and video of our little one when he/she arrives and put them on my blog. I figured it would be cheaper to get a new phone since I can sell my old one than getting a new camera and having to take two things with me all the time. The best camera is the one that’s with you, after all.

Changes this week: Sleeping has been a little better, at least no insomnia. But my hips have been hurting so I flip over a lot. Yesterday at work I had a huge project all day, so I didn’t get up enough and I didn’t drink enough water. Then when I got home my ankles were a bit swollen. I’ll have to be more careful of that!

Cravings this week: My mom’s granola, so I bought ingredients yesterday and it's in the oven right now

Thursday, October 13, 2011

25 Weeks

10/12/11


The baby is up to a pound and a half now, and would probably survive fine if it was born now. It would still have lots of issues though, so hopefully it will stay in there for at least 12-15 more weeks. The ladies at work have been planning a baby shower for me, so now we have three on the calendar. They will all be lots of fun.


We’re in New York! The travel wasn’t too bad yesterday. There was a very nice lady on the plane that let me have the isle seat, so I could get up as much as I needed. Unfortunately we were in the very last row and there was a constant line for the bathroom. But it was tolerable and I wasn’t too uncomfortable. We got to New York at about 3:30pm and subwayed it to the Hepzibah House which is where we’re staying. It’s a really cool old five story house on W 75th Street about half a block away from Central Park. Then we went out on the town for the rest of the evening. Central Park is gorgeous and absolutely HUGE! We only explored a tiny part of it. We stopped by Lincoln Center to use the rest room, went to Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and sat at a table in Bryant Park and watched a fun game of table tennis. At the end of all of it my feet were hurting so we went to bed. It’s going to be a fun week, and let me tell you... I’m glad I’m not at work all week. :)


As far as the rest of the last week, I’ve been having major pregnancy brain. On Friday I turned on a burner for a pot of potatoes and turned around to do something else. When I looked back at the oven a pot holder on a different burner was pouring out smoke and burst into flames. I ran over and grabbed it and took it to the sink yelling “Help! Fire!” at Andy in the other room. It was pretty exciting, but resulted in a ruined potholder and thankfully nothing worse. And I’ve been forgetting stuff left and right. I think it’s because of my next huge issue... Insomnia. For 5 nights in a row I was awake in the middle of the night for as little as 45 minutes to as much as 3 hours. It’s horrible! Thankfully the last two nights I’ve been able to sleep better. Hopefully it won’t come back.


I started having leg cramps several weeks ago and heard an old wives tale about if you put a bar of soap under your sheets they go away. Silly, I know, but I tried it and it worked! Now that we’re in New York and I don’t have soap under my sheets I woke up about 5 times with leg/foot cramps. Maybe it’s all just in my head.


Changes this week: Sleeping issues. My belly is really getting big... I can’t believe it has three and a half more months to grow. I’m going to be huge!


Cravings this week: Water... travel makes me dehydrated. I’m not sure if I want to drink New York tap water though, so I think I’ll go buy some water bottles.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

24 Weeks



10/5/11

If our baby was born today, there’s a possibility that it could survive. That’s crazy. It’s now 1.25 pounds and as long as a banana or a corn cob. He/she has been moving so much lately! I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and just feel squirming, punching, kicking, etc. Andy saw it move from the outside in church on Sunday. I think our baby likes it at church, especially the music.

I’m reading through the bible chronologically this year, and on Saturday I read Luke chapter one. It was the story of Elizabeth and Mary, and realized that the part where Elizabeth’s baby leapt in her womb when she saw Mary is the same place I am right now in my pregnancy! I can imagine what that must have felt like for her. It was pretty cool. Andy and I have been praying for our little banana baby every night. We’ve really felt that we want to pray that he/she will grow up to be a compassionate person. That’s important to both of us, and I think that God will honor that.

I had my 24 week midwife appointment today. I’m still measuring a little bit ahead, but not by too much. Everything’s looking great so far. In four weeks I have another appointment, and then they go to every two weeks. I can’t believe that we’re almost that far already! At my next appointment they’re going to check my blood sugar just to make sure everything’s going okay because the baby is kind of big. I think it’s just because big babies run in our families (hence the nickname Big Baby). I’m not too worried. If my mom could push out a 9lb baby, I can too. J

Next week’s update will come to you from New York City!

Changes this week: I’ve been sleeping a little better, but probably only because I’m so tired. I’m having a little swelling in my ankles in the evenings, but nothing bad Iat all. I just have a line when I take my socks off. I’m pretty much in maternity clothes full time now, except for a few pairs of pants I can still wear with my Bella Band.

Cravings this week: I made a chicken pot pie from scratch on Sunday, which I’ve been craving for about two years J It really hit the spot. I’m still really wanting/eating lots of fruit.


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

23 Weeks

9/28/11

Just under 4 months until our due date! At 23 weeks our baby is the size of a large mango, weighing over a pound. It’s about 11 inches long from head to toe, which is just crazy! It’s been kicking a lot all the time. In church on Sunday I saw it kick from the outside, and I’ve seen it several times since then. It’s definitely getting big! One more week and it is possible that it could survive outside the womb. I’m thankful to be that far along.

I think I’ve kind of started nesting already. I’ve been wanting to make things (like a couch pillow), and clean things (we tackled the fridge last night). We’re going to build some shelves in our utility room and the baby’s closet next. I’m glad I can do those things while I still have energy and am not huge.

Cutest thing ever… I had a haircut after work in Salem on Monday, so I asked Andy to make me a sandwich to take with me. He met me at the door with a whole brown paper sack lunch, and in it was a half-pint jar full of milk It was too cute.

Changes this week: I’m trying to sleep with more pillows, and I think they helped a little last night, but then they got in the way when I’d try to turn over. I guess I’m just not going to get a terribly huge amount of sleep anytime soon. It’s preparing me for having a newborn. My belly’s starting to get a little itchy from the stretching. No stretch marks yet, and my fingers are crossed.

Cravings this week: Fall things like pumpkin scones, chicken pot pie, etc. I think that has more to do with the weather than pregnancy though. That huge jar of pickles I bought at week 10 has been sitting in the fridge uneaten since week 15. It’s so funny how tastes change.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

22 Weeks

9/21/11

Our baby weighs a pound already! And it’s almost a foot long from head to toe. I definitely feel like it’s getting bigger in there. Andy’s been feeling it move a lot more this week, which is fun. I’m feeling pretty good still, which is great!

We registered at Target on Saturday, and it was pretty fun. There are so many baby things to choose from. We went in armed with a few lists of suggestions, and I’ve been listening to what friends say they used/didn’t use. I’m excited about our baby shower coming up in Portland in the beginning of November, and Stayton friends are going to do one probably in the beginning of December. Then I’ll feel like we can actually get started setting up the things for the baby. I’m very excited to be getting 11 days off of work at Christmas. First I think we’ll go visit my family, then we’ll be home getting everything ready for baby Pullen to arrive. It’s only 4 months away now!!

I’ve been having trouble sleeping on my right side lately. For some reason my skin from my hip to my knee goes numb when I sleep on that side. I’m not sure why, probably a pinched nerve or something. I’m not sure what to do about it, because my left hip is getting sore from sleeping on that side all night.

Changes this week: I have a growing bump for sure. People are really starting to notice and that’s fun. I haven’t really gained weight anywhere else. I bought some maternity pants a little big because I thought I’d fill them out, but they’re still just baggy.

Cravings this week: I’ve decided that I really need to cut back on sugar, so very few sweets for me, no matter how bad I want them. I had roasted beets and carrots last night and they were delicious! As far as cravings, probably popcorn this week is a big one. And as always, lots of fruit.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

21 Weeks

9/14/11

Not much for news here this week. Everything is going very well, and the baby is definitely growing. It’s kicking up a storm which is so fun to feel all day. Andy’s birthday was on Saturday, so we relaxed and spent time with friends all weekend.

The exciting news is that we’re going on a trip to New York next month! My wonderful parents got me a ticket to accompany Andy to a conference, so we have 5 days to hang out in the Big Apple. It will be right at the end of my second trimester, so I think the timing is just about perfect and it will be so much fun.

Changes this week: Sleeping has still not been great, my left hip hurts if I lay too long on that side, and my right leg goes numb if I lay too long on that side. So it’s pretty much flipping over all night. I think we may have to get a foam mattress topper for comfort, and hopefully that will help. That being said, I get pretty tired in the afternoons now.

Cravings this week: Nothing abnormal. Our weekly CSA box is keeping my veggie/berry palette happy.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

20 Weeks

9/7/11

Half way there!! It really does take a long time to grow a baby. I can’t wait until we get to see our little guy/girl in person.

We had our 20 week midwife appointment this morning. Everything’s looking great! The baby had a strong heartbeat (154bpm) and is measuring a bit ahead. I think we just have a large baby in there. On Saturday we went to the state fair, and there was a pro life booth there. They had little rubber babies at different stages, and it was pretty cool to see how big ours is at 20 weeks. It’s still pretty tiny! It’s about 10 ½ oz and 6 ½” from crown to rump, 10” from head to foot. About the size of a small cantaloupe, and I’m certainly feeling like there’s a cantaloupe in there.

I’m feeling pretty good now. I got lots of rest over labor day weekend, so I was able to start the work week refreshed. But now I’m tired again… I feel like I’ll never stay caught up on sleep. It doesn’t help that I was awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night for no good reason. Oh well. The baby’s moving around a lot now, and that’s pretty fun to feel. Andy just felt it move for the first time tonight! We could hear it moving around on the Doppler at the midwife’s office. That was neat.

Changes this week: I think I’ve had to start eating less at meals because I get full quickly. But then it digests fast and I get hungry again. I’m tired, not sleeping well, etc. But over all I feel good. Excited to be growing a healthy baby.

Cravings this week: Nothing specific, except for blackberry pie which I made on Monday. Mmmmmm.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

19 Weeks

08/31/11

I’ve been so tired this week!! My sister and family came to visit us over the weekend and we had lots of fun tubing down the creek, roasting doughboys at our fire circle, and Cindy and I went shopping. I got some cute new maternity clothes (thanks in part to my Mom and Sis). But the weekend’s activities apparently tired me out. Uggg.. I haven’t been sleeping super well either. Either I have to get up to pee, or my legs start cramping, or my hips hurt… It’s going to be a long 21 more weeks.

But the baby’s getting bigger and kicking me a lot! I’ve graduated to wearing maternity clothes most of the time now. My pants still fit with the Bella Band, but regular shirts are getting too short. I think the baby is the size of a sweet potato this week, which seems huge to me (I know, I know.. wait until it’s the size of a watermelon)! And it’s 6 inches long and weighs half a pound. It baffles me that it could survive outside of the womb in just 5 weeks. I’m pretty sure I’m in for the long haul, though, and I’ll go past my due date. Oh well.

Changes this week: Bigger belly, tiredness like crazy!

Cravings this week: Berries… but I think that’s because they’re all around us! Yum!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

18 Weeks

(Thanks for the cute cardigan, Mom!)

08/24/11

Not too much to report this week. This second trimester thing is a breeze so far. Aside from needing 9+ hours of sleep a night and naps on the weekend (interrupted by leg cramps and getting up to use the bathroom), it’s going pretty great. I definitely am sporting the baby belly now. And I love it. I’m going to need to go maternity clothes shopping this week. It’s really fun to feel the baby move around every day, and I can’t wait until Andy can feel it too.

We decided on a girl name that we really like. Sorry, we’re not sharing. But we’re still pretty stuck on what to choose for a boy name. At least we have lots of time still. I’ve been poking around at what to put on our registry. There are so many baby things out there, and I’m not sure what I’ll need. I guess that’s what family and friends that have had babies are for.

I’m trying to get lots of rest to catch up from summer camp still. My sister’s family is coming up this weekend, so we’ll have lots of fun shopping and floating in the creek with them. It’s supposed to be pretty hot.

On another note, one of my chickens started laying eggs on Friday, and we joined a CSA this week. So I’ll have lots of fresh vegetables and eggs to eat full of lots of nutrition for the baby. And I’ve heard that what you eat during pregnancy the baby can taste and is more likely to like those things in the future. So bring on the veggies!

Changes this week: Bigger belly, but not too much else.

Cravings this week: Steak, but I haven’t had any yet.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

17 Weeks


08/17/11

17 weeks now, and the baby is the size of an onion. The best part is… I felt the baby move this week! On Friday in the middle of the night I got up to go to the bathroom, and felt a light touch on the inside of my lower stomach. It was pretty cool. I’ve been feeling it a lot more in the last few days. I think I have an active baby in there. It just feels like a tickle mostly.

We had our Middle School camp over the weekend. Let me just say that I’m still exhausted from it. It was tons of fun, but very tiring. I love spending time with those kids, and I’ll miss it during Winter Camp in February. I’d like to stay very involved after the baby comes, though. At camp we floated down the Santiam, hiked to Marion Lake, and tubed on Detroit Lake. I got a good workout manning a pontoon boat on the river. The hike was 5.5 miles round trip, and at the end of the way to the lake, my hip started hurting really bad. Then it hurt all the way down and that night and the next day. It felt like when I strained my hip flexor in high school, only on the other side. So I iced it, and thankfully it’s doing much better. I guess I pushed it a little too hard.

Three weeks until our next midwife appointment and we’ll also be half way to our due date! It seems like it’s going so slowly, but it’s fast at the same time. I just can’t wait to hold my baby.

Changes this week: Movement! And I’m still tired and having to pee all the time, so thing new there. My tummy’s filling out a little more. Everyone at work comments on my belly, and I’m not sure I like it. I mean, I am pregnant, so my belly will get bigger… Oh well. Embrace the bump.

Cravings this week: Ice cream sandwiches

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

16 Weeks

08/10/11

I can’t believe we’re 16 weeks along already. It feels like it goes so slow, but then it goes by fast too! Big Baby is now about 4 ½ inches long and 3 ½ oz. That’s about the size of an avocado. He/she is supposed to double in weight in the next few weeks. It will probably start getting heavy soon. My belly’s sticking out now, no denying it. I’m still not in maternity clothes, though. My Bella Band does the trick of keeping my pants up without being buttoned. I can still button them, but it’s uncomfortable when I sit for hours at work.

I think I might have felt the baby move the other day! I was on the treadmill and felt a little something in the lower left part of my abdomen. Then I felt it again yesterday while I was getting ready in the morning. I’m really not sure though, it might have been a gas bubble. It’s still kind of early to feel my first baby. We’ll see in a few weeks if that’s what I was feeling!

I got a pregnancy pillow in the mail this week, and it’s comfy! I’ve been sleeping a lot better since I got it, and it especially helps with my chronic back pain. Andy tried it out and said, “Are these just for pregnant women?” He steals it every morning after I get up.

We’re starting to think about a birthing class to attend. I’d like to either do the Bradley Method or Hypnobirthing, but I don’t think either are offered in the Salem area. So we might have to do something else or a Hypnobabies home study course. I’d rather attend a class, though. We’ll see what we can find. We still have some time. I just want to get good and prepared for my natural birth. I’m actually excited about the labor and birth. It will be quite an experience!

We have our middle school summer camp coming up this weekend. I’m lucky and get to sleep in the house on a bed instead of in a tent. This is mostly because I don’t want to have to deal with getting up in the night 3 times to use the bathroom from a tent, and also because I don’t function on not enough sleep and it makes me get sick. Camp will be fun, though! We’re tubing on the lake, tubing down a river, hiking, swimming, singing, camp firing, etc. Andy does a great job of putting it all together.

Our friends gave us a changing table with shelves this week, and Andy got out all of the things we have so far and set it up. It’s so cute, sometimes I just go look at it

Changes this week: Bigger belly, I think I’m starting to pop out and look pregnant instead of like I’ve been eating too much ice cream. Still super tired, still having to pee a lot. I’ve gotten a few leg cramps at night, but if I stretch them they go away. I think I’ve gained about 8 pounds at this point, which is funny since the baby is only 3 ½ oz.

Cravings this week: Gross, but I’ve been wanting macaroni and cheese. I got the Annie’s natural kind, which is a little better than Kraft I’ve been eating pretty healthy, though. Lots of fruits and veggies.

Bonus: Here's the baby's heartbeat that we recorded two weeks ago at our midwife appointment!



Wednesday, August 3, 2011

15 Weeks

(I look a lot bigger this week because I tried a maternity shirt! It's way too big still, but I liked the color.)

08/03/11

So 15 weeks today, and Big Baby is the size of an orange. He/she is about 4” long and weighs 2.5 oz. We’re 3/8 of the way there! Only 25 weeks to go. It’s all going by pretty fast.

Summer’s been here in full swing this year. I’m so grateful that it hasn’t been too hot, considering that we don’t have air conditioning. It’s been mostly in the mid 80’s this past week or so, and I think it’s supposed to go back down to the 70’s next week. We had a busy weekend last weekend. We helped our friends move on Saturday morning. I didn’t lift any heavy things, just helped pack boxes in the kitchen. Then our friends Jake and Cassie came down and we walked over to Summerfest, Stayton’s annual summer street fair. It was fun, and everyone from Stayton was there practically. Sunday evening we went to a birthday party and a lot of the guys were playing volley ball. I was tempted to play, but decided not to in case I played too hard or something.

My pants are starting to get tight. I’ve been wearing the Bella Band so I don’t have to button them, but it’s getting uncomfortable too. The problem is that I don’t fit into maternity pants yet, at least not the ones I have. I’m going to have to do some shopping this weekend. My friend Sara loaned me a bunch of clothes, so that’s nice!

Changes this week: I’m feeling much, much better as far as nausea goes. I can’t shake this tiredness though. I have lots of energy in the mornings, but then after I work all day I’m exhausted and just want to lay on the couch. I’ve also been having the worst time swallowing my vitamins. I force myself to do it, but sometimes I gag. It’s no fun.

Cravings this week: In-n-out, but unfortunately it’s about 6 hours away. I haven’t really been wanting to eat sweet things, which is a good thing. I’ve been eating lots of fruits, veggies and protein. It’s funny, because I’ll be super hungry for dinner, then I won’t be able to eat that much and I’ll be stuffed full. Then an hour or two later, I’m starving again. I guess my stomach is getting squished already.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

14 Weeks

(I need to stop taking these pictures right after dinner! My belly's not quite this big normally :)

07/27/11

We are now into the second trimester. Yay! Thankfully the first one wasn’t that bad, but I hear the second is supposed to be better. I’m still pretty tired though, so maybe that will let up a bit soon.

Last Thursday I woke up with a headache and went to work. At 9:00 I had to go home because I felt like I was going to pass out and my head was worse. So I slept for a few hours and laid on the couch the rest of the day. My headache didn’t get any better, so at bedtime I finally gave in and took ½ Tylenol and that finally got rid of my headache by morning. I think the whole thing was from our Gold Beach trip and me not getting enough sleep while we were there. I have to take it easy when I can, and going to bed at 9:00 has been working really well.

We had our 14 week midwife appointment this morning. Everything looks good and is right on track. We heard a nice heartbeat. Carol had to take some more blood because one of the tests was a little wonky, so they’re doing another test. It should be fine, I’m not too worried. I don’t have another midwife appointment for 6 more weeks (20 weeks is the next one), but that will be fine because everything seems to be going so well.

We’re just getting so excited about having our little baby on the way! We don’t have any names picked out yet, but there are a few that we especially like.

Changes this week: I think I’m really starting to have a little baby bump. It really shows up after I eat dinner in the evenings. Pretty funny. I’m still very tired, but not so nauseous anymore, which is nice. I’m still having to pee several times a night and at least once an hour during the day.

Cravings this week: I finally got the Thai food that I’ve been craving from the beginning of my pregnancy. It was yummy! Mashed potatoes sound good right now…


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

13 Weeks

07/20/11

The first trimester is almost over! Saturday marks the first day of the second trimester. I’m glad to be done with the sick/tired/etc. trimester. Hopefully everything will be smooth sailing for the next few months.

This week we went to Gold Beach with Andy’s family, so that was fun. It was especially nice to not have to work Monday or Tuesday. Vacations are needed. Now to catch up on sleep, except we’re doing VBS games tonight and tomorrow night with our Middle Schoolers helping to lead. That should be fun, but I don’t think I’ll get a lot of rest. Oh well, I guess that’s what the weekend will be for.

We’ve been trying to come up with some baby names that we like! It’s kind of hard because of our last name. We basically can’t have anything that ends in “n” (like Owen, Ethan, etc.) because it sounds horrible with Pullen. We also can’t have anything like Ivy because I’m not naming a kid Ivy Pullen. Hahaha. Oh well. We’ll come up with a few that we like and narrow it down from there. We’re probably going to keep the names a secret until the baby is born as well. Sorry for all of these secrets!

It’s funny to hear people’s reactions to the fact that we’re keeping the sex a secret. It seems like people of my parents’ generation are excited about it because most of them didn’t know the sex of their babies. Younger people want us to find out, because most everyone finds out these days. We’re just excited for the biggest surprise of our lives.

We have our next midwife appointment next Wednesday, so hopefully everything will be on track and we’ll have a strong heartbeat.

Changes this week: My stomach is sticking out a little bit, especially after I eat. My belly button is starting to get flat like it was when I was growing up, so that’s funny. I’m feeling less sick by a lot, unless I eat sugar or don’t eat at all. I think I’m getting a little more energy, but still pretty tired.

Cravings this week: Sounds gross, but I’ve been wanting chicken strips/nuggets this week. Hah. And peaches. Yum!!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

12 Weeks

07/13/11

We’ve made it to 12 weeks! The rate of miscarriage from this point on is very low, so that’s encouraging! This week we broke the news to the rest of the world. We told our middle schoolers on Sunday and I told Facebook on Sunday night. It’s nice to have the news out and to not have to suck in my belly anymore. We’re almost done with the first trimester! About a week and a half left. This pregnancy is going by fast already.

The baby is now the size of a large plum or lime and is over two inches long. That’s getting crazy. It’s going to start growing really fast. It has reflexes now and is kicking up a storm. I’m very excited to be able to feel that, but it might be a long ways off still. Some people don’t feel it until later in the second trimester. I can feel my uterus getting bigger. I guess it’s the size of a cantaloupe or something now. My belly's starting to show a little bit :)

Changes this week: Morning sickness came back with a vengeance this week. I still haven’t thrown up, but this morning was close. Blech. And I’ve been absolutely exhausted, especially in the afternoon and evenings. I just get home from work and want to crash. I wish I could have naps every day, I think that would help. Oh well.

Cravings this week: Pasta and bland carbs (crackers, etc). I’ve been forcing protein down my throat because I need it and it helps with the morning sickness. But blech.

Family photos

For the week of August 18-24 Boy, with buying a house and moving and starting the kids' online school and starting my doula mentorship a...