Pregnancy Update {Weeks 21,22 & 23}

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photo-1I survived the holidays! Hallelujah!  I spent a little over 2 weeks in Canada visiting my family and friends. My entire family {on my side} was there! All the siblings and cousins. It was crazy and so much fun! And, really really tiring! I felt like the time zone change + the cold we all managed to pick up did me in! We had 3 flights home and I was utterly exhausted! I haven’t felt that tired or crummy in a long time.

In actual pregnancy news, I think I look more obviously pregnant than just straight up fat. Hooray!

Baby steps…..hardy har har.

Christmas goodies definitely made me pop. The two weeks I was home I ate like a maniac {because all food my parents make is the bomb diggity}. And, because Canada has all sorts of treats they don’t sell in the states. I had to stock up….you know, for the greater good. {Cause that makes sense—>?} I do believe my baby gained 1 full pound in the two weeks I was there. Good job mr. baby!

photo-1 copyI’ve been feeling like things are picking up steam and my belly size is turning out just like it did the first time around. HOWEVER, I was probably 20 pounds heavier at this stage of the game with my first pregnancy than this one. I attribute this to craving healthy foods and chasing after an active 3 year old…and starting at a lower pre-pregnancy weight. As of yesterday, I’ve gained 15 pounds total thus far. Hopefully I’ll land between the recommended 25-30 pound weight gain come April. I think that weight is all in my belly, love handles and boobs. Forreals. I’ve become rather top heavy. You give me a nudge and I’m down. Ask my husband. And an unfortunate salesperson at Target.

The other day I finally gave in and bought some maternity clothes from the Gap….I fit into the size 6 jeans, ya’ll!! I couldn’t believe it. Still sort of can’t. I was in 10/12’s last pregnancy! Booya. Take THAT thunder thighs! I bought the 8’s so I don’t look like a fat sausage in a small casing 2 months down the road. You’re welcome for that visual. I also got a cute dress and tunic. Yay for comfy maternity clothes 🙂

photo-1 copy 2Still debating the names. My husband doesn’t like my choices and I don’t like his. We agree on our girl names though. Ironic.

I feel thirsty a lot and try to drink as much water as I can, but that means 14 trips to the bathroom in a 2 hour period. Not cool. So, I’m hesitant to drink more than a few sips at any given time of the day.

This little boy is a mover!! I think he kicks and punches and rolls all at the same time. Perhaps he’s gotten into my psyche and has somehow managed to figure out Tae-bo?! I’m concerned on a number of levels. I asked my OBGYN about babies being too active and he laughed at me. “There’s no such thing as having a too active baby. That just means he’s really healthy. The more he moves the better.

I’m hoping he calms down in a few months so he’s not beating my insides on his way out…..yikes. As if it doesn’t hurt enough without that. #killmenow

I also had a slight heart attack this morning when looking at my calendar. The end of this month marks the beginning of my 3rd trimester!! How crazy is that?? I remember my back hurt and I was tired a lot last time around….hoping that’s not the case this time OR my husband will be doing a lot of small projects around the house without me. {Hmm…maybe I should rethink this plan?!}

Crossing my fingers we can get the majority done before baby makes his debut!

Anyways, I think that’s it for now! And, I love that so many of you are pregnant too! We can celebrate {and complain} together!

Now for my endless questions:

-Do you have any awesome creams or home remedies for stretch marks? I don’t get any on my belly, but I do get them in….other random yet slightly embarrassing places.

-What color schemes do you like for boy nurseries? I don’t like themes {i.e.- safari, nautical, etc.} but I was thinking grey, navy and a little light yellow? I’m indecisive and will probably end up painting 3 times before I get it right. {Correction: my husband will end up painting 3 times. Mwahahaha….}

 

 

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22 Responses
  1. Michelle Pelletier

    Palmer’s is the only thing that worked on my BUTT stretchmarks (since you didn’t want to say it!! Haha.) and my belly! 🙂 I used it like crazy with my first pregnancy and then totally didn’t care with my second. Oh well, I’m embracing the mom-look. You should be hella proud of yourself for being thinner the second time around. I gained 70lbs with my first pregnancy and 60lbs with my second because I had already kept the last 10lbs hanging around. Good luck, your lil’ belly is so cute! 🙂

  2. Amy

    Oh girl, you are looking ohhhh so cute!!! 🙂 I had my first lil boy on Valentine’s Day last year hehe and they are so much fun! His name is Rocco… I anxiously awaiting to see what name you guys decide on. It’s funny, cause my husband & I could not agree with a girls name but we both loved Rocco from the very beginning! I agree with you on the whole room theme. I didn’t want to do any of that either. So we went with chocolate brown, bright green & taupe. It looks great together! 🙂 Again, can’t wait to see what you throw together.

  3. Chels R.

    My little guy is almost 3 weeks and he was by far my most active baby in the womb; I have two girls aside from the little man. I was worried about the same active issues you were, and I also had to flee to the bathroom a million times too, lol! But now that he is out of me and in my arms, he is the calmest little thing ever and it takes him like an hour to work up to a cry, lol! We also couldn’t agree on boy names, except for one, so that’s the one we went with, but girl names were a cinch! And, we too, hate themed nurseries 🙂 We went with a beautiful blue gray color and embellished with browns and whites and just put things in there that we liked. I’m sure your baby’s room will be beautiful!

  4. Natalie

    Whoa! Love the new look!! (I uh, haven’t been to your blog in a while, or any for that matter. I’m a blog reading failure these days, but I’m rocking IG.) You’re too cute. When I was completely convinced my 3rd child was a boy I was going to do navy, lime, and a little orange. I like your scheme better. 🙂 good luck moving!!

  5. Carol

    Lauren,
    You’re looking so cute! My only offering here is re stretch marks. I used Keri Oil. I would put it all over my skin after a bath or shower, before I hd towelled off. It soaked right into the skin. It really helped with stretch marks….they disappeared quickly after my babies. (Which are now 19 and 15) 🙂

    You can pick it up in the bath sections of most drug stores.

    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Alpha-Keri-Shower-and-Bath-Moisture-Rich-Oil-8-fl-oz/10294283

  6. Lisa

    Our nursery is painted grey, and decorated in bright blues, oranges and greens. I love it! I used Burt’s Bees mama bed lotion and loved it!

  7. Rhiannon

    My guy has a grey/yellow nursery. There’s a REALLY cute grey/white ottoman at Target right now if you decide to go that way. Also! Not sure where in Oregon you are (Hello from SE Portland!), but there’s an incredible fabric store on E. Burnside called The Whole 9 Yards that has lovely fabrics if you need some inspiration.

  8. Rachel @ The Avid Appetite

    You look fantastic! Aren’t maternity clothes the best? I invested in some nice clothes and I will actually be sad to see them go in a few months 🙂

    As for stretch marks, I’ve been using Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter – all over…everything. Fingers crossed, I have NO stretch marks yet and I’m 36+ weeks!

    Oh and I hear you on the drinking water situation – one of my biggest symptoms through my pregnancy has been severe dry mouth. So random!

    Glad to hear you are feeling good 🙂 Can’t believe you’re already in 3rd trimester!! Cheers!

  9. Katie Lynn

    For stretch marks I would recommend Palmer’s cocoa butter with vitamin E. It stinks to high heaven, so if I bothers you The Body Shop makes a vitamin E body butter that smells kind of like roses.

    As for the thirst, I would definitely go and have my blood sugar checked at your doctor’s office. You shouldn’t have to make an appointment; just call and ask if someone can do it. If there’s a problem they’ll get you in. Extreme thirst and increased urination can be a sign of gestational diabetes (or you know, being pregnant, unfortunately). But the fact that you felt the need to mention it is kind of a red flag.

  10. Val

    Glad everything’s going well for you! : ) Stretch marks…hm…I only really got them during my first pregnancy, and they were everywhere. My stomach, my hips, my lower back, my thighs, and of course, my boobs. I had so many I almost forgot what normal skin looked like. Nothing made them go away, either – I just waited them out, and after a while they faded. Now the only way you can see them is if the light shines on them just so, and even then, it’s more like the skin just has some texture. So don’t worry too hard…they will fade. I’ve heard that putting shea or cocoa butter on them, and on other areas that are stretching but not yet marked, can help, but I never tried it. I’ve also heard that they’re genetic; if your mom got them, you probably will too. But there’s no harm in putting some stuff on your skin – at the very least, it’ll make you feel nice and soft and smooth.

    Your nursery plan sounds gorgeous too! We never did that with any of our kids…we were renting when they were born so I wasn’t terribly interested in spending money to decorate a home we didn’t actually own. Navy and yellow look fantastic together, and they’re masculine without being too overdone.

  11. Jessica

    Just a heads up on the thirst..make sure you tell your OBGYN because that ended up being a sign of my gestational diabetes. I totally controlled it by eating lower carb and it ended up not being a problem. Just an fyi. 🙂

  12. Peggy

    OH how exciting! You look so good! Not the least bit fat with such a cute baby belly! Congrats on being able to wear the size 6!!! That is such an accomplishment you ought to be proud! Boy colors? (since we are an all boy household I can do that one… currently ages 13 to 18 but we are about to enter the birthday months.) Navy with grey plus pops of yellow are nice, we used orange instead with that combo. Other combos we’ve done…. navy, white w/ orange. Red, dark grey, w/ pops of navy. Brown, parrot green, and cream. Black, white, pops of red. Black, grey, pops of orange. Navy/blues (in the form of denim patchwork quilt), cream, with pops of red & green (old flannel shirts in the quilt… it was made from the baby/toddler jeans, my husband’s old jeans, and the baby/toddler flannel shirts of our eldest two when they were little.)

    Have a wonderful month! Happy New Year!!

  13. Nicole

    For stretch marks, my friend recommended Egyptian Magic, http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=egyptian+magic&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=5995270757&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1770774683728284648&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_2cr9t6gobf_b I have been using it like crazy. You look great! I am up to 19 lbs agained! This 6th month was a big gainer! Happy New Years and here is to some exciting boys!

  14. Jennifer

    I read somewhere recently that this homemade stretch mark cream is great…wish I would have had this recipe when I was pregnant!
    http://mollysims.com/blog/post/baby-beauty-homemade-butter-for-stretch-marks

  15. Julie @ Table for Two

    I can’t believe you’re already in your 3rd trimester! Time really flies, doesn’t it? You look super cute. The sausage casings visual reminded me of NYE earlier this week when I squeezed into a sequined dress and said to Jason, “I’m like a sausage stuffed inside a casing..” so yeah, you look fabulous being pregnant!! 🙂

  16. Kathryn

    I think navy and yellow sounds like a really nice combination – maybe with a touch of grey in there too? I’m glad to hear all is going so well Lauren, you look absolutely radiant.

  17. Terri

    You are looking pretty! I had to laugh when you said you might have to paint 3 times. I did the same thing when I was 6months, my mom was helping me and by the time I was happy she had painted 3 different colors! Hope this isn’t your case though, choose wisely ! Good luck

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