Bump-date: Week 34

According to my baby center app, lil man is roughly the size of a pineapple this week! Though I like to refer to him as my 30lb bowling ball these days.

Either analogy seems crazy to me since I never imagined my midsection growing so big.  What freaks me out even more is that it will still get bigger and bigger. 6 weeks or less to go!

Exercise this week:

The only thing that really feels good these days is yoga, though having that one hour a week in the pool has been absolutely lovely (even if my body is screaming afterwards). I love it because I can actually run underwater, and my whole body just floats, so when I’m in the water I feel free.

1. 1 hour water aerobics class
2. 1 hour prenatal yoga
3. 20 min prenatal yoga
4. 1 hour yoga

Favorite moment of last week:

Besides receiving TWO phone calls from the deployed hubs (typically we only talk about once a week)…and one of the phone calls was reporting that we are going to attempt to skype the birth! To clarify, the first time I may get to see my husband’s face since he deployed I will be sweating, screaming and pushing out a baby from my woman parts. LOL – I just think it will just be funny to see each other for the first time in months this way, but honestly will be so happy to see his face I don’t care how horrible I sound or look.

And the second thing that was awesome this week …was that my baby shower was an absolute BLAST!

And it wouldn’t have been so fabulous without the help of all the ladies pictured above (as well as my grandma!).

I’m going to have a post up later this week with pictures and a recap of how the shower went.

What I’m looking forward to:

Starting this week I will be seeing my doctor on a weekly basis. I’m pretty much just looking forward to what’s to come next…which is basically baby!

I have a few more baby related classes that I will attend over the next few weeks, but other than that I’m just getting things organized from the shower and will be playing the waiting game.

How I’m feeling:

The preggo pains only seem to have gotten worse in the last month. I was awoken in the middle of the night with the worst leg cramp ever! I’m also just feeling really heavy, like the weight of my 30+ pound belly is weighing me down with a lot of pressure on my pelvic area. Though this is all normal, I’m still going to report on the discomfort.

That being said, I still surprisingly have a lot of energy most days and hope that sticks around until the end. Even though sleep is still not the best, I’ve just decided that good sleep isn’t in the cards for a very very long time.

Overall:

Everything seems to be going well over here. My goal is to really get organized over the next week or two though. I would like my room completely ready for baby, as well as my hospital bags packed, and car seat installed. Once those things happen, I think I will feel good about everything.

I’m still a bit in shock that in a few weeks I will be in charge of another human being. Though I’m equally as excited to get him out of my belly and into my arms.

My Maternity Photos

It’s been interesting celebrating the growth of my belly, especially since this blog started as a place for me to document my workouts and weight loss. I will admit that I’ve rather enjoyed watching my bump get bigger each week as it means that my baby is healthy and growing.

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When I was back at Fort Bliss in January a fellow Army wife offered to snap some maternity photos for me for free as a way to build up her portfolio. Any Fort Bliss/El Paso area folks can check out the Photographic Sass  facebook.

Here are a few of my favorites that she snapped of me at 28 weeks.

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Since my return back to Boise, Idaho my brother also offered to snap a few photos of me as well, just for fun. He does his natural style photography as a hobby and absolutely loves it. If you are in the Boise area and want some photos taken he told me that you can message me for his info and he will give you a good deal.

I know the bump isn’t that much bigger at 32 weeks, but it was cool to have some photos taken in Boise too.

Sassy Mama! LOL!

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Having maternity photos taken was a lot of fun!  Obviously I didn’t post all the photos, but at least you can see a few of my favorites from each photo shoot.

Bump-date: Week 33

Exercise this week:

Who’s that girl who was complaining about not having workout mojo? Sheesh! Apparently I found my second wind last week and mainly in the form of YOGA. It’s about the only thing that my body can do these days, and probably the best thing to prep me for delivery!

1. 1 hour water aerobics class
2. 1 hour prenatal yoga class
3. 45 min walk with my blogger friend Cynthia
4. 1 hour yoga class
5. 30 min yoga session

Weight gain:

I weighed in at my appointment last week and was so ecstatic to see I had only gained 1.3 pounds in 2 weeks. I now have a total weight gain of 33.3 pounds. It appears that I’m slowing down just a little bit, which is fine by me. My biggest growth spurt was 10lbs in the month of November, which I blame on pre-deployment snacking/anxiety.

It’s a little hard to see the difference with the stripes, but when I look back at my 24 week post it’s hugely obvious that the bump is now large and in charge!

Maternity Buys:

Well as we are getting closer to the big day I have to start thinking about post baby as well as prepping my hospital bags. So this week I ended up buying a few cheap nursing tank tops to have at the hospital and afterwards, as well as a few more nursing bras. The ones I bought back in September just aren’t fitting anymore.

But speaking of packing my hospital bags…oh man I need to get on that! I’ve been sort of stashing stuff away in a suitcase, but I really need to get a checklist going and finish so I can be done with it.

What I’m looking forward to:

My baby shower!! I am so excited to see all my friends and family this weekend and celebrate our little guy. I am ready to get my “ooooh & awwww” on!

How I’m feeling:

This last week brought back the heartburn with a vengeance, though I’ve been taking Papaya Enzymes after dinner and that seems to be helping.

I’ve also just been dragging a bit. I’m perfectly content not even leaving the house these days, probably because all my clothes are fitting too tight and I’m embarrassed to wear my workout clothes as a daily outfit. Though, I’m pretty sure that is all I will be wearing over the next few weeks since it’s comfy.

What I’m missing:

Ugh, I’ve been doing so well during this pregnancy in regards to the fact that my husband is currently overseas, but these past few weeks have been the hardest.

I’m so unbelievably blessed that my Mom has been such an active part in the pregnancy (attending all my doc appointments, going to birth classes with me, and even rubbing my swollen feet when I need it), but when I see all the husbands at all these things it’s hard not to get emotional. I just miss my best friend, a lot.

Overall:

Baby boy and I have a little ways left to go, though I feel like I’m more ready than him for him to come out. I haven’t even really felt any braxton hick contractions yet, which makes me think he might be in here for awhile.

We are both doing well and I’m excited to count down the next few weeks until his arrival. It really will be here before we know it!

Bump-date: 32 Weeks

Happy 32 weeks or 8 months!

Had my Aunt not brought up the fact that I was now officially in my 8th month, I probably would have sailed right on through a few more weeks until it hit me.

Being in my 8th month is kind of an awesome feeling, as we are getting closer to the homestretch. Our little one still has a little more growing to do, and I’m just patiently awaiting for him when he decides that that he is ready.

Exercise this week:

I know we are getting closer to the end because as I mentioned last week I don’t seem to get as excited about workouts these days. I do them now because I feel like it will be helpful during delivery and post baby more than anything, but it’s still a major struggle every time to even think about dragging myself to the gym.

• 1 hour water aerobics class
• 1 hour yoga class
• 30 min yoga session

Cravings:

I haven’t touched on this much lately, but I had a major urge for Greek food! We cooked up some falafel from scratch and a batch of homemade hummus and it was honestly amazzzzing!

Oh and there were a couple days that I had to have a peanut butter, jelly and potato chip sandwich for lunch. It HAD to happen!!

Comparison:

I think it’s fun to look back and see how much we’ve grown.

It’s funny how at 17 weeks I thought I was “soooo pregnant”. And now that I see my current state it just makes me laugh.

What I’m looking forward to:

I have my 32 week check-up this week which I’m looking forward to. It’s always nice to get an update on what lil man is up to.

I will also be doing a tour of the hospital and labor and delivery area next Tuesday! It will be a nice peace of mind to see where all the magic is going to happen.

How I’m feeling:

I did a lot of complaining last week about cramps, pains, and just plain being uncomfortable. Obviously that stuff is probably here to stay until the end and I’m starting to come to terms with it.

Though it’s not say I don’t look forward to the day in which I can roll over onto my belly or walk without pain or waddling.

A really good friend of mine had her baby last week and had a great birthing experience. It gets me more excited about my birth experience to come now that I’ve talked to her. I have no idea if we’ll even have anywhere near the same experience (hers was quick and drug-free) but I’m looking forward to it more now after hearing about hers.

What I’m missing:

I miss sushi…like a lot. I’ve already warned my parents that sushi takeout shall be happening shortly after I take my baby home from the hospital.

Overall:

I felt really good this past week. My emotions seemed to be in check, and I honestly didn’t feel quite as tired as I had in weeks past. I think my body gives me a break every other week which I am thankful for.

Our little guy is still as active as ever. I’ve been playing little tricks with him like balancing a cold bowl ice cream on my belly and then I wait for him to kick me because he’s probably freezing. LOL. Okay, so I only did it once but it was quite funny. I also think it’s funny that I can now successfully balance a bowl of ice cream or even a cup of coffee on my belly while sitting down.

Everything seems to be just peachy in pregnancy land, and I’m hoping it stays that way for the next 8 weeks!

Bump-date: Week 31

I feel like the title of this post should be “Ready to Pop”.  Lol! At least that is what I felt like while taking this weeks photo.

That’s probably not a good way to feel when I know I still have 9 weeks or less to go.

Exercise this week:

My enthusiasm towards working out these days has dropped immensely. I always feel better afterwards, but getting my tired body out the door is becoming harder each and every day.

• 1 hour water aerobics class
• 1 hour prenatal yoga class
• 1 hour yoga session

My goal for working out over the next two months is to just do what I can when I feel like it. No pressure!

Baby Development:

It looks like baby is slowing down just a wee bit. As of my last appointment this past Friday he is now only measuring 1.5 weeks big.  He is healthy and growing which makes me one happy mama!

Also I will start seeing the Dr. every two weeks now. And once we get close enough, it will turn into weekly visits.

What I’m looking forward to:

I start my baby preparation classes tomorrow and I couldn’t be more excited! I signed up for a four week class called Intuitive Birth.

A unique approach to prepare for childbirth blending components of the ancient practices of yoga and meditation with contemporary childbirth education models. This unique class series will help you cultivate a closer connection to your body and your growing baby. You will learn about the anatomy and physiology of normal birth, how to support the vision of your own childbirth experience, and techniques that will not only help you through labor, but will help reduce the effects of stress on the body to provide an optimal growing environment for your baby.
Learn to create your own positive powerful birth experience by cultivating awareness of your body’s amazing innate ability!

It sounds like it will be the perfect blend of birth education, yoga, and even some spiritual work. I’ll be sure to report how it goes.

How I’m feeling:

I’m starting to notice some swelling in my legs and feet a bit. I could really tell when I was trying on some of my favorite comfy shoes and they fit a bit too tight. Looks like I need to go shopping, because as I’ve heard, your feet can grow during pregnancy.

My emotions have been a bit higher this week than usual. A few random cry fests, but those are typical after hearing the sound of J. Alabama’s voice after it’s been while from hearing from him.

Also I’ve started to have real trouble flipping over from side to side at night. I get stuck on my back and feel like a turtle stuck on it’s back. Which actually makes me laugh to think about that visual. Then I want to cry because it takes all my ab muscles to flip over which is pretty painful.

What I’m missing:

Though I’ve lost a lot of my exercise mojo, I still miss running and cross fitting so much. A friend told me about a great program in the Boise area called Stroller Strides which is a program that incorporates working out/running/walking etc with your baby in the stroller. Hearing about this program has calmed my exercise blues a bit, as it gives me something to look forward to post baby.

Also, I just miss J. Alabama. 😦  It’s not going to work out for him to be here for the birth, which breaks me heart, but I kind of knew that all along. Though he will be getting one awesome welcome home present when all is said and done…a son!

Overall:

Baby and I are sharing a room at my parent’s house while I’m in Idaho, and I’ve been busy busy get our stuff situated.

I’m keeping myself super busy, which results in one tired Linzi by the end of the day. I’ve noticed a lot more random aches, pains, leg cramps in the middle of the night and the waddling is as it good as it gets in the walking department.

Of all the trimesters, this one is definitely wearing me down a bit. My  spirits are still good and I remind myself that each day that passes is one more day closer to the day I get to meet the little guy. Which makes it all worth it in the end!

Bump-date: Week 30

10 weeks or less…what?!!!

I know, I know…every week it seems I’m in shock of how time flies, but seriously friends I am under the 3 month mark. I mean last I heard baby boy was measuring 2 weeks ahead, so he could be here in 2 months for all I know!

Exercise this week:

Ahh! The weather gods were smiling down on me when I got back to Boise this past weekend. We had temps reaching almost 60 degrees which was perfect for a hike that my bro and I ventured out on.

It was so nice to get lost in the foothills for almost two hours taking in the fresh Boise air and warm sunshine after being in the car for four long days driving from Texas to Idaho!

• 1 hr 45 min hike through the Boise foothills [GLORIOUS!]
• 1 hour yoga session

Weight Gain:

Well it’s obvious that some changes are going on. I almost don’t even recognize myself.

I hit the 30 lb mark last time I checked, which seems a bit high knowing I have a few months left. I think it’s going straight to my belly and face…eeek! But it’s fun to see the difference between the 15 week bump and the 30 week bump and good to know that the lil one is growing (he weighs almost 3 pounds himself).

Best Moment This Week:

Non-pregnancy related but still awesome! Awww….. J. Alabama had these delivered on Saturday in honor of Valentine’s day. He knew I would be on the road during the week, so they were waiting for me when I got home from my hike.  ❤

What I’m looking forward to:

Next week I’m starting a 4 week yoga/meditation course that my mom is teaching! It’s going to be heavy on the prenatal yoga and relaxation which sounds just perfect right now.

How I’m feeling:

I was so worried about all the hours driving in the car last week, but our 4 day road trip treated me pretty well. We took lots of breaks, and split the 24 hour drive into 4 days which also helped.

And the best tips of all for any pregnant ladies that are going to be in a car for a long period of time are these…

1. wear compression socks
2. bring a small pillow for your back
3. wear a belly band along with your maternity ware as it provides extra support for the belly

These three things saved my life! I was not swollen, I didn’t suffer from ligament pain like I thought I would, and that pillow saved my back!

And I thought I would be exhausted from all the traveling, but honestly it didn’t wear me out too much. It helped that I had an awesome travel companion [my mom]!

Overall:

I’ve been transitioning back to Idaho pretty well! As I mentioned the nice warm weather was huge surprise considering when I left in Jan it was snowy, grey and freeezing.

Now it’s time to really get into nesting mode over here. I’ve got a lot of stuff to organize and buy in preparation for our little guy.

My energy levels are great and besides some sporadic back pain after sitting for too long I feel pretty good.

It feels good to be back here in the land of potatoes and to begin getting settled again. As I mentioned before I will have the baby in Boise and stay here for the remainder of the deployment. We are already a good bit of the way through, so I know that this trip home is going to feel like it flew right on by.

Pinterest Inspired Nursery Projects

As promised here is a little more in depth look at some of the projects that have been keeping me busy over the last few weeks.

Chicken wire bulletin board:

Our movers managed to break this mirror in the great move from Georgia to Texas and after a quick scour of Pinterest I found this pin and knew it would be simple transformation.

All you need for this project:

• A frame
• Spray paint in your desired color
• Chicken wire
• Wire cutters
• Staple gun

Night table transformation:

• 

This little guy was collecting dust and had honestly seen better days. I knew a little  paint and contact paper would do the trick. And boy did it – I’m in love!

All you need for this project:

• Sandpaper
• Primer
• Paint in desired color
• Contact paper (purchased this from Marshalls)

DIY: Sand down the table, give it a coat of primer, slap on a few coats of paint, and cover some of the wood with contact paper for a little pop. Easy peasy!

Lamp Makeover:

I already wanted to buy new matching bedside lamps for our master bedroom, so I was more than ready to give this guy a new home in the baby room. Especially due it’s small size.

All you need for this project:

• 1/2 yard or yard of desired fabric (depending on lampshade size/shape)
• Spray paint for base
• Hot glue gun

Since my lampshade was this awkward shape I found this PIN that helped me through the lampshade makeover.

I found this project to be my least favorite in both the outcome and the tediousness. Though I think if I had used a lamp with a more round lampshade it would have been a little bit easier.

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I really enjoyed taking on these projects and seeing them come to life in the baby’s room. And I think I can officially call myself crafty!

Baby Boy Nursery

I’m super excited to share with you the most up to date version of our little guy’s nursery!

I’ve been working on it over the last few weeks, and though I can’t say that it is completely done (we still need a glider, a crib skirt, and I hope to fill in some of the blank wall above the crib with a few newborn photos), it’s as done as it’s going to be for awhile.

I am so happy with how all the colors (dark blue, grey, and gold) and stripes and chevron patterns have come together – especially with that striped wall!

I’ve seriously had a blast working on the baby nursery over the last few weeks. I think the best feeling is that I was able to incorporate a lot of DIY projects inspired from pinterest of course. Tomorrow you will get a post highlighting all the DIY projects from this room!

Also, this nursery has not cost me a whole lot of money either. I’ve been very conscious of things we already had around the house and ways to do this room on the cheap and I’m happy with the results!

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Crib: Million Dollar Baby 4-in-1 Crib (Post Exchange)

Since we already owned a dresser in natural wood that would work perfectly as a dresser/changing table I knew that getting a natural crib was what I wanted. I was happy to find this crib at the PX and it also has a drawer on wheels underneath for added storage!

Curtains: Blue burlap chevron curtains (Hobby Lobby)

I was instantly in love with these curtains partially because of the chevron print, but I also liked the rustic burlap material. It seems to go well with the room. And I scored by using a 40% hobby lobby coupon per panel which saved me $26!

Dresser/Changing table:  We already owned this

Chevron night stand: A yard sale find…a little paint and contact paper love was all it needed

Striped lamp: Another previously owned item that received a little face lift

Blue chicken wire frame: A broken mirror turned into a chicken wire bulletin board!

Natural wood floating shelves: Target

Giraffe: Marshall’s clearance rack. This little guy stole my heart and I knew his crazy blue stripes would be a fun addition to the room.

Wood Letters: Hobby Lobby. I purchased the J-A-Y letters and used spray paint to give them a little color.

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At first I was very overwhelmed with baby boy’s room being pinterest perfect. Since I slowly started to piece the room together I realized it could still fit my vision without all the frills.

And as you can see, besides the paint for the room, the crib, curtains and a few decorative pieces I was able to really pull this room together and on a budget! WIN-WIN!

The biggest thing I got out of this project was a sense of accomplishment, a lot of crafting skills I never knew I possessed, and a fun time.

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I intend to add more photos of J. Alabama, the baby once he is born and other fun keepsakes to the chickenwire bulletin board. But for now it remains a bit bare.

Bump-date: Week 29

Well tomorrow is Valentine’s day after all, and I have nothing but love for this little guy in my belly!

He’s getting bigger and bigger everyday and so am I! This week has been a little better in the discomfort department, but I’m sure I will have lots to report next week after four days of riding in a car.

Exercise:

I was in desperate need of yoga in my life, and was able to squeeze in two yoga sessions before I left El Paso on the great move back to Idaho.

Baby Development:

I hit up my last baby appointment at the Fort Bliss hospital on Wednesday.  Baby Boy’s heartbeat is good, and no surprise he’s still measuring BIG!

Best Moments This Week:

I mentioned last week that I was looking forward to a special visitor.

I’ve had an absolute blast all weekend showing my mom around Fort Bliss and the El Paso area. She flew down to help drive with me back to Idaho for the remainder of the deployment.

We explored the El Paso Saturday Artist’s Market, hit up a play at the El Paso Play House, ate lunch at the Hoppy Monk, checked out Fort Bliss and the Old Fort Bliss Replica and even had time to do some art projects for the baby’s nursery.

I also mentioned last week that I was going to my first prenatal massage! Oh my gosh, best thing ever! It wasn’t the kind where they have the belly hole in the table, but it was 1.5 hours of relaxation and pure awesomeness. I recommend prenatal massage to any of my pregnant friends out there. It was so fabulous!

What I’m looking forward to:

As I mentioned I am moving back to Idaho, and as we speak am on the road. I’m looking forward to getting back settled in Idaho. There is still lots to do since I’ve kind of been in transition between there and here. So once I get back to Idaho, I can start in my the Idaho nesting mode!

Overall:

It’s been a bit of a crazy week packing up and getting things squared away for the move. I have been hard at work getting our nursery as done as it can be, so when I do come back it will be ready for the baby and I.

Tomorrow will be the photo reveal of what I’ve done!

I’m still feeling relatively well, just having more back pain and soreness that all comes with pregnancy. I’m excited to get back to Boise though and get on a more consistent workout schedule (water aerobics and yoga) as I know those two exercises have done wonders for me thus far.

I hope you all enjoy the Texas Nursery reveal tomorrow as well as post that will follow on some of the DIY projects I have been working on. It’s been a lot of fun, and definitely kept me busy over the last few weeks.

Deployment & Life Update

I feel kind of feel bad for announcing J. Alabama’s deployment awhile back and then sort of leaving you in the dark after that. There were obviously many reasons for that… OPSEC (Amy said it best), my personal safety while I was staying alone in Texas, as well as the idea of putting my emotions out on the internet about this delicate situation kind of scared me.

I can happily say that we are now a few months into the deployment, and I’m a bit shocked at how quickly it feels like its going.

I’m not going to say that it’s been easy, because it hasn’t at times. But I’ve also handled myself emotionally way better than I thought a pregnant woman living alone with her husband at war could.

I think it has also helped knowing that the living alone part was only temporary, as my parent’s have graciously invited me to live with them during the deployment. Seriously the best idea ever especially since I will have the little guy at the end of April.

I have made many efforts to connect with people at Fort Bliss, get involved with the FRG & other organizations and even tried looking for a job, but these types of things take time. And with my ever growing belly and the shorter timeline of baby coming I knew being around my family in a comfortable environment and with their help would be the smartest choice for many reasons. So with that I’m making the move back to Idaho until J. Alabama returns.

Since making this decision I’ve felt more at ease with the idea of deployment. Most likely because I’m now not just sitting by myself counting the months, weeks, days and hours until his arrival. I’m going to be surrounded by family, friends, and an already connected social calendar when I get home to help the time fly a little bit quicker.

The hardest part about the deployment for me is not being able to tell  my husband everything that is going on. Our contact with each other is very random, and it may be days between a single email, or weeks between calls. So by the time I get to talk to him my pregnancy brain kicks in and I have to remember all the fun and important stuff to tell him in a short amount of time. We have not been able to skype yet, but I periodically send him pics of the baby bump so he can still be a part of this pregnancy experience.

Being around other military wives has helped me to sort of feel better about this situation, as we are all going through a similar experience. But at times it also makes me even sadder because it’s sort of looming over all of us here. Being back home around family and friends is uplifting because it feels like I’m on vacation or something. Though at times it can be tough too because I don’t think everyone can quite relate to what I’m going through.

All in all, I would say that I am blessed to have a huge support network of family and friends wherever they live! I know I’ve got my Mil-spouses to call on when I need to talk military, and I know I’ve got the comfort of my family to keep my spirits up too.

I knew deployment wasn’t going to be easy, especially with a baby on the way. But so far I’d say I’m doing better than I thought I would be. Also I’m just happy that we are a chunk of the way through!