20 weeks

Half way there!!! I just can not believe that we've hit the half way point. 20 weeks down, and only 20 weeks to go. I haven't been feeling too hot these last few days. I'm coming down with some sort of cold. So, I'm going to keep this a little shorter and sweeter than usual. I feel like I really shouldn't complain though. I haven't been sick with anything since we've found out we were pregnant and I've had very minimal morning sickness issues.

This week, you are about the size of a mango and weigh about 10.5 ounces, we're getting close to that one pound mark! You are swallowing more to get your digestive system ready and producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in the bowels, and will make an appearance in the first soiled diaper. I can't wait to change your first little diaper!

Symptoms: Other than this darn cold I'm fighting, nothing really new. Still the usual frequent trips to the bathroom. Little baby, you must be sitting kind of low because whenever I start on my runs, I have the urge to pee immediately. I feel like I could stop every five minutes to go to the bathroom.

Food Aversions: I think I'm just going to delete these food categories because I haven't had any stand outs.

Food Cravings: Right now, Lays is running a promotion and introduced 3 new flavors (Sriracha, Chick and Waffles, and Cheesy Garlic Bread). We've tried the first two, Sriracha was alright, but the Chick and Waffles rocked my world! Ice cream has become a regular occurrence, too. I'm going to do some homemade this weekend.

Sleep: Better than last week. Generally just waking up once during the night to go to the bathroom. I'm able to stay up a little later, too. I made it past 10 on both Friday and Saturday! Woohoo! Party animal. :)

Best moment this week: Feeling a definite kick in my stomach! I just wish it would happen more often now. (I'm sure I'll be regretting this statement in a month or so.)

Miss Anything? Raw eggs. Not by themselves, but sunny side up eggs, raw cookie dough, ceasar dressing. I wanted all of those things this week.

Movement: Yes! I felt you moving! Now I just can't wait until your kicks are a little stronger.

Looking forward to: Our ultrasound in a week! It's seriously been over 10 weeks since we've had our last one. I can't wait.

Next prenatal appointment: Ultrasound next Monday and then another doctor's appointment next Friday.

We've finally been lucky enough to get some beautiful weather over the weekend. Your dad and his friend, Paul, started installing a fence in our backyard. They spent all Saturday digging holes and putting in the posts. (Don't worry. I spent the day outside, too, working on the yard.) In two weekends, your aunts and uncles are coming down to finish putting the fence together. Your uncle Andy is going to cut all the wood himself and they'll put it up. It will be so nice to have our yard completely fenced in. Not just for you, but most importantly, for Jax. They've done an awesome job so far and I can't wait to see the finished result.

We also started our registry for you this weekend. Talk about the most overwhelming experience in the world. It is going to take lots of research to find out what we'll really need and what we probably won't use at all. I think we've got a pretty good start! We'll have to keep editing and adding items, but thankfully we've got lots of time to do that.

Workouts, 4/21 - 4/27

Sunday: 3 easy miles to the gym and back.  Worked biceps, triceps, and chest. I would like to get back in to a little bit of lifting. It felt great!

Monday: 8 miles! Yes, that's right. I ran 8 miles and I'm 19 weeks pregnant! Felt great. I got new running shoes over the weekend and I think that is one of the main reasons it felt so good.

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: 3 miles with the dog and Matt. I was planning on 5, but we just kept running into neighbors and talking. :)

Thursday: Spent the day in Chicago for work. Did some walking, but that's about it.

Friday: Rest.

Saturday: Worked outside all day today and was way to beat for a run. I blame it on being pregnant. :)

19 weeks

For this week's produce selection: You are the size of a large mango! You weigh about 8 1/2 ounces and measure 6 inches, head to bottom. Your sensory development is exploding! The brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. You may even be able to hear us by now. Time to start reading to you. :) Also, your arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of the body now, kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on the scalp is sprouting, and a waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on the skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid. I've read in some places that you look like a mango covered in cheese. *Gross.*

As you can see, that belly is growing! Honestly, today I checked myself out after getting dressed and felt like it was huge compared to the day before. Keep on growing, baby!

Symptoms: I'm still glued to the toilet! I seriously have to pee all the time. When I go for a run, I almost always have to go immediately. It's like you're bouncing up and down on my bladder as I run. :)

Food Aversions: I should just eliminate these because there still isn't really anything.

Food Cravings: Ice cream! Oh man. Now that it's starting to get warmer out, I seriously want ice cream every time. I've been craving Coke (the soda, not the drug, just to clarify) quite a bit. I definitely don't have it every day, maybe once or twice a week.

Sleep: Been pretty good. The pregnancy pillow (or Snoogle) has made it so much easier to get comfortable. However, I probably make three bathroom trips a night and am a lot lighter sleepier than usual.

Best moment this week: Seeing my belly get noticeably bigger!

Miss Anything? Sleeping on my back! I was watching your dad snooze peacefully on his back the other day and was definitely jealous.

Movement: More bubbles and such than last week, but no definite karate chop or anything like that.

Looking forward to: Feeling the first real movement! I think I just need to watch out for it a little bit more.

Next prenatal appointment: Ultrasound on May 6.

One big thing I did this weekend was to shop for some maternity clothes. I went with my friend, Gina, up to Johnson's Creek to check out what they had. I discovered one huge problem: I hate almost all maternity clothes! They are just not my style, plus they're uber expensive. I ended up deciding to just get a bunch of maternity tanks, a few different colored cardigans, and dress them up with different necklaces and scarves. Classic and I don't look like a walking pregnant bow! :)

I also found a regular few tank tops that will double as maternity tank tops because of how they're designed.

While out shopping, I picked up this book for you. I thought it was super cute and funny. Obviously a play on the classic. "Goodnight, Moon." (Which I know we'll also read to you.)

I brought it home to your dad, hoping to get a good laugh out of him, and it turns out he's never read "Goodnight, Moon!" So, he totally didn't get it. It's a good thing he has us to open his eye to the greatest American literary works. :)

Memory I don't want to forget: For part of your dad's anniversary gift, I turned a deck of cards into "52 Things I love about you." I basically wrote a different thing I loved about him on each card. Well, the other day, more than a week after I gave it to him, I asked him if he'd read them all yet and he said he hadn't. I was kind of upset! Here I worked so hard on getting these together and writing them all out, and he hadn't even read them yet! The nerve!

Well, last night, before we went to bed, I noticed him turning the page on one and just reading the next one. I asked him again if he'd read them, and he said he was reading one a day and it was something he looked forward to each night. How sweet is that?! He's the greatest husband.

Workouts, 4/14 - 4/20

Sunday: Rest day.

Monday: 7 miles! Got my long run in for the week. Felt pretty good the whole time.

Tuesday: 3 sore miles. They were slow, and my legs were sore, but I got them done. Jax and Matt came along. Pretty sure the main reason I went was because it was so nice out.

Wednesday: Off day.

Thursday: Another day off.

Friday: 4.5 miles in sunshine, turned rain, turn hail!

Saturday: Long walking day. Was having some shin issues on Friday. Got some new running shoes, so I'm hoping that helps a bit.

18 weeks

Five more months to go! Two more weeks and we're officially half way there. Time really is flying. You're about the size of a bell pepper this week, about 5.5 inches long, and weighs almost 7 ounces. You've begun flexing your little arms and legs and you've learned to yawn.

We had another OB check up this last Friday and it went really well. We had lots of different questions for Dr. Hoelzle that we were able to ask. One thing we asked was how involved Matt was allowed to be during the birth. Obviously, he'll cut the umbilical cord and be there for support, but he kind of wants to help deliver you. Dr. Hoelzle said he could definitely be "down there" helping to bring you into this world. He's such a proud papa. It makes me so happy to know how much he's going to love you. We also got to hear your little heart beat again. It never gets old. Holding steady at 150 beats.

Symptoms: The usual for me: frequent urination and needing a little bit extra sleep. I know I've said to before and I'll say it again, I'm really lucky in this department. I have noticed that I'm breaking out a little more than usual, which obviously isn't very fun, but I can deal with that.


Food Aversions: Nada.

Food Cravings: Again. Nothing.


Sleep: Sleep has been a little trickier this week. I've been waking up much more frequently with a lot on my mind and just generally uncomfortable. All the pregnancy books do say that you start to wake up a lot more and have trouble sleeping because we get so excited thinking about you and are so anxious for your arrival. I also think it's because I'm starting to get more uncomfortable sleeping. It gets hard sleeping on your side all the time. So, I got a pregnancy pillow. I've only used it one night so far, but it's heaven!

Best moment this week: Celebrating our first anniversary. I'll talk more about that and how awesome and amazing your dad is below.

Miss Anything? Nah, not really this week.

Movement: No definite signs of movement. There has been a lot more fluttery, bubbly feelings in my stomach though.

Looking forward to: The next ultrasound. Three weeks!

Next prenatal appointment: Ultrasound on May 6 and then check up on May 9.

This past week was an amazing week. Your father and I celebrated our first anniversary in Sturgeon Bay, WI. We rented a cabin on the bay for Saturday night and it was perfect. We had our own little space and were able to take Jax along with us. It would've been nice if the weather was warmer, but, in the end, that didn't matter. It was just an excellent time away to think remember how great our wedding day was and to dream about how great it's going to be once you enter our lives. We spent Saturday hiking at Potawatomi State Park, grabbing burgers at a small tavern, watching the Brewers game, and ordering pizza for dinner. It was perfect. To top it all off, for an anniversary gift you father got me a gift certificate for a pregnancy massage (you better believe I'm saving that bad boy til the third trimester) and a Brewers maternity shirt.

Here's your dad and Jax relaxing in our little cabin. Jax was so tired after the long hike on Saturday.

Here's a couple self-timer photos from right outside our cabin door. See all the snow on the ground? On April 14! Crazy. (Vain moment: I feel like I can not take a good photo for the life of me these days!)

Now I'm going to get mushy on you for just a little bit: I love your father more than anything. He is the perfect yin to my yang and knows exactly how to make me feel better when I'm upset about something. He is so loving and kind and would do anything for me, and soon for you. I would be lost without him and so lucky that he's the man in my life. He's the best husband in the world, and very soon he will be the best father in the world.

To celebrate our anniversary, we went to pick out a couple outfits to bring you home from the hospital in: one if you're a boy and one if you're a girl. It was so great to just browse at all the different baby items and think about you. He also got me a pregnancy massage as a gift. I'm soooo looking forward to cashing that bad boy in.

Girl vs Boy. Which one will you be wearing home?

Workouts, 4/7 - 4/13

Sunday: 3 easy miles outside. We spent more time stopping for Jax to explore, but it was still a great little run.

Monday: Easy walk day.

Tuesday: Another day off. Did get in a bit of an evening walk with the dog, but it was really rainy and cool most of the night. Leaving me completely unmotivated to run.

Wednesday: No workout today. Off to Chicago for the Brewers/Cubs baseball game! Game was canceled. So, we went out to a nice dinner and relaxed instead.

Thursday: 4.5 miles rainy miles

Friday: 3 miles

Saturday: Long hike at Potawatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay.

17 weeks

Alright little one. We've reached the 17 week mark. You're about 5.5 inches long, weigh more than 3.5 ounces, and about the size of my open hand! Since all these pregnancy blogs like to measure with produce, you're about the size of an onion. I guess you are most definitely listening to me now and Jax barking startles you. Don't be afraid though, he's the sweetest guy. :) It's crazy to think about you hearing everything. It's just another step that makes you more real. Also, your eyes are beginning to make movements, you're sharpening your sucking and swallowing skills, and your fingerprints are developing. What a busy week!

Symptoms: Holy heartburn! I've never really suffered from heartburn, so this is a new experience for me. Definitely not a pleasant one. I've woken up hungry like just about every single day this week. You are making me want to snack constantly! This week was a kind of hormonal week, too. I remember tearing up quite a few times over nothing in particular. I've also noticed myself getting warmer (and it's definitely not because of the weather, we're still looking for spring). I need socks off when I sleep and am more comfortable in t shirts at work.
Food aversions: I have gotten so lucky in this department. I still haven't had any specific foods making me queasy. I'll eat just about anything.
Food cravings: Mayonaise! I still haven't had any, but every day around lunch, all I can think about is a sandwich with mayo on it. So weird.
Sleep: Still really good. Sleeping on my side all the time now and waking up one or two times to go to the bathroom, but still pretty good. There was one night where I woke up about 4am and was wide awake, but just laid there for a bit and was able to fall back asleep.
Maternity clothes?  I need some tops! I've got enough pants and a few dresses, but I'm down to a few tops. I'm having such a difficult time finding maternity clothes. I feel like they're either super ugly or super expensive. I bit the bullet and order a bunch of tops online from Gap and Old Navy. Hoping I like some of them!
Best moment this week: Feeling lots of little bubbles in my stomach! I'm expecting to feel some movement sometime in the next few weeks. No solid movement yet, but lots of bubble-like feelings that I like to think are you moving around in their. I can also solidly feel my uterus. It sits right below my belly button and it's cool to feel it and think of it as your little home.
Miss anything? Fitting into regular clothes!
Next prenatal appointment: This Thursday!

I read this terrible article the other day on a pregnancy blog about how the first time you pee after giving birth is like the worst thing in the world. I guess it's super painful and you feel like your insides are all going to come out. Small price to pay for what I'm getting in the long run. :)

Our next door neighbors have three young kids, one is about 4 months old! I think it's a girl, have to double check on that one. I forget the baby's name, but it is a unique one. Anyone, whether you're a little girl or boy, I'm excited for you to have someone right next door to play with all the time.

I've mentioned this briefly, but want to talk about it a little more. I'm having a little bit of a difficult time adjusting to my changing body. Over three years ago, I lost about 50 pounds and have since been very focused on maintaining my weight. It has been great feeling so good about myself and being happy with my body. Well, now I've had to switch my mind to being ok with gaining weight and getting, let's just say softer in many different spots around my body. It has been quite the adjustment. It makes it more of a challenge to feel good about myself and to feel sexy. I'm slowly getting there. Your dad is amazing and makes me feel good about myself every single day, so that helps. I also keep reminding myself what an amazing thing my body is doing right now and to enjoy it as much as I can. I can't be too hard on myself, after all, I am growing a person in there!

Workouts, 3/31 - 4/6

Sunday: Long walk. I was so beat from the long, long weekend. It was great, but I was so tired!

Monday: 2 quick miles outside with Matt and Jax.

Tuesday: No run. We went to our first Brewers game of the season!

Wednesday: 4 miles outdoors in about 42:00 minutes. Felt great!

Thursday: 4 miles outside with Matt and Jax. It was so nice out! It was about 55 degrees and sunny. We took our time, and walked a bit, but it was wonderful.

Friday: 2 mile walk with the dog.

Saturday: 6 miles outside. This run felt great! I was really nervous about it because I haven't run this far in quite some time. But, it turned out amazing and I felt so good after. The sun even came out while I was running. :)

16 weeks

Just over 4 months! Almost half way there! Baby O is about the size of an avocado (definitely making it a little harder to hide that baby bump) and weighs about 3.5 ounces. This week: your legs are much more developed, you've started growing toenails, your heart now pumps 25 quarts of blood each day, and in the next few weeks, you'll double in weight and add inches to your length. No wonder I'm hungry ALL THE TIME! :) Apparently, bones in your ears are now developing and you can hear my voice. Maybe I should start singing to you? Except, I wouldn't want you to be afraid of me before you're even born. :)

Symptoms: Nothing really this week! Felt pretty great.
Food aversions: Real lucky in this department. Nothing really!
Food cravings: Cereal!
Sleep: Still sleep pretty good. Eight to nine hours a night with a few wake ups to go to the bathroom.
Best moment this week: Thinking about you being able to hear us. So nice.
Next prenatal appointment: April 11!

This week was a pretty great week altogether. I've been feeling less tired, the weather is slowly starting to warm up, and it feels like a baby bump has appeared over night!

Saturday, we hosted an Easter lunch and get together at our house for the McChains. It was the first time they had all been to our new house, so it was great to have everyone there. Andy and Anna came in town for the weekend too, and so did your Grandma and Grandpa Olson. All the food came together really great and we put together an Easter egg hunt for the kids. The weekend really wore me out, but it was so fun.

As a mentioned above, the baby bump is definitely starting to make an appearance. I think the most noticeable change was from Saturday to Sunday. It just looked so much bigger all of a sudden! I told your dad I wasn't sure if it was because I ate so much food the day before or if it was a growing bump. :) Keep growing, little baby, I'm so excited to be able to see that you're growing by watching my belly get bigger and bigger.

Workouts, 3/24 - 3/30

Sunday: Rest day. It was our drive home from Minneapolis day, so I decided to spend time hanging out with everyone instead of heading out for a run.

Monday: Another rest day. It was cold. I had a headache. I was tired. I know, a lot of excuses, but I just wasn't feeling it. Mondays are rough.

Tuesday: 5 miles outdoors.

Wednsday: 3 miles and what felt like 100 push ups after (pretty sure it was barely 30).

Thursday: 4 beautiful miles with Jax and Matt. The sun was shining, I had my boys with me ... It was the best run I've had in a long time. It was exactly what I needed to jump start my motivtvation.

Friday: Long walk with the dog.

Saturday: Another long walk day. We hosted a Easter lunch at our house and I ended up just getting too busy to squeeze in a run.