20 Weeks – Halfway There!

Really can’t believe I’m halfway through this!  Time has been flying by except for this week.  I’m so anxious for Friday’s ultrasound, it’s unreal.  Baby C better cooperate and show the goods or else this kid is in a serious timeout when he/she finally gets here.

This week was not as a good as the previous one…I’m stressed about the weight gain, worrying about delivery because of my scoliosis issues, freaking out since I haven’t felt Baby C move much, which led to me thinking that Baby C is not growing and is still very small blah blah blah.  Well at least one of those concerns was alleviated today…Baby C was definitely moving and grooving while I was sitting at my desk and even when I went out for break to pick up more snacks.  The other issues I’ll have to discuss with my doctor on Friday.

How far along?: 20 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Cantaloupe…what???  I feel like that’s a huge jump compared to a mango.   Or maybe the cantaloupes in my grocery store are just extra large.

Total weight gain/loss:  +10-12 pound range

The Bump: Filling out maternity shirts more, so it’s definitely getting bigger.

Symptoms: Some back aches but not horrible.  And I hate to say this, but I’m already noticing I’m having a harder time getting out of bed.  Of course the Snoogle situation doesn’t help.  Also I have puffy fingers after I work out – it goes away pretty fast, though.

Food Cravings:  Sweets.  And chips.  Luckily I was introduced to the Special K Cracker Crisp things so I don’t feel as guilty about indulging in chips.  SO GOOD.   

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.

Sleep: Decent.  I wake up more during the night but can usually fall asleep right away. 

What I miss:  Being able to run on the treadmill.  I was able to jog for about two minutes in the middle of my power walk yesterday.

Weddings Rings On or Off: On

Any Names Picked Out Yet:  No new ones discussed or thought of this week.

Movement: Baby C finally was moving around for a couple few hours today off and on…hoping it gets more and more constant this week! 

Maternity Clothes: Starting to wear more of my maternity shirts as some of my regular shirts are not really long enough anymore without looking ridiculous. 

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: Not really baby related…but I bought an iPhone!  If you know me, you will realize how big of a deal this is since it’s my first ever smartphone.  I know, I know, I’m slightly behind. 

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: OMG FRIDAY!

Halfway Mark Picture:

And what I wore to work…polka dot blouse from Motherhood Maternity Outlet (and also wore a white non-maternity cardigan over it), black maternity dress pants from Target:

Monday Musings – Preggo Thoughts

Ever since we announced we were expecting, there have been a few things that people have to said to me that have rubbed me the wrong way, but I’ve learned to just brush those comments off.  However, the single most thing that has bugged me so far is when someone say to me “you’re not even showing yet!”.  Sigh.  This is the LAST thing a preggo lady wants to hear.  Sure, I bet I’ll be complaining at 35 weeks to not tell me “oh my gosh, you’re huge, I can’t believe you’re not due for another month!”  But for right now, at least pretend I’m showing or don’t say anything at all. 

Granted, this was a few weeks ago before the bump was really noticeable.  However, I thought I started showing at like 11 weeks.  I was bloated, none of my pants fit, and my shirts were getting tighter.  So I just assumed that everyone else could tell, too.  Looking back at pictures, I understand why it didn’t look like I was truly showing then.  Though, it made me wonder if people just always thought I had that big of a tummy?  I wasn’t small to begin with, but seriously!  It was much flatter before I hit the 10 week mark.  

But even just last week, I’ve had people say “I still can’t tell”.  Please don’t tell that to my face.  Tell me “you look great!”  or “I love that new shirt!” or just lie if you have to.  First, it’s so awkward to come back with something to that statement.  So far, I’ve said “oh, it must be what I’m wearing”.  And second, in my preggo mind I MOST CERTAINLY DO have a bump!  At this point since I haven’t felt Baby C moving much, the bump is really the only sign I have of my pregnancy right now besides the weight gain.  And you telling me I’m not showing makes me feel like a huge fat whale instead of a cute pregnant lady.

RANT OVER!  I’m sure there will be more of these to come… :)  And because I hate posting without a picture, here’s a happier Monday Musing:

Source: femailcreations.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

Valentine’s Day Inspiration

I’ve never been a fan of Valentine’s Day in any of my single/dating/married chapters of my life.  I’m a firm believer that you should show appreciation and love throughout the year and not on just one random day in February.  But that’s a whole other story… :) 

However, I have found a bunch of cute ideas on Pinterest for Valentine’s Day goodies…and maybe I’m liking this holiday a little more now.

First, some fun cupcakes:

Source: marthastewart.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: domesticexecutiveonline.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

And how about something healthy:

Source: bestfriendsforfrosting.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

A cute idea for dinner:

Source: onecharmingparty.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Or maybe something sweet for breakfast instead:

Source: alittletipsy.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

And some treats to share:

 

Source: glamour.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: bettycrocker.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Hmmm that Chex Mix looks pretty good right now…I may be inspired to make some of this and bring it to work for snacks.  If I don’t throw in too many M&M’s, it’s “healthy”, right?  :)

Recipe Review – Chicken Enchilada Pockets

Another food blog I check out frequently is Dashing Dish.  She has some great ideas for smaller dishes, desserts, and appetizers.  I wanted to see if any of her recipes could work for a dinner meal so I decided to try the Chicken Enchilada Pockets.  As I was gathering the ingredients, I didn’t realize how similar the mixture is to the Creamy Chicken Taquitos I make.  I knew these would be a hit with Hubby :)

After reviewing the ingredients needed, I decided to do more of a “taco” mixture instead of the enchilada recipe.  Instead of enchilada sauce, I used salsa, and instead of enchilada mix, I used our Wildtree Taco Seasoning.  I also used four wedges of the Chipotle Laughing Cow cheese instead of regular cream cheese.  And last but not least I also added in about 1/3 cup of rinsed black beans. 

The end result was really, really good – the chicken and cheese mixture with flaky crescent rolls is perfect together.  The issue I had was trying to fill the rolls before baking.  I guess I forgot how small crescent rolls are, so you really can’t fit that much in them.  I got frustrated with the last 4 rolls so I decided to combine two of the rolls together to make a larger piece.  Hence the “monster” pockets I ended up with :)  We each had a monster pocket and a regular one and I was stuffed afterwards. 

Next time I would probably end up buying the larger crescent rolls that I saw in the grocery store or continue to go with my method of just combining two regular rolls together.  Also, I would shred the chicken instead of chopping so it’d be easier to fill with the rest of the mixture.  These will definitely be going into our rotation – 9 out of 10!

19 Weeks

So I went to Target today during lunch (typical) and I wasn’t wearing my winter jacket since it was in the 50’s today.  As I’m walking in, I noticed a few teenage boys sitting on the bench near the entrance.  They whistled at a girl who was walking in front of me.  Want to know what they said as I walked by?  “Knocked uppppp….”.  Yes, thank you boys, I am in fact KNOCKED UP.  It did me laugh a little on the inside but I didn’t smile to acknowledge I heard what they said.  While it was obnoxious, there is a positive side to this story because it officially means I look preggo to strangers.  I mean if teenage boys can tell, who can’t? 

On another note, I've been feeling great since my last recap.  Energetic, motivated, and no pains or aches this week.  My bubble got burst when I weighed myself this AM, though.  I think I’ve officially gained the first 10.  I’ve been staying steady with 8-9 the past few weeks.  It’s hard to tell if I’m on track as some websites say you should gain 5-10 pounds by week 18 and others state less than that.  And what’s most frustrating is that I walked on the treadmill twice since Saturday and I’ve been counting calories to keep on track with meals (don’t worry, I add on an additional 350 to what I normally eat to make sure Baby C gets enough food).  I’m just hoping the number on the scale continues to slowlyyyyy go up instead of a huge jump happening. 

How far along?: 19 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Mango!  Which reminds me, I need to go to Trader Joe’s tomorrow to buy some frozen mango and other fruit for smoothies.

Total weight gain/loss:  +10-12 pound range

The Bump: Recognized by strangers this week!

Symptoms: First week I’ve felt AMAZING. 

Food Cravings:  Nothing in particular. 

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nothing new.

Sleep: Pretty good, the Snoogle helps a lot with back support.

What I miss: Nothing in particular.  Though a hot chocolate with Bailey’s would have been nice when it snowed on Saturday.

Weddings Rings On or Off: On

Any Names Picked Out Yet:  No new ones discussed or thought of this week.

Movement: More pokes, no constant movement yet. 

Maternity Clothes: I went through my ENITRE closet over the weekend, tried on everything, and re-arranged so only the bottom rod in my closet has maternity stuff/stretchy non-maternity shirts on it now.  Looking back, this is something I should have done a couple weeks ago as a few items definitely do not fit now.  Time to get the most use of my regular clothes while I can!

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: No specific moment…this was an overall really good week!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: February 3rd!

19 Week Pic:

What I wore to work…cardigan from Talbot’s, maternity lace tank from JCPenney, tan maternity pants from Target (which are on clearance now GRRRR), and skinny gold belt from NY&Co.  Don’t think I can wear that cardigan anymore without the bottom buttons popping open :)

Monday Musings

A little party inspiration + one of my all-time favorite books:

Source: hwtm.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
In the great green room
there was a telephone
and a red balloon
and a picture of...
The cow jumping over the moon
And there were three little bears sitting on chairs
And two little kittens and a pair of mittens
And a little toy house and a young mouse
And a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush
And a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush"
Goodnight room goodnight room
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light and the red balloon
Goodnight bears goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens and goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks and goodnight socks
Goodnight little house and goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb and goodnight brush
Goodnight nobody goodnight mush
And Goodnight to the old lady whispering "hush"
Goodnight stars goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere

Source: hostessblog.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

Weekly Menu 1/23/12-1/29/12

Monday 1/23 – Southwestern Pizza w/Black Beans & Corn

Tuesday 1/24 – Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Wednesday 1/25 – dinner party with the girls!

Thursday 1/26 – out w/friends

Friday 1/27 – Ranch Chicken Wraps

Saturday 1/28 – Grilled Cheese Rolls and Tomato Bisque

Sunday 1/29 – Turkey Burgers and salad

Techy Stuff

I opened my email this morning and saw an announcement from Picnik that they’re closing.  CLOSING?!  Ughhh I literally just learned how to use this amazing, FREE, photo editing service like a couple months ago.  It’s what I currently use to edit my weekly preggo pics, among some of my food photos that need re-touching.  I guess I can’t complain that much since it was free (I never purchased the premium features), but now it’s back to learning a new program all over again.

A long time ago I downloaded PhotoScape after hearing recommendations for it on some blog I followed.  This is another free service and does get the job done, however I don’t find it as user-friendly.  I think I’ll get hang of it after messing around with the editing features (and if I actually read the Help section for once).  Maybe it’s time to invest in actual photo editing software?  Not sure if I want to spend a ton of money on it, though…

And on a more funny note…I legit LOL’ed when I found this on Pinterest yesterday:

Source: badgerhut.wordpress.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

 

I think my complaint for this AM fits well into these other “problems” :)

Recipe Review – Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Prevention RD is a new food blog I have been following lately.  I really like this blog, as she contains the nutritional info for each recipe and it also seems like she tries to include a lot of veggies in the dinner entrees.  I decided to make the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese based on this amazing picture:

image source

Seriously, how creamy does that cheese sauce look?!  That’s exactly how I like my macaroni and cheese…the cheesier and creamier, the better! 

Well I followed her recipe almost exactly…I changed the cheeses she used to include only sharp cheddar made with 2% milk.  Maybe it was the change of the cheese, but this was not what I was expecting.  I tasted too much squash and not enough cheese.  Hubby liked it, though, and said he liked this version better compared to a sweet potato mac & cheese I made last year.  I’m still not sure about this new version.  I may need to decrease the amount of squash next time, but then doesn’t that defeat the purpose?  I think I’ve given up on doing a “healthy” mac & cheese and have to just indulge once in a while and keep experimenting with non-veggie versions. 

Here’s my version:

Yeah, definitely not as creamy.  I would rate this a 6 out of 10…I’m willing to make it once more to see if the second time comes out better!

18 Weeks

These weeks are just flying by – how did I get to 18 already?!  I feel more and more pregnant every day.  I’m out of breath after walking up the stairs at work (I was huffin and puffin a little before but now it feels like I ran a marathon once I get to the third floor).  Smells are driving me insane…like the leftover minestrone soup I just had.  It tastes good but the smell makes me queasy.  And I’m filling my maternity shirts out more.  I felt like I did an abs workout the other day (which I definitely did not!), so I’m assuming I’m going to really pop any day now.

On another note, I ordered some more books from Amazon.com relating to pregnancy/baby, so I’m slowly reading through them.  The one I love the most so far is The Pregnancy Countdown Book.  I’ve caught myself up to Week 18, so I can’t review the entire book yet but so far it’s great.  First, I LOVE countdowns.  Second, this book is FUNNY.  It’s down to earth, includes some medical info but keeps it short and to the point, and includes real-mom advice.  The part that has struck me the most so far is the fact that you’re always “waiting” during your pregnancy.  Waiting for the first positive pregnancy test, waiting for the first appointment, waiting to hear the first heartbeat, see the first ultrasound, feel the first kick,  etc, etc.  It’s so true!  It’s not a long book - I actually wish each “chapter” contained some more info.

image source courtesy of Amazon.com

How far along?: 18 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Sweet potato…mmmm love sweet potatoes!

Total weight gain/loss:  +8 to 10 pound range

The Bump: Getting bigger every day

Symptoms: Achy.  Belly stretching and back aches, but nothing too uncomfortable.

Food Cravings:  Mexican food.  Chocolate.  Cheese.  But nothing crazy where I want to mix everything together :) 

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Leftovers…yuck.  I can eat them but the smell is blehhh.

Sleep: Not bad…I actually slept through one whole night without having to get up to pee!!!

What I miss: Nothing in particular. 

Weddings Rings On or Off: On

Any Names Picked Out Yet:  No new ones discussed or thought of this week.

Movement: More pokes…hard to tell if they’re kicks, though.  It’s not constant yet, either.

Maternity Clothes: Wearing more and more of the maternity wardrobe…I’ve tried wearing non-maternity sweaters/shirts but some are too short and not flattering.  And it’s a good thing I use the treadmill at home because my work tank-tops will not be covering the belly soon.  Besides, I figure I might as well get my money’s worth with the new clothes I bought! 

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling more pokes…it freaks me out when I’m sitting at my desk but I love it.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: February 3rd!

18 Week Pic:

 

What I wore to work…maternity dress from Motherhood Maternity Outlet ($19 on sale), maternity leggings from Old Navy

Monday Musings

Story of my life:

Source: tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Weekly Menu 1/16/12 – 1/22/12

 

Monday 1/16 – Taco Salads (yes, a repeat from last week…what can I say, I love Mexican lately)

Tuesday 1/17 – Leftover soup from Sunday

Wednesday 1/18 - Butternut Squash Risotto (mix from Stonewall Kitchen)

Thursday 1/19 – Crispy Chicken w/Cream Sauce & Bowtie Pasta (inspired from here)

Friday 1/20 – Homemade Hamburger Helper

Saturday 1/21 - Chicken Enchilada Pockets

Sunday 1/22 - Tortellini with Veggies

Damn Cats

Hi.  My name is Maggie.  And while I may look cute and innocent, I’m far from it.  My newest obsession?  Pushing full glasses of drinks off Mom’s nightstand.  It’s my favorite new hobby.  I love watching it spill everywhere and the best part is I never have to clean it up!  I’m just preparing Mom and Dad for all the messes they will have to pick up once Baby C gets here ;)

Babymoon!

Wicked excited because earlier this week we officially booked our “babymoon”!  A lot of people have asked me what a babymoon is – check out Wikipedia for their official definitions.  It’s usually one of two things – you want to take a last vacation as just the two of you before you’ll be doing family vacations for a longggg time or the other common meaning is when a couple goes on a romantic vacation…and a baby may be a result of it.  Since Baby C is already cookin’ we are clearly doing the “last vacation as the two of us before baby comes” thing.

I’ve been wanting to travel to the West Coast for a long time and I even added it as an item on my 101 in 1001 list.  A few friends have recommended various spots in California to visit, so we decided now would be the time to check it out.  We went with San Diego as the city to visit.  The weather should be in the high 60’s by the time we go, so hopefully it will be perfect weather.  I bought a few dresses at the Motherhood Maternity outlet over New Year’s weekend, which I’m excited to be able to finally wear. 

I really cannot wait to go…seriously, how gorgeous does this city look?

Source: google.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

I love all the marinas, bays, and little islands that compose the outer edges of the city.  The hotel we agreed upon is called Humphries Half Moon Suites and is located on Shelter Island, about 5 minutes away from the airport.  The reviews on TripAdvisor are pretty good, it’s tropical themed (very Hawaii like) and it’s reasonably priced, especially compared to some of the other area hotels.  We never are really concerned with how “nice” a hotel is – as long as it’s clean and the bed’s comfy, it’s good enough for me!  However, since the rooms are priced on the off-season rates, we went with a suite that will have a marina view. 

I’m looking forward to checking out some of the top touristy places, like the San Diego Zoo:

Source: sandiegozoo.org via Emily on Pinterest

 

And doing an Old Town Trolley Tour:

This way we can do a Petco Ballpark tour, walk through the Gaslight Quarter and maybe check out one of the beaches.  I still need to research some other places to check out. We will be there for about 4 1/2 days (we fly back on a red eye late Monday night) so I don’t want to pack in too much to do, but I also don’t want to spend a ton of time at the hotel either. 

The only thing I’m nervous about is the flight time.  I’ve dealt with long flights before (hello Japan!) but obviously not while pregnant.  I’ll still only be about 5 months along so I don’t think I’ll be huge yet (unless I have a serious growth spurt in the next few weeks).  My doctor okayed the trip and said I should be fine as long as I get up to walk around every so often.  Shouldn’t be a problem since I usually need to pee every two hours :) 

17 Weeks

This past Sunday we headed to our local Babies R Us to start our registry.  My goal was to do only a couple sections to start, so we wouldn’t stress out over anything.  We actually ended up picking more items then I thought we would, including some of the big things, like the pack and play, the stroller traveler system, the swing and the video monitor. 

The hardest part was choosing the stroller and car seat.  There are many options to consider and there’s only so much they tell you at the store.  We figured just going with the traveler system would be easiest, but I knew I wanted a stroller that was easy to maneuver in stores and had good storage, and unfortunately the traveler system strollers tend to be less compact.  I was deciding between two Graco models and finally decided on one by the time we left.  However, once I got home and started researching more, I saw tons of reviews on Babies R Us and Amazon on how the system is good but the stroller is big and bulky.  I didn’t think it seemed that bad when testing it in the store, but that was the number one complaint people had.  So I did a lot more research over the weekend and found another model that Chicco makes which gets really good reviews.  It’s actually cheaper on Amazon, so I added that to our registry as I decided to register for a few other items there, as well.   I was able to check out the system in person today as Babies R Us sells different color versions of it.  Here’s the system – it also worked out that we like these colors better anyway:

image courtesy of Amazon.com

It’s frustrating that after so many years, all these companies still can’t make the “perfect” stroller/carseat/etc???  Haha, I guess it’s just hard to please everyone.  I have to also remember to take these reviews with a grain of salt, as I tend to not be as picky as some people can be about things.  Though, I think doing research is worth it, because I came across the same issue with trying to find a diaper bag.  I went during lunch today to Babies R Us to check out their stock and I found a messenger style I LOVED.  However, once I checked the reviews again, everyone said that the zippers and seams in the bag fall apart after only a few months of usage.  This was a very common complaint so I decided not to go with that style.  That meant more research on Amazon and I finally found this style that I really like and that others recommend.  It’s more of a purse than a diaper bag!  The size is deceiving, it’s a lot bigger than it looks:

image courtesy of Amazon.com

 

How far along?: 17 weeks

Baby is the size of a: onion

Total weight gain/loss:  +8 to 10 pound range (though, at the doctor’s office last week it was closer to +12…I’m going to stick with the home scale numbers for now) 

The Bump: Oh it’s there! 

Symptoms: Getting hungry/nauseous in the early AM again which means I have to snack on a few Wheat Thins to tide me over until I eat my oatmeal at work.  Sense of smell has gotten out of control, as well.  Some back pain, but not bad yet.

 Food Cravings:  Nothing in particular.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: The butternut squash mac & cheese I made the other day…it was really good but the smell of the leftovers bothered me after. 

Sleep: WEIRD dreams.  I had a horrible nightmare last week (not baby-related).

What I miss: Some of my old dress pants.  Not a fan of wearing the same 3 pairs of work pants over and over again. 

Weddings Rings On or Off: On

Any Names Picked Out Yet:  No new ones discussed or thought of this week.

Movement: Definitely some flutters and pokes, but no kicks yet :(

Maternity Clothes: Maternity pants or leggings every day.  Mixture of tops.

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: Starting the registry…it was good to at least get a jump on it.  And hearing Baby C’s heartbeat at our follow-up appt last week – it’s just reassuring that everything sounds good.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: 20 week ultrasound scheduled for February 3rd…if Baby C cooperates, we find out the gender!!!

17 week picture:

 

What I wore to work…maternity sweater from Target (on clearance for $13) and maternity dress pants from Target

Weekly Menu 1/9/12-1/15/12

New year which means it’s time to get back on track with menu planning.  I’m sick of eating the same stuff every other week so here’s a couple new recipes I’ll be trying:

Monday 1/9/12 – Turkey Meatballs & Pasta

Tuesday 1/10/12 – Ham & Cheese Panini’s

Wednesday 1/11/12 – Taco Salads

Thursday 1/12/12 - Meatloaf Cupcakes w/Mashed Potato Frosting

Friday 1/13/12 – Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

Saturday 1/14/12 – out w/friends for dinner

Sunday 1/15/12 – Crock Pot Minestrone Soup