Week 19 bumpdate

I am 19 weeks this week! The baby is the size of a puffin! Maternity Clothes- Yes! Morning Sickness- Yes, but SO MUCH better!! I only throw up like twice in a week now, which is relieving compared to the dark days I survived for the first 17 weeks of pregnancy- the toilet and I were rather frequent acquaintances. Cravings- The craziest craving for Subway sandwiches right now. Turkey with pepper jack cheese toasted, with ALL THE VEGGIES!!! I have started making them at home and had one for breakfast yesterday haha! Its a crazy craving and I CANNOT quit it! I still am loving green smoothies, nacho cheese doritos, and popcorn- those have been consistent for a few months. I am grateful for some healthy cravings among all the unhealthy ones!  Movement- This last week the baby's movements have gotten SO much stronger and noticeable! I love it!! Gender- we had a long ultrasound with my aunt at the hospital a few weeks ago and we are pretty sure its a girl! The little stinker NEVER stops moving and would not cooperate. But it looked like a girl and I just feel its a girl!! We will hopefully get a better view at our appointment next week! Funny moments- I have made an honest effort to stay active this pregnancy, I am attending a high fitness class once a week, and I typically go do 4-5 miles on the elliptical 2-3 days per week and then on the 5th day I will walk and do some weights! It has made a huge difference in how I feel and I wish I would've been better with my last pregnancy! But this last week I had some major growth in my belly area because after I went to the gym and walked a briskly for just 40 minutes, I was SO SORE the next day and same thing after my high fitness class. SO SORE. So weird! We will see how long I can keep up with my fitness routine. It may just be elliptical weights and a slower walk for the rest of my pregnancy. 

I haven't posted Halloween or Thanksgiving yet either! We have had a wonderful start to the holiday season! I love our family time and doing all the fun traditions each year! We are so blessed and I am so grateful for our family!

Lots of love,
Brookey

Week 13 bumpdate and a pumpkin patch date

Maternity clothes- my regular pants are TIGHT, maternity pants won't stay up. I'm in that awkward in between stage. Morning sickness- Yes, unfortunately! Its not quite as bad as it was with Lyla, but the toilet bowl and I are too close of acquaintances right now. I'm just hanging on because I know it will end soon. haha! Cravings- Fruit, sorbet, and Gold fish- I don't think I had eaten gold fish in years.. so that's a little funny. Movement- I started feeling faint fluttering last week only when I was laying down!! This is hands down my favorite part of pregnancy and I can't wait for it to get stronger and for Mike and Lyla to feel it too! Gender- We would be so happy with either! But I have a hunch its another little girl!  Favorite memory this week- Finally sharing our news! Also watching the baby move all over during our ultrasound.

Pregnancy Pros

This is what happens when you let your sister come to the doctor visit with you.. such an embarrassing yet real photo of how life has been lately. 

As we are rounding up to our last week and a half of pregnancy,  I realized there are some things I am going to miss. Amidst a lot of discomfort, there are some really great things about pregnancy. Here's a list of the pregnancy pros:

1. Feeling the baby move. The hiccups, kicks, punches, scoots, etc. I LOVE watching and feeling the baby move all day and night. It makes me smile every time!

2. People are so nice! Strangers and friends are constantly asking about me and how I am doing. I am always offered a seat when in a public place. I love how everyone is just so nice to a pregnant woman.

3. Massages! I have had a free pass to get a massage from my husband just about every single day of my pregnancy. Seriously, I think I get a massage at least 5 days a week! He is too good to me, I know! I will miss that!

4. Giving into cravings. Sometimes, the craving is just so strong that you cannot talk sense into yourself. Normally I am one to just eat something I have on hand regardless of how bad I am craving something, but during pregnancy, I have gone to get exactly what I want.

5. The anticipation. The anticipation always makes things better! I have never anticipated something so intensely in my life. I am dying to see our little girl and to find out what she looks like, how she acts, etc. I am so excited to meet her!

6. The miracle of pregnancy. The miracle of life being created, and developing inside of me. It is truly amazing! I am so grateful we were able to get pregnant with our sweet girl after months of trying. And I am so grateful that she is healthy so far.

Update- My preeclampsia symptoms have gotten worse so they have scheduled me for an early induction at our 38 week point on the 27th. Yesterday I was dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced. I was up 3 times last night with some pretty strong contractions, so we will see if she comes on her own before the 27th!

We are getting so so excited to hold her, kiss her, and love her in just a week and a half or less!

Lots of love,
Brookeydee

31 weeks

We had Slapfish in Lehi this week, it is SOO good.

This week wins. This may be my most favorite week of pregnancy yet. Finals are over, my favorite shave ice shacks are open, I have time to spend with Mikey, the weather is sunny and warm, AND we are leaving for Hawaii this week! That last semester was a doosy. And I am so so glad it is done. I am ready for long and easy summer days!

Baby girl is 31 weeks! This week she is around 3.3 pounds and she is over 16 inches long. That seems about right, because when she moves, my whole stomach moves. Sometimes its so crazy to look down and think that she is really in there, getting big and healthy. Pregnancy is truly amazing!

Lots of love,
Brookeydee

Dear Baby Girl

You are 23 weeks now! You're over a pound and you are almost a foot long! You're getting so big in there sweat pea. I cannot believe we are under 4 months until I get to snuggle you. I hope you're ready for all of the kisses and squishy cuddles, because there are a lot coming. Daddy and I are elated to have you here with us. Thank you for letting daddy and I be your parents.

You, my sweet girl have started to give me some good strong kicks. Daddy joked the other day that this is the reason why you're so skinny compared to your head, you're getting some good exercise in there. You have moved up much higher in my belly this week and you are rapidly approaching my ribs. I am not looking forward to those rib kicks, especially since you are so active in there! You mostly prefer to kick me in my full bladder when I need to go potty and you kick a lot when I am hungry. Funny girl.

This week I have been worried about you. Worried about the world you are going to grow up in. When I was little, the world was more simple, less corrupt and I didn't have technology throwing new ideas and lifestyles at me all of the time. You will not grow up in this way. You will see and hear things that contradict everything your dad and I believe and will teach you. You will be left to make difficult choices for yourself about what to believe and how to live your best life from a very early age. I hope dad and I can do you right by teaching you, being examples for you, and allowing you enough independence throughout your life so you don't crash and burn one day when you're on your own making big kid choices. I already love you so much and worry about you every single day. I hope you are happy. I hope you feel loved and important. I hope you come to know your Heavenly Father, personally.

I love you sweet baby girl. I hope you know that, every single day.

Lots of love,
Mommy

22 Weeks

This week the baby is the size of a spaghetti squash! She is 15 ounces and 11 inches long.

We had our mid pregnancy ultrasound yesterday. Everything looked great and she is healthy. I can't tell you how relieved I am! She was active- shocker- throughout the whole ultrasound and we had to try many different positions to get all of the pictures they needed of the organs and bones. We also had a super hard time getting a picture of her profile. We tried and tried and tried. We got a few pictures but nothing super clear, because this baby is so BUSY! She also swats and kicks at everything that encroaches on her space. So sassy. The ultrasound should have taken 20-30 minutes, but we were in there for 50 minutes.

She did use the time to show us just how sassy she was, covering her face when we were trying to get pictures, giving the peace sign with her fingers, waving hi, and the best was when we were talking about how stubborn she was she legitimately shook her head up and down three times. I was dying it was too funny.

Her head circumference was in the 85th percentile- not good news for delivery day for this mama. But the rest of her body was small between 30-50th percentiles and her stomach circumference was a small 24th percentile. So good luck to me, I am going to be very grateful for that epidural! Give me all the meds!

We were looking at her little face to check for a cleft pallet- which she doesn't have, and we got a super detailed picture of her nose. She has the Polynesian nose that we all got from my mom's side of the family. Her head shape and cheeks looked rounded like mine too! But we will see when she comes. I have been convinced this whole time that she would look like Mike, but now I think she is going to look like me. Hopefully she will get my darker skin and mike's curly hair!

I am so excited to meet this girl. We are excited to get started on her nursery we are planning to start buying things on Saturday! Mikes parents ordered the crib and mattress for us this week! (They are so kind and have already begun spoiling this baby so much!) I am so excited to see it in her little room! We bought a few more bows for her this week :/ someone needs to stop me. I just can't with all of the cute bows! We just adore this sweet little baby already!! We are so excited to be parents!

Lots of love,
Brookeydee

21 weeks

Baby girl is 21 weeks! She is the size of a cantaloupe. She is 12.7 ounces and is 10.5 inches long! I can now feel where her body is in my stomach and its the craziest thing.

I feel so weird taking bump pictures.. this is the first one I have ever taken.

My cravings are still chocolate and salty snacks, like chips. So bad. I have been really trying to limit those from my diet.
My aversions are still cafe rio and costa vida. It is still very sad.
Even with the move tomorrow, I bought some baby bows last weekend. They were on sale and SO SO CUTE! This next week we will start buying for her nursery. I am ecstatic just a tiny bit excited! Mike told me not to buy anything else until our ultrasound this next week, just to make sure that it is really a girl! They were sure at our first ultrasound, but it would be so sad to buy all of these baby girl things for a boy. HAHA!

My belly is really popping these days and there is no hiding this baby bump! My hands have also begun to swell. I don't love that. I am not going to be able to wear my wedding ring for much longer. We go to the doctor this Thursday for our long ultrasound where they check everything. I am nervous, I really hope our sweet girl is healthy and progressing correctly. I am so excited to see her in there and I am hoping she is face up this time so we can see her profile! She kicks anything and everything that gets in her way. Whether its Mike when we cuddle or a desk. She is so possessive of her space :/ poor baby is going to hate being squished soon! HAHA! We have a sassy one on our hands, no doubt. We are excited for our move tomorrow and hope everything goes well!

Lots of love,
Brookeydee

Dear baby girl,

Hi sweet pea. I just wanna sing- "Ohhhhh, we're half way there! Ohh! Living on a prayer!!" Its pretty exciting to be at the halfway point, now that I am feeling better, time is flying right by and I know it'll be no time before you're here! I cannot wait to snuggle you! Being a wife and a mommy are the only things I have ever really wanted in my life and I am so excited to have you here with us!

We are at the halfway point of 20 weeks! You are the size of a banana this week and you weigh just over 10.5 ounces and are 10 inches from your head to your toes.
My cravings and aversions have stayed the same for quite a few weeks now. I am beginning to wonder if they will change, or if I'll just have them for the rest of this pregnancy. I hope you like cafe rio and costa vida when you get bigger, because daddy and I really like going there, and I miss it!
We didn't buy any baby products this week. We are waiting until after we move on the 25th to buy anything else! I am getting so excited to start on your nursery!

We had an exciting night on Monday, I had been feeling you all day long, more than I usually do. It was like you got in a good nap and then you needed to stretch for a while. I started to feel some very strong movements so I had daddy put his hand on my belly. You kicked him so hard you moved his hand up a little bit! That is crazy for how tiny you are!! He kept his hand there for a while to feel you moving and then we moved it and watched my belly moving every time you kicked. We didn't expect to see movement like that for at least a few more weeks! You crazy girl! Daddy was so proud haha! You have repeated your nightly exercise every night this week and it just doesn't get old. We already love and adore you so so much!
Daddy pulls up my shirt and talks to you every night he always says silly things and tells you he loves you. He really likes feeling you move, I always try to let him feel you when he is home. It's so fun for me to watch him love you so much! My heart may just explode when I get to see him holding you and cuddling you this summer. You got the best of the best you lucky girl. Your daddy truly is top notch. I don't need to tell you that though, you'll already know that when you read this one day.
Also, I am convinced you are going to be a sassy girl, like me. Every time I lean forward while at school or work, you kick-kick-kick until I sit back and give you more space. And right now, you still have quite a bit of space! I am worried about the damage you're going to cause to my insides in a few months when you're stronger and squished.

With Valentines Day being this week, I have spent lots of time thinking about your sweet dad and our love story. Our love story includes New York, a few emails, many middle of the night phone calls from Maui, a Ferris Wheel, a night hike, and the Draper Temple. That list has grown and grown and it keeps growing everyday. I can't wait for the part where you join us. I sure love your dad. Our forever family is the greatest blessing!

Lots of love,
Mommy

19 Weeks

Our sweet little girl is the size of a mango. She weighs 8 and a half ounces and is 6 inches from her head to her bum. We already love her so so much! We can't wait to meet her!

Cravings- still chocolate and chips. I wish it wasn't so.
Aversions- still cafe rio and costa vida
Movement- I am beginning to feel bigger more defined movements. I love feeling her move!

Baby girl and I had a rough week. Last weekend Mike and I spent all of our Saturday cleaning and organizing our house (mostly giving and throwing away soooo many things) so packing would be easier. I did a little too much lifting and was SO SORE for a few days. I didn't realize that the things I could easily do just a few months ago are not so easy anymore! I also got strep this week and it was rough. But we caught it quick and I was able to miss some school to go to the doctor and I am so grateful to be on the mend. We are moving in two weeks, so things are going to be crazy over here for a hot minute, we are so excited we found a place in Lehi so Mikey's commute is a bit shorter and we will be closer to both of our families!

17 weeks and Grandpa Dean's Funeral

This week baby girl is the size of a pomegranate. She weighs 5 ounces and is 5 inches long from her head to her bum.

I didn't have any cravings this week.
I still cannot handle a costa vida or cafe rio salad. My brain tells me I really want one, but my stomach says NO! I also have an aversion to all the things I used to crave at the beginning like refried beans and cottage cheese make me want to die.
Movement is still very uncommon for me to feel, I only feel her in there a few times a week so it's still very special! I cannot believe how active she was during our ultrasound last week! I know I mentioned this last week, but she was kicking and moving around THE WHOLE TIME. The ultrasound tech was laughing at how active she was. I also can't believe how long and cute her tiny little legs are. I can't wait to see her! Growing a human is an amazing miracle and I am so humbled that I get to be the one experiencing this!
The only thing we bought this week was this rocking bassinet- it was on killer sale and I had an amazon gift card to use so I literally saved more than 60% on it! Baby stuff is so expensive so it's relieving when we find a good sale! We are on the lookout for sales of cribs, city select strollers, bumbos, (or another easily portable awesome high chair) and the nuna carseats.

This weekend we were in Monticello for the funeral of Mike's Grandpa. It was a beautiful service and recognition of his life. I learned so many things about him this weekend and it was so fun for me to know him more. As we were there I caught myself getting extremely emotional. Funerals always remind me how precious life really is, and to hold on tight to your loved ones. I am so grateful for the Plan of Salvation and the hope and promise it gives us that we will be together as families forever. It is a beautiful part of the gospel. It was a hard but wonderful weekend all at the same time.

Lots of love,
Brookeydee

16 weeks

We are 16 weeks! The baby is the size of an avocado. The baby weighs 3.5 ounces and is 4.5 inches from its head to its bum.

We went in to find out the gender yesterday and we are SO excited to be having a little girl!
I felt the baby move for the first time this week! I felt a super faint fluttering in my stomach and then it happened again just a few moments later. I was laying flat on my back and so I started pushing back on my belly and felt it a few more times!! I have felt it again four different times this week when I have been laying down.  I cannot wait for the moving to be so strong that Mike can feel it through my belly!! While we were at our ultrasound yesterday the baby was moving all over! Just kicking and jerking. I don't think she likes to be pushed on, HAHA! I am a little worried that when she is bigger she is going to do some damage to my insides!
I didn't really have any cravings this week!
I am still having an aversion to salads in general, which is so weird cause salads are normally a staple in my gluten free diet, but I can't even with a salad right now.
We bought a bunch of baby clothes yesterday! We couldn't help ourselves! It is so fun to know what we are having, I am so glad we decided to find out!

It seems like pregnancy goes by SO much faster when you're not throwing up all of your food! I have been feeling SO much better over the last couple of weeks and now it seems like time is flying right by!! We are so grateful for this little baby girl!

Lots of love,
Brookeydee

15 Weeks

We are 15 weeks! The baby is the size of a pear and is 4 inches long from its head to its bum and weighs 2 and a half ounces.
I still think that the gender of baby D is a girl, Mike is starting to lean towards a girl as well, but a majority of our family and friends still think its a boy. We will hopefully find out next week!!
Like last week, I haven't felt any movement yet! I am getting really excited to feel the baby moving!!
Thankfully I haven't had any serious cravings this week. I am still craving sweets, reeses are my weakness, so I made Mike hide them from me so I only eat a couple at night! HAHA!
I still have an aversion to Cafe Rio/ Costa Vida salads. I also dry heave when I open the fridge in the morning, I don't understand why but looking at food when I wake up is not pleasant for some reason.
I have slept pretty bad this week. I think its because of school stress, I am always so worried I am forgetting an assignment or something.
Baby products we refrained from buying anymore baby products this week. Since we hopefully will know the gender next week I know things may get a little crazy, so I am holding out for that excuse!
I am feeling so much better than the first trimester! I am so grateful to be feeling better, I have thrown up a few times in the past week. It is mostly after I workout, so at least it's not  morning sickness, I am really hoping I will continue to get better and be able to workout without throwing up soon.

We got to go to the ice castles last weekend with my family and we had so much fun! It was our first time going, and I wish I had gone in the past! It was so beautiful and fun! I definitely want to turn it into a yearly tradition to go visit them! And, how cute is my family?? Seriously, the cutest humans.

Lots of love,
brookeydee

Pregnancy Update 14 weeks

We are 14 weeks today! The baby is the size of a peach, weighs 3.5 ounces and is 1.5 inches long from its head to its bum!

I haven't felt the baby move yet and that is what I am MOST excited for!
I am also SUPER excited to find out the gender in just a few more weeks! 90% of our family and friends are completely convinced that it is a boy, but I have had quite a few dreams that it is a girl... so that is where I am leaning, but I have no clue!
I am having an aversion to cafe rio and costa vida salads, which is very unfortunate. I went from a serious aversion to all things sweet- to CRAVING sweets big time. I am also craving fruit!
My sleep has been hit and miss throughout this whole pregnancy, mostly miss. It is not uncommon for me to wake up around 2 am and stay awake until about 4 am. I am hoping sleep gets better this trimester before I get huge!!
Baby products- so far we have gotten 2 pairs of gender neutral freshly picked moccasins, because I have zero self control, I had a coupon and they were on sale! :) We have also bought a baby bath because that was on sale too! My parents have already gotten us our diaper bag- it is so pretty I cant wait to stock it up with all of the baby gear this summer! I also need to find some maternity pants soon, my belly is starting to grow and fast! Just over the last few days my pants have not been comfortable.
I am feeling 100 times better! There have been 2 days this week that I haven't felt pregnant because I just feel like me! The nausea is pretty much gone unless I go too long without eating and I haven't thrown up since last week!! Yay!!! I have started to get migraines, bad migraines. So hopefully those don't become too frequent.

I have had so many spiritual experiences over the course of this pregnancy and the months leading up to it that I don't ever want to forget. The Lord's timing is not our timing, but it is always right. I feel that there is a sweet little spirit that is ready to come to us, NOW. I have felt this so many times and I am so grateful for it. I have had overwhelming peace about all of the changes that will be happening. We are still in school and trying to make a living while taking classes full time so starting a family is not exactly convenient, but I know it will all work out. I have also felt so much peace about the baby's health, I haven't experienced much worry or any anxiety about the baby and I am so grateful for this peace!

Lots of love,
Brookeydee