Happy Sunday! Today marks 21 weeks! Over halfway there!
Did you catch our gender reveal video?! I can’t believe almost 9,000 of you have! We included the footage of when we actually found out which I am so glad Dan thought to grab his phone and record. I also love that he agreed to sit down and do the reveal video with me.
He’s not usually one to jump in front of a camera lens… but it’s so much more meaningful this way and will be amazing to look back on and show baby…
…BOY when he’s older.
WHERE WE’RE AT WITH THINGS
The nursery is 75% done. More on that below!
Registry is almost done. I admit I was super overwhelmed when we sat down to start, but once we made a few key decisions (stroller, car seat, baby rest thing (bouncer, etc.), it all started coming together quickly. I have several detailed posts on nursery and registry coming up soon!
We booked our babymoon. I’ll share where we’re going and what we’re doing in a post soon! But I need a bathing suit (yay sunshine and warmth!), ordered 7 from Shopbop and none of them could contain my ever-growing chest. #bigboobproblems magnified by pregnancy. Per many of your suggestions I ended up ordering this style from J.Crew, which is actually what I wore this summer, but I went up 1 and 2 sizes… we’ll see which one works!
FITNESS
Now my mind is focused on staying healthy, getting to the gym more to walk (this freezing single digit temps have had us SO cooped up), and waiting to see how big I get! I’d LIKE to jog but I get some mild cramping when I start jogging so of course that makes me nervous and I take it back down to a speed walk… wish I could swim but my gym doesn’t have a pool!
Bump Update
I believe the word is… popped? And I swear it happened overnight on Wednesday this week… so at 20.5 weeks.
The bump is definitely rounding out now! Still hidden in sweaters but clear as day in a fitted top.
We had our big 20 week appointment a few days early over the holiday break since we were there for a while. It all went well! Baby S is measuring in in the 61% size wise.
Pregnancy Update
I feel movement like crazy – so much so that last night MY STOMACH MOVED. Like I clearly saw one side pop out when he kicked. Several times! It was so cool!
I was not expecting that to happen this early but I’m also not surprised because he is one active baby. I feel him all the time. Usually in 10-20-minute stints of when he’s awake and moving around. Dan’s been able to feel him for weeks also, but this bebe boy is just getting crazy strong and big.
Sleep is hit or miss. I mostly sleep ok but have had a few nights where I am restless for various reasons. And I am SUCH A BACK SLEEPER and you’re not apparently not supposed to sleep on your back? Even though I always start on my side, I inevitably wake up on my back.
I’m using pillows to prop up my upper body because apparently that helps with the circulation but does anyone know if this is really bad? I really don’t want to get one of those pregnancy pillows – they seem a little superfluous in the way of “extra stuff you don’t actually need.” But I don’t know. Going to ask my doctor.
Purchases
I may or may not have gone a little crazy at the Zara winter sale. How fantastic are these sweaters?!
It’s been so cold these past two weeks I figured I’d better stock up on cozy sweaters for baby boy’s first Chicago winter next year! For the prices $8-19, it was just a little too tempting.
Nursery Update
A couple of weeks ago, I asked you all to vote on a crib. I was torn between two, and thought we settled on the one you all chose.
But you’ll never guess what…
We ended up ordering the previously unnamed option #3.
Here it is! Isn’t she a beauty?!
This is the third crib design that Serena & Lily offers (all of their beautiful cribs are under $400), and I always liked it originally but thought it wasn’t the right look for what I was pulling together. Then we ended up changing out a few items – different rug, mainly – and it completely changed the look.
So now there will be more light wood accents in the room to warm up all the grey and white, and this is the perfect piece to go with it. And it works for both genders, just like the nursery dresser. I’m SO excited. Obsessed, really.
Above are two of the crib sheets we’ll be using with it. A navy pin dot and a grey gingham.
75% of the items are ordered and will be arriving in the next two weeks… cannot wait to show you as they start coming in!
We still need to decide on:
- art for the walls –> I think I want to get two of these giant frames in the gray wash (same as we have above our bed but I’d do two of the giant squares), but I’m stuck on what to put in them!But it’s coming along!
- a bookshelf for toy and book storage -> need the crib and glider in place before we can figure out what size/shape will work for this since we’re not exactly sure where in the small room it will go… a few styles I like are this, this, and this but again we don’t know what size. I’d really like to bring in a light wood color with this piece.
- a lamp –> debating between a floor lamp by the glider or a table lamp for the dresser next to the glider
- a footrest for the glider –> don’t want something that will take up too much of the minimal floor space in the room. We might just use a pouf we already own.
So that’s that for 21 weeks! My next appointment isn’t until 24 weeks in February when we start the glucose testing. Trying to eat extra healthy this month after all the Christmas cookies… will some of my favorite healthy recipes soon, as well!
See all pregnancy posts here!
Such an exciting time! I hate giving advice-so I am sorry if this is misplaced. And I am sure you have heard this but you may not want to buy too many clothes for future seasons. You could have a bigger baby or they could grow more quickly than you expect. My baby girl is in the 80th percent for length now so she is in 12-18 month clothing and she is only 8 1/2 months old! Makes me sad about all the cute winter things I bought in advance that she will never wear- like that really nice patagonia snowsuit that was on sale! (insert sad face) Just another thing to think about.
I was definitely going to say the same. My son is 13 months old and in 18-24 month old clothing already (and my daughter is the polar opposite and always behind in sizes)! No one likes to be the spoiler of excitement, but also it’s practical advice. You’ll know more what kind of “grower” you have once he’s here. But worst case you can always try reselling to your audience!
I would definitely recommend a pregnancy pillow!!!! The Bump Nest pillow was the absolute best investment with my first pregnancy and I started using it even earlier with my second. I’m a back sleeper too, and the pregnancy pillow makes all the difference in my opinion!
First of all, you look gorgeous! Baby S is extremely blessed to have you for a mama.
I would 100% get a pregnancy pillow. It seems like something that is unnecessary and “extra stuff”. With both of my boys I thought the exact same thing in the moment, but I will definitely get one if we are blessed to have a third. Sleeping and moving at night will only become more difficult, and having the pregnancy pillow for support all around is absolutely perfection. You begin on your left, and simply turning in the night to sleep on your right side becomes an entire production of moving all. of. the. weight. PLUS moving the pillow, and having both tummy and back support while sleeping is golden. My poor husband had no room in the bed.
Sleepy time tea, or another calming tea, is the only thing that helped me sleep during pregnancy. If I skipped one night of tea, I did not sleep at all!
I love seeing your updates, and I cannot wait to see more, especially with the ongoing house hunt.
AH! I love it all. The crib, sheets, and cute little outfits! Still waiting to see if I’m having a boy or girl, and all your boy picks have me more excited for boy stuff (to me, girls are so much easier to shop for). Thank you for sharing! 🙂
As a fellow back sleeper who did NOT get the pregnancy pillow, I say absolutely make the purchase.
As a fellow back sleeper who did NOT get the pregnancy pillow, I say absolutely make the purchase.
1. You’ll be way more comfortable. I put it off, and week by week my sleep was worse. Consciously trying to stay on my side left me waking up with an aching back.
2. Dan will be more comfortable. I thought the giant pregnancy pillow would take up too much room in the bed. In the end, I confiscated almost all of the pillows we own and surrounded my body with them. It would have made my husband want to kill me had he not found it so entertaining.
3. As far as the danger of ending up on your back in the night goes, my MIL (a former labor and delivery nurse) assured me that while too much pressure could be put on the vena cava as the weight of your uterus grows, your body will let you know if that is happening and you’ll roll over. Even so, it stressed me out that I kept waking up on my back. Thankfully my baby boy is six weeks old and perfectly healthy despite his back-sleeping mama.
Fellow back sleeper who was also very much against accumulating stuff I didn’t need, but the pregnancy pillow (lent by a friend) was a godsend. Highly recommend!
Those sweaters are adorable — especially love the “Feel the Woods” one. My son has an enormous head , so maybe this isn’t an issue for most people, but all of the sweaters with the small (normal-sized) neck hole only got one wear, no matter how cute they are. It’s just too hard to get them over his head! We ended up using the ones with snaps at the neck or zip-up hoodies a lot more often. Something to think about if you’re tempted to stock up on more clothes, though I agree with earlier commenters that it’s hard to gauge what size he’ll be / how quickly he’ll grow.