Here we are... This week marks the END of my 2nd trimester! I have been counting down for this for the past month! I'm so excited. When I hit the 30 week mark, it will signify that the end is near. AND, that the bonding with my baby can begin! 

Today the baby is sitting very low in my uterus and isn't very active. I'm sure it's because I feel crappy and have been quite the slug today myself. I didn't intend to be, for what it's worth. I woke up with motivation to clean my entire house from top to bottom, since it has needed desperately done for over a week now. However, halfway through my "to do" list, I became very clammy feeling and 'heavy'. Hubby took my temperature at 100 degrees and ordered me to lie down for the rest of the day. (He wasn't too happy when he found me scrubbing toilets about 30 minutes later.) I'm terrible at relaxing, with a capital T.

Noah has been coughing, sniffling, and blowing his nose on and off since last Thursday. Today, his mom dropped him off here (missing school) and he also has a fever of 100. I'm pretty sure that something is just going around. Unfortunately, it may be the flu. Many of our friends have had or currently have it. It's like the germs are saying, "Welcome! We've been waiting for you..."

Noah and I both got our flu shots early last month. He has been sick once since then, only for a few days, and I haven't been at all. I was literally terrified by one of the doctors I saw [in the practice where I am treated] into getting the flu shot. I was completely against the entire idea, especially since I never ever get sick. But, apparently, after listening to doctors, friends, and doing my own research, fatalities are higher among pregnant women who get influenza than among non-pregnant. I didn't want to even risk losing my baby mid-pregnancy. I am still waiting for Jon to get his flu & t-dap shots in the near future but, until then, I at least know the the internal safety of my little one is greatly improved by my taking precautions.

I do hope that my fever doesn't go above 100, though, because then I'll have to go to the emergency room and be hooked up to an IV of fluids so that I don't get dehydrated. I think that when it comes to babies, doctors are more concerned with you being dehydrated than they are about you doing things that might seem even more drastic, like not eating.

I am making myself drink water because I don't feel thirsty in the least. I think that between forcing liquid down my throat and being confined to the couch... I probably feel a bit like Noah did about 15 minutes ago when I told him I wanted him to take a half hour nap. He instead, pretended to fall out of his bed and somehow managed to have his bath stool on top of his head by the time I walked in there. *sigh* Boys will be boys. 

Hopefully, this groggy gross feeling goes away quickly and doesn't complicate anything... We are supposed to be going to Charlotte (Carolina Panthers) this weekend for a football game; in the cold and the rain, which is exactly what I don't want to be out in if I'm sick.



P.S. I passed my glucose test and don't have gestational diabetes! WHOOP WHOOP!
 
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Well, Pinterest has done it again. 
I am counting down the days until I can enjoy a full on workout at the gym again. These prenatal pilates are great for conditioning pre-labor and delivery, but I'm ready to go back to my kick-butt boot camp pilates teacher, Amy. If anyone is an inspiring mom, it's her. She has 3 children and looks absolutely ripped!


Unfortunately, in my condition, I have another 4 months until it's okay for me to play at one of my old sessions. :( 
My muscles are killer right now and my bones, especially in my ribs and lower back. I feel like I'm growing a cancer, not a baby-- I'm completely exhausted. Not to mention I am FINALLY starving (been waiting for that feeling) all the time, as I mentioned last week. But, I am having a hard time deciding what to eat still. If any of you have been following this blog regularly you are probably SO sick of hearing about that by now! And in that case, you can imagine how I feel living it on a daily basis. 


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Jon has been such a HUGE helper. He plays Mr. Mom so well (although he has had practice...) that he never hesitates to step up and make dinner (which he has done SO many nights while I've been pregnant), or let me nap. He has gotten up so many times to change peed on sheets, take the dogs for a walk... He even got on his hands and knees to mop the floor for me because, according to him, I'm "too pregnant". Such a great hubby!

Today I went for my one hour glucose test... Drank a bottle of what tasted like carbonated Gatorade and waiting in a tiny room full of multiple other pregnant woman, who looked like they wanted to rip their hair out and many of which had other small children with them, to get my blood drawn. I dread getting a phone call telling me that I need to come back for a more extensive three hour test, which points to the probability that I have gestational diabetes; the last thing I need to deal with. Though, I haven't had any excessive swelling or weight gain; major symptoms to look for = avoided thus far.


After that, I had to scurry across the street to my OB appointment for a "tummy check". [A little background, the practice at which I am being treated has about 13 doctors housed there. It is the goal of that office for all of their pregnant patients to see as many of those doctors as possible, seeing as how any of them could be the one that delivers your child. Had I thought about that before becoming an established patient there, I might have chosen to go somewhere with only one doctor following me so that the visits might be a little more personal and maybe more than five minutes, after you've waited for 30-40. Hindsight is 20/20... But, since I've been going there for 26 weeks and 3 days, I should bring out that they are taking good care of me.]

So far, I have gained 24/25 pounds; still under what one of the doctors predicted! I am hearing from them that the average weight gain now is 20 lbs in the first twenty weeks and additional 20 in the duration of your pregnancy. Fortunately, I have not gained that fast! Nor do I want to. 
I was told I look perfect, Ezra's heartbeat is "beautiful", and that I don't have another appointment until the first week of January! (Thank goodness for a healthy baby!) They also started measuring my tummy today. It's exactly where it should be; 27... inches? Centimeters? I don't remember... But, now I can rest easy until the next time.

My mom is getting on my nerves now... She has no filter it seems. (Must be where I get it from!)
She calls or texts me at least once a week giving me alternative baby names for Ezra! Now, I don't know about you but, I'm not really fond of someone trying to change my child's name just because THEY don't care for it. It's MY kid. I told her, in the early 1990's when she was walking around telling everyone that her daughter's name was Quintana, they probably looked at her like she was nuts! She confirmed my speculation. 

It's my reasoning, too, that a child grows into their name. I, almost 21 yrs later, couldn't go around telling people my name is Ashley and make it believable. Ha!
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Ezra's room is coming together slowly, but surely. We have yet to paint and such, but getting the details together is the fun part! We got a beautiful Eames 1960's/70's style dresser which was a major stress now lifted; and it cost a fraction of the price. (Pictures and vendors will be supplied as soon as the room is finished!)
I had to share this cute little guy (to the left) though! One of my best friends, Jade, pinned a photo of this on pinterest last week and I couldn't resist clicking on it. For the love of owls!
It is a ceramic speaker that works with any mp3 player. I am so excited!!





Hubby and I have been compromising left and right with each other to make this room what the other one wants. I think it's gonna turn out great!
Well, I'm off to finish dinner for the fam before we all perish from hunger! I'll be sharing recipes soon!