NUMBER 301

you're getting a two-for-one again! honestly, not much happens from week to week - other than some weight gain and additional groans. we did have a healthy checkup last monday and heard the little guy's heartbeat again! everything is progressing as it should, and i got a flu shot so neither one of us gets sick with all the nasty weather we've been having. if the sun would shine, that'd be great.

last weekend, our good friends marc and lori beth came to visit. lots of girl time while the guys golfed. we spent too much time overindulging, but only as a reward for crossing things off the nursery list! *high five*.

this weekend, we're headed to richmond for a good friend's wedding where i'll be sporting this hot maternity maxi dress in hopes that it'll keep the bump warm.

2 5  W E E K S

• how far along? 25 weeks
• baby size: a large cucumber - and a cute one at that!
• total weight gain/loss? um 16 pounds? i think this may be the week that i stop weighing myself. all i know is that i'm getting bigger. 
• maternity clothes? yes yes. my favorite jeans are these destroyed ones from gap that i scored on eBay for $20 [tags still on] similar to these.   
• stretch marks? no!
• sleep? it's been worse this week than ever. my doctor finally told me that i should avoid sleeping on my back. in between constantly rearranging my mass of pillows and getting up a few times a night, i'm not sleeping nearly as well as i used to.
• best moment this week? making lots of progress on the nursery! it definitely makes me feel more prepared.
• miss anything? sleep. not feeling huge. 
• movement? yes! lots! constantly throughout the day and nearly every time andrew wants to feel, if he's patient enough, he'll feel a punch or a kick from the outside. 
• food cravings? orange soda, milk, m&ms, all the carbs
• anything making you queasy or sick? not at all.
• have you started to show yet? can i stop answering this now?
• gender: boy! but not going overkill on the baby blue in the nursery!
• labor signs: no no no. still some aches and soreness in my legs and pelvis, though, and hip pain at night.
• belly button in or out? dare i say, out? it depends on how much i eat that day. this is amazing to me because my belly button used to be huge and really deep [like a spoon scooped it out]. now, not so much.
• nursery: more progress! lori beth and i made a huge ikea trip where i scored some cheap ribba frames for a little gallery wall and curtain rods. later this week, my friend rachel found a SCORE on a local mommy facebook group, and i ended up getting a beautiful solid wood dresser [changing table] for $100! there really is nothing better than a good deal. here's a pic [and my gorgeous rug!]

• wedding rings on or off? on
• symptoms: soreness, heartburn and a large, itchy belly.
• mood: happy and thankful!
• workouts: one last week and TWO this week! YES! GOLD STAR! i made it to 2 body pump classes and felt great!
• looking forward to: thanksgiving...already ;)

again, 2 weeks' progress of growing a human. i should probably point out that 24 weeks was halloween - i don't just dress up like a cat for fun [or maybe i do?]:

NUMBER 300

another couple of weeks have passed, and i missed a post in between. don't worry! you didn't miss much - just me getting fatter. in the past 2 weeks, we've visited family and friends, celebrated life and friendship and even made a little progress on the nursery.

while exploring the wyatt family tree last weekend, we finally settled on a name - torbjörn! what do you think? we found it fitting to pay homage to andrew's norwegian roots! i kid i kid.

2 3  W E E K S

• how far along? 23 weeks
• baby size: an ear of corn - what?! 
• total weight gain/loss? around 11-12 lbs ...or 14-15 depending on the time of day! 
• maternity clothes? definitely. so many sweet friends have let me borrow some of their maternity favorites! i should be set for a while, although i'd be just as happy wearing a mumu. 
• stretch marks? none yet! i attribute that to staying greased up all the time with coconut oil.
• sleep? decent. getting up a couple of times a night to pee and wedging pillows around myself to alleviate some hip and back aches
• best moment this week? feeling the baby move - from the outside! in the past week, we've finally been able to feel some kicks and punches by touching my belly. it's really awesome for andrew to experience that too and see proof that something is actually in there besides food.
• miss anything? pumpkin beer...still.
• movement? yes! inside and outside! 
• food cravings? orange soda! haha in the past 2 weeks, i've had it twice, which isn't a crazy common craving but definitely something i didn't drink lots of before.
• anything making you queasy or sick? only the thought of raising an actual human being. nbd.
• have you started to show yet? yes. my constant thought is "IT'S GOING TO GET BIGGER!!"
• gender: all boy!
• labor signs: no no no. i have had some aches and soreness around my legs and pelvic region, and i'm sure it's due to my body just accommodating that growing baby boy.
• belly button in or out? in...for now. it's getting shallower by the day.
• nursery: we finally made some progress! this week, we ordered a rug and my parents bought us a crib [arriving tuesday!] excited to finally see things take shape! 
• wedding rings on or off? on
• symptoms: some sorness from my growing maternal figure. also feeling a little too sore on my most recent walk last week. definitely addressing that at my next doctor's appointment, tuesday, since i'd love to continue to do some activity throughout the week to allow for an easier labor [hopefully].
• mood: thankful, anxious
• workouts: this week - one 30 minute walk tuesday and a 20 minute walk thursday [cut short by soreness]. i cleaned the house yesterday, so i'll count that too!
• looking forward to: a good checkup tomorrow and getting that crib set up this week! our friends marc and lori beth are coming to visit next weekend and us girls plan on making a trip to the pottery barn outlet! hopefully that means more nursery progress!!

2 weeks worth of my swollen pot-belly:

NUMBER 299

this week has been a bit of a whirlwind. after doing absolutely nothing last weekend [only getting off the couch to shower and cook dinner], we had a houseful of guys this week for andrew's annual CFA golf tournament. they're always pretty well behaved and very thankful for the sober rides, so i tolerate it from year to year! the guys came out on top this time, winning first place and a ridiculous amount of raffle prizes. it was a success, to say the least.

my mom and aunts are coming to visit next week, and i couldn't be more excited! they'll undoubtedly be super elated to see my growing belly, but unfortunately, no cute baby room to ooh and ahh over. i expect that we'll be making more progress on that in the next month!

anyway! oh! and i made some blog changes last week since i'm really only blogging about this baby in my belly.

2 1  W E E K S

• how far along? 21 weeks
• baby size: pomegranate [i'm not sure how these things are measured, last week must have been a pretty small banana?!]
• total weight gain/loss? i'm afraid to officially admit that i've hit the 10 lb mark, but there's no denying it.
• maternity clothes? yes! and piko tops are my bff. i could live in one of these every day [and night].
• stretch marks? none yet! still being pretty diligent about applying coconut oil every night.
• sleep? great! minus one night this week were i had some back and hip pain. can i brag that i'm still sleeping without a pregnancy pillow? 
• best moment this week? maybe feeling the baby move from the outside [but maybe just gas?]
• miss anything? my caffeine iv. i'm still drinking caffeine, but only 1 cup a day. there have been several days this week where i really really wanted that afternoon boost, though.
• movement? lots from the inside! 
• food cravings? sweets. i try to reign myself in every day, but i just can't turn down a cookie if it's offered to me. our counter at home at has a bowl filled with candy corn, halloween candy and two types of oreos. i'm blaming it on andrew.
• anything making you queasy or sick? nope!
• have you started to show yet? yes - definitely! 
• gender: BOY BOY BOY! we're so excited! we did discuss names a bit last week but haven't quite settled on anything. andrew has been set on naming him rambo ["just his middle name, laura!!"] ever since we found out we were expecting, so any alternate suggestions are welcome... seriously.
• labor signs: no no
• belly button in or out? in
• nursery: not much progress. since the room is already painted and we've had guests in the house, there's really not a rush to get the furniture out and make things a mess, so we'll just keep doing a few things here and there. [i'll regret saying that soon, i'm sure, when we're 2 months out and the nursery still looks like it does now.]
• wedding rings on or off? on!
• symptoms: some round ligament pain. i had a sharp cramp all the way across my midsection this week after i squatted down for a second in a store and really just had to walk it off. no worries, though!
• mood: happy - just a little sleepy!
• workouts: went for a short 30 minute walk this tuesday. the weather was just so gorgeous! hoping to do more of that since it's cooled off significantly!
• looking forward to: our visitors next week and a weekend in charlotte with great friends celebrating the dedication of sweet caroline and thomas! 

my big brownie belly [sorry about the tv!] and my fav piko top:

NUMBER 298

last week, we celebrated so so much! on friday, i had a big 30th birthday, and saturday andrew and i celebrated 6 blissful years of marriage! needless to say, lots of food was involved. we celebrated at cowfish [a birthday tradition] and the fig tree [an anniversary tradition]. the rest of the weekend was spent snuggled on the couch watching it rain all. weekend. long. no lie. andrew traveled for the early part of the week, and my parents popped into town tonight for a late birthday celebration! i'm currently snuggled up in my barefoot dreams cardigan -  a new bday present that i'll be wearing long after baby arrives!

i'm finally inching these posts back a little further each time. since i'm 20 weeks tomorrow, we'll just count this one as a 20 week update. i'm not so good at this whole pregnancy journal gig. let's assume i'll be better at the whole 'motherhood' part.

2 0  W E E K S

• how far along? 20 weeks
• baby size: a banana! -- that's just crazy to me! 
• total weight gain/loss? 9 pounds
• maternity clothes? most definitely. i have 2 pairs of maternity jeans i keep on rotation. i wore my favorite non-maternity leggings this week and thought they were going to slice me in half. ok. maybe i'm being dramatic.
• stretch marks? no. i thought i saw one, then i realized it was just where i had scratched my belly a few seconds before [total laura move, think old fat man belly scratch]. since then, i've been slathering on coconut oil and belly oil twice a day.
• sleep? great! i mentioned that andrew traveled earlier this week. what i didn't mention is that i made my brother come stay at the house one night because i heard a noise out back. being the good uncle he is, he obliged.
• best moment this week? seeing our little one at last week's ultrasound, winning a holiday mini-session from the shultzes. oh, and the birth of one of my very best friends' new baby boy! welcome to the world, baby ben! 
• miss anything? real deal raw sushi at cowfish
• movement? yes! i've been feeling lots of little pops and wiggles this week! can't wait for more and to finally feel it from the outside as well!
• food cravings? none in particular. 
• anything making you queasy or sick? not a thing 
• have you started to show yet? you decide [picture below!]
• gender: BOY! we saw allllll the goods on the big screen last week! 
• labor signs: noooo
• belly button in or out? in
• nursery: i finally sent my fabric off and paid for my glider slipcover to be made. i guess i should start some progress on the rest now... 
• wedding rings on or off? on
• symptoms: a big belly and some heartburn
• mood: fat and happy
• workouts: none...eek. i've really really been slacking. i went for ONE walk early last week. the weather has been so crappy, i don't feel like doing much after work other than coming home and lounging. hopefully the weather will take a positive turn after this weekend's rain, and that gorgeous fall weather will get me out and about!
• looking forward to: cold, fall weather

my little pumpkin belly:

NUMBER 297

we've been back on the grind at work for a couple of weeks now. BUT it's my birthday week [and mine and andrew's 6 year wedding anniversary! wow!] so even though things are busy, there's still lots to celebrate! i turn 30 this year, and i've been reflecting lots this week on so many blessings that have come our way - too many to count! ok, before i get all hormonal...

1 8  W E E K S

• how far along? 18 weeks. i need to start posting these updates at the beginning or end of the week seeing as i'll be 19 weeks on friday! 
• baby size: a sweet potato!
• total weight gain/loss? still sitting at 8 pounds. i haven't gained any this week, it seems.
• maternity clothes? yes! i got a bella band as an early birthday present, and sported that this week, along with 2 pairs of maternity jeans. there is NO use in suffering trying to squeeze myself into normal jeans.
• stretch marks? none! fingers crossed that they won't show up!
• sleep? great! well, maybe i've just gotten a little more acclimated to not sleeping through the night. and, dare i say, i haven't bought a pregnancy pillow yet? 
• best moment this week? andrew returning home from a weekend away! every couple needs a little time apart every now and then. this is cheesy, but i guess since we spend so much time together throughout the week, i do miss him when he's away - even if it's only a couple of days.
• miss anything? not missing anything too bad this week...
• movement? yes! well...maybe? over the past few days, about once a day, i'll feel something that feels like a thumping from the inside. almost like bubbles or popcorn popping. i'm going to keep thinking that's baby boy in there saying hi!
• food cravings? pressed sandwiches, candy corn [but not candy corn sandwiches]
• anything making you queasy or sick? nope!
• have you started to show yet? yes, but i've still been wearing lots of loose fitting tops, so i may still just look fat to some people! 
• gender: boy! [just a guess], but we find out FOR SURE tomorrow!!! 
• labor signs: noooo
• belly button in or out? in
• nursery: i finally found some inexpensive fabric for a glider and ottoman slipcover. i bought more than enough and plan on making a matching dust ruffle for the crib! as soon as the fabirc arrives, i'll ship it off to my etsy vendor so she can get to stitchin'!
• wedding rings on or off? on
• symptoms: maybe some movement? definitely some bloating, but the back pain has seemed to subside this week!
• mood: happy and a little [or a lot] overwhelmed with the amount of stuff left to do and realizing we're almost halfway through this thing.
• workouts: one 30 minute walk on monday, but i plan on going on another walk today and maybe a short hike on saturday
• looking forward to: celebrating my birthday and anniversary this weekend, both celebrations should include lots and lots of gooood food, and you know that makes this mama happy!

my candy corn belly [and my handsome photographer]:

NUMBER 296

so i've already been slacking on my weekly updates. i'm growing a human, give me a break!

1 7  W E E K S

we took off last week for vacation in seagrove beach, fl with my family. i did break out the two piece around thursday, though - my thinking was that a tan baby bump looks more flattering than a white one [i like to think i was right!] i more than made up for my lack of alcohol intake with extra appetizers [just for me] and several shirley temples [who says they're just for 5 year olds - they're delicious!]

• how far along? 17 weeks
• baby size: a white onion!
• total weight gain/loss? 8 pounds - right on track!
• maternity clothes? not yet, just flowy, comfortable outfits. if it doesn't have an elastic waistband, it's not going on my body.
• stretch marks? no
• sleep? still sleeping great
• best moment this week? spending time with friends' babies! i spent sunday afternoon playing with caroline, thomas and their mama, and saturday, i'm keeping my friend and coworker's baby girl! a little practice never hurt!
• miss anything? raw oysters! but i did sneak a little [or a lot] of smoked tuna dip!
• movement? not expecting any for another couple of weeks
• food cravings? all the food
• anything making you queasy or sick? nope - all food is fair game
• have you started to show yet? oh yes - the bump is out! i was surprised to still be able to fit into some of my favorite jeans earlier this week, but i think that's because i seem to be carrying pretty high, and those sat pretty low on my hips.
• gender: boy! [still guessing?]
• labor signs: not anytime soon!
• belly button in or out? in
• nursery: no progress, but i did start looking for some fabric for a glider slipcover. take a peek at my pinterest board to see what else i'm planning!
• wedding rings on or off? on
• symptoms: round ligament pains and some back pain -- oh and extreme hunger.
• mood: happy!
• workouts: none at the beach, but i did make it to one body pump class this week, so i'll chalk it up as a win!
• looking forward to: supper club! there are now 3 of us that have announced that we're pregnant since the last time we were all together, so we've got lots to celebrate!

my donut belly [and new haircut!]:

NUMBER 295: SO, I'M PREGNANT

given that i've been out of touch with the blogging world for some time, this is in no way my attempt at jumping back on that wagon. BUT so many friends have told me that i'll want to look back on bump recaps, symptoms and general feelings about pregnancy, and i've found that i can type much faster than i can hand write in a journal [and it's much more legible]. so here we go - my first "bumpdate"!

1 5  W E E K S

over the past 10 or so weeks, we've had a handful of doctors appointments [all healthy!] and 3 ultrasounds. we passed the scary genetic tests with flying colors and even got a little hint from the doctor that it's likely a boy [she was pretty confident - 85% sure - but we'll see if that changes!]. our next appointment is september 24 where we'll do the full anatomy scan and find out for SURE! 

this week, we're recouping from a week at smith mountain lake with andrew's family and gearing up for a week in seagrove, florida with mine! one thing's for sure - this baby likes being in a bathing suit [one-piece].

after some great suggestions from friends [and constant questions on my part], i started our baby registry this weekend. who knew someone so little could need so much? thanks, in huge part, to so many generous mama friends and family who have offered to lend us the essential big items. it means so much to have such a huge support group for baby wyatt!

• how far along? 15 weeks
• baby size: a pear!
• total weight gain/loss? 6 pounds - but i'm surprised it's not more. i've been eating everything in sight.
• maternity clothes? a little here and there, pants with an elastic waistband are my best friend and i've been sporting lots of dresses
• stretch marks? no, i've been using a great oil [earth mama, angel baby] and i'm hoping that'll keep them at bay
• sleep? sleeping well, minus getting up 1-2 times to pee in the night
• best moment this week? hearing the baby's heartbeat at our appointment. it's always so reassuring, especially since we're not expected to feel movement for a while
• miss anything? pumpkin beer. andrew got his first batch last weekend and it smelled SO good!
• movement? not yet, although i poke around quite a bit to see if i can find the baby in there. i supposedly have an anterior placenta which means i shouldn't feel movement until week 20 or so
• food cravings? steak and cheese sandwiches [haha!], candy corn
• anything making you queasy or sick? not anymore, i've been very fortunate to avoid most of the morning sickness symptoms that other moms encounter. even in early weeks, i was only queasy when i had an empty stomach
• have you started to show yet? yes. i feel like this week, i'm getting out of the "fat" zone and more into a bump state
• gender: boy! maybe...? haha!
• labor signs: none yet, thankfully!
• belly button in or out? in
• nursery: i've been pinning away on a baby boy nursery, but we won't make any big purchases until we know for sure. the walls in [what will be] the nursery are already sherwin williams aloof grey, which is perfect for a boy or a girl!
• wedding rings on or off? on
• symptoms: a few round ligament pains and some sciatic nerve pain on certain days - both are very minor.
• mood: content and relaxed?
• workouts: each week, i have every intent of working out at least twice, but i'm only making it to body pump about once a week consistently. i blame it on travel and weird schedules, but i'm pretty sure it's just that i'd rather do anything BUT work out...
• looking forward to? the beeeeach!

and so you can see my burrito belly:

NUMBER 294

image via

WHAT has been going on? WHY hasn’t she been blogging?

you might ask yourself these questions. if so, i have some answers:

is something wrong? no
am i sick? no, everyone is healthy!
did something BIG happen that you don’t know about? nope, same ol’ thing.
am i pregnant? no
did i change jobs? no
am i still designing blogs? yes, about 1 a week! [remember, that's not a full-time gig]
am i busy? yes!
am i happy? YES!

nothing new to report! i just haven't felt compelled to blog lately. i hope you don't mind! you can still get a little dose of my life lately on instagram. who else is thankful that spring is just around the corner?!

NUMBER 293

i've noticed a recent change in trend: the pendant necklace is coming back! i still love a good, short statement necklace, but i've found that some casual outfits can be bumped up [just a tad, my style] with a long pendant necklace. after seeing these gorgeous agate necklaces last week by poppy style, i decided to make one of my recent forever 21 purchases do double duty.

i love DIY's that don't really involve DOING anything...they're more like, string this pendant on this necklace and you're done. that's exactly what i did. i recently spent a ton of money on a necklace at forever 21, wait…that’s not right…i got it dirt cheap and less than $5. it’s a nice necklace - i’m wearing it here. this weekend i stopped at hobby lobby and scooped up a [faux] agate pendant for $3 [with my 40% off coupon]. because the quality was so awesome, the little pendant hook came out immediately after i removed the packaging [go figure], and being the glass-half-full type, i simply strung the necklace through the hole in the middle. no pliers needed! now i can easily switch pendants whenever i want! it's the little things, y'all.

NUMBER 292

"an ode to risotto". haha just kidding, kind of. we’ve been eating a lot of risotto in our house lately. between cooking it twice in 2 weeks and ordering it during restaurant week, i'd venture to say we love it [or at least, i do].

a quick google search tells me that you can make risotto healthy just by the ingredients you’re cooking with [mrs. hogan, correct me if i'm wrong]. a combination of chicken stock, white wine, and a lot of patience will deliver a creamy, decadent texture that we all crave so much from comfort food.

image via

now, i've only ventured into the risotto cooking ring twice in my life, but seeing as how it turned out really good both times, i'll call myself an expert. there are a few key ingredients that i've used in both recipes, and i believe that’s what makes it! olive oil, arborio rice, white wine, chicken stock, white/red onion [i’ve used both and it turned out fine], garlic, and parmesan. add your desired mix in at the end [spinach or mushroom], and you’re good to go. the key to a creamy texture [without the cream], is adding the broth a little at a time. pour in 1/4-1/2 cup increments, stir while it evaporates, and repeat until the rice is done!

obviously, i'm kidding when i say i'm an expert. if you have any awesome can't-live-without-em risotto recipes to share, i'd love to have them! i started out with spinach and mushroom [linked above], and they were each amazing [even as leftovers!]

HAPPY [risotto] COOKING!