29 Weeks and a Really Good Monday

"Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week she weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is getting bigger to accommodate her growing brain – which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester." 

Well, I officially submitted my letter of "non-renewal" for the 2011-2012 school year.  It felt good to get that done!  Only 5 weeks of teaching left and then I am free! :p  Ready to start a new adventure!  I am nervous and excited.  I think this is what I was born to do.  I hope it is!


Last night was such a wonderful evening.  I went to the "Hispanic SunFresh" right by my school and when I walked in the store I was hit by the warm smell of freshly cooking corn tortillas.  I LOVE when they are cooking tortillas, it's one of the best smells.  So of course I had to buy some.  I decided that I would be brave and try making fajitas, which I have never attempted but always wanted to.  When I got home I found some beef in the freezer that we got from Jeff's grandparents and cooked it with some fajita seasoning.  Then I sauteed some thinly sliced zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion.  I served this with plain Greek yogurt (in place of sour cream), limes, cheese, salsa, and Mexican hot sauce.  They were AMAZING!  I was so pleased.  Jeff thought it was delicious.  And it was easy to make.  Thank goodness, because sometimes my cooking experiments do not work out so well.

After dinner, Jeff and I went and got coffee at Aixois, which was so relaxing and had such a great atmosphere.

We looked over my birth plan for the midwives and talked about our upcoming birthing class on Saturday!!  Then we drove downtown and I got a delicious chocolate cannoli from the Cosentino's Market- I was having a craving.  It was de-licious!  I want another one right now!

When we got home, Jeff took this picture of my belly because there truly appears to be a basketball under that dress.  :)

3D Sonogram

Friday we got our "double check" done.  Our 3D sonogram confirmed that it IS a GIRL!!  We are so excited!  It was amazing to see her little face and hands and feet.  Jeff quickly counted 10 fingers and 10 toes and felt better.  The pictures are kind of creepy but the video is amazing.  We can see her moving around, trying to suck her thumb, she even opened her eyes several times which the sonographer said was rare and really exciting.   Her head is down and her feet and hands were up at her face.  She is a little gymnast like her Aunt Paige!  We decided that she has my nose (the Brueggen nose!) and maybe some nose from her Grandma Kim as well.

Thursday I had a prenatal appointment and a dentist appointment.  My prenatal appointment was great.  I passed my glucose test.  At 7am I stuck that orange drink in the freezer as my friend Christina advised me and it was a delicious orange slushy.  My midwife said everything looked great.  I've gained 16 lbs, which is on track.  Now I start my every-two-weeks appointments.

The dentist appointment was fun because it was the first time they had seen me pregnant and they knew we had been trying.  I actually got pregnant shortly after my last dental appointment in Oct. and the dental assistant who cleans my teeth had also been trying to get pregnant.  In fact 6 months before we had talked about how we were both trying and then at the Oct. appointment we were both without child and frustrated.  But now we are both pregnant!  It was fun to see her and talk about it.  

Maternity Pictures- 28 weeks

Yesterday our friend Katie Whitworth took maternity pictures for us.  What a blessing!  We went to West Bottoms for some fun urban shots and then a few at Liberty Memorial.

 I love this graffiti artist- Scribe.  

He's been paid to do a lot of buildings to prevent gang tagging, and also just because his murals are so amazing.  He also works for Children's Mercy Hospital painting murals and doing digital mural work.  

His work is beautiful.

 our city

 always playing around :)

28 weeks! 7 months!!

Last week was a crazy busy week and I was exhausted every single day after school.  I am wondering if this is just how these last 6 weeks of school are going to go.  I had been wanting to post on here all week but hadn't had the energy.  Luckily I was full of energy on Saturday and got a TON of stuff done.

First let's talk about Friday night.  Jeff had a big fancy work dinner party celebrating the 25 anniversary of Burns and McDonnell's employee ownership.  It was in the grand ballroom at Bartel Hall and was pretty fancy.  Yummy food and lots of wine, that I couldn't drink, but desert was AMAZING!  Fondue with strawberries, mini cheesecakes, etc.  Then there was dancing.  At first I was not really up for dancing.  I was pretty much ready to get out of my heals and cold dress and into sweat pants and my nice warm bed, BUT after I got warmed up with a couple of songs, my 7-month-pregnant belly and I danced the night away.

 

(see! heals!)

Saturday I woke up a little sore and had another nice leg cramp to help me greet the day.  But I finally had energy!  I went the the Pembroke garage sale (got some great board books and baby clothes), had lunch with Brooke, saw the tulips at Kauffman Gardens, then got a bunch of work done around the house.  Later in the day I also went on a great walk with the dogs and Eric, Stephanie, and Caleb.

Garage sale finds:

(that maroon thing is my belly)

The most exciting thing I did Saturday was getting a good start on the nursery wall.  Yay!  I still haven't decided on the accent color but I know it will be some shade of blue.  Here are some pictures from the beginning of this process.   The illustrations are from Mo Willems, who is one of my favorite children's book authors/illustrators.  http://www.mowillems.com/
I had a lot of fun drawing and painting these, and so far I am happy with how they've turned out.  The plan is for one more illustration (from Leonardo the Terrible Monster) and then I have windows that I am going to have Jeff paint and hang over the illustrations.

 

 from The Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed

from Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!

Baby girl has been moving A LOT over the past week.  It is amazing!  Several times last week I actually saw or felt her poking out of me.  Maybe a fist, or a foot, or an elbow?  I am even able to press and feel around the tiny mysterious body part for a second before she moves away.  One night in bed, Jeff was hugging me and felt her moving like crazy against his arm.  It is incredible!  Sometimes I stop in the middle of teaching when I feel her moving and the kids ask, "Is she kicking you!?!?"

I. Can't. Get. Enough.  :)