The Natural Way

So between starting school, and having Jed move back it seems like life has gotten really busy, so I haven't had time to post anything. However, there is really not much to post. I have been really busy, it seems like every night this week I haven't gotten home until almost 8pm or later. Between class, doctor's appointments, yoga and Young Women's I am feeling exhausted.

The only thing I can really update you with is that the baby is growing everyday and getting very strong. Sometimes it is very agitating to have him rolling around and kicking...it can drive me crazy, especially when Jed starts teasing me and poking at me also, they are already teaming up on me and sometimes it pushes me over the edge.

My chiropractor is into the whole natural birthing process and gave me some interesting information about all of it. Between her and my yoga class, which has many "natural women" who are all planning natural births has sparked my interest so Jed and I watched the movie "The Business of Being Born" a documentary about natural home births with midwives. It was.....interesting, they made some very interesting points about natural births. Don't worry, I am not planning on getting a kiddie pool and delivering the baby in my front room. But as far as epidural or no epidural...as natural as you can get in a hospital... I don't know yet how I feel, but it gives me a lot to think about, and makes me wonder if I could or even want to.

Big Long Update

Line to get into the Alaska State Fair

Here is a big update...starting from the most recent events. This weekend Jed and I went to the Alaska State Fair! It is always something to look forward to, this year it was really cold...I was freezing; it was 50 degrees, but luckily it didn't rain.

Largest Cabbage at the Fair

The largest pumpkin! In fact this pumpkin is one of only 4 ever grown pumpkins in the world that exceeded 1700lbs...but unfortunately, it was disqualified because there was a small hole in the bottom of it.
Also, I got that cute new hat at the fair because I was freezing!

Jed and I enjoying our favorite deep fried fair food

Last week when I got back from Utah I came home to a different season. While I was in Utah it was so hot, upper 90's definitely summer but when I returned to Alaska it was already autumn and in the low 50's and the leaves were already starting to fall.

This week we had a doctor's appointment, but there was nothing exciting to report. I am measuring right on at 24 weeks and the baby's heart beat was strong. I have been collecting a few more things for the baby. Just today with the Labor Day Sale I got this super cute outfit at Baby Gap.

UTAH TRIP
So Jed and I flew down to Utah for Jed's brother's wedding...it was a great excuse to go home for a little bit and visit all the family. It was so nice to feel some warm weather also!

This is the only picture that Jed and I took of the bride & groom, (oh, actually...where is the groom? I guess we didn't get any pic's of them together) we were so busy visiting with everyone we didn't take too many pictures.
This is my cute, pregnant, swollen and jet-lagged pose.

While I was in Utah, I had a list of places I wanted to eat...including Beto's breakfast burrito, Barry's in Sp-ork, Rumbi's Island Grill, and Jamba Juice.

My favorite was the Jamba Juice!! I am now on a mission here at home to recreate a smoothie that tastes like a jamba.

I loved being at home! I love Utah especially being at home in Benjamin...it was fun to just sit on the front porch and visit with the family.
Courtney Due Feb 9th, Me due Dec 24th & Sandy Due March 3rd

Finally, I was really excited and lucky to spend time with two of my best friends. It was so great to see them and spend time with them...they have been my closest friends since high school and now we are all pregnant at the same time. We went shopping in Park City and they helped me pick out some cute things for the baby.

Heading to Utah

I'm so excited, I am heading to Utah! And contrary to Jed's belief this is a vacation for me...not just business, the business is a wedding. But I get to miss work, and it is going to be much warmer there, two major things to qualify this as a vacation. I've already made a list of places I want to eat, I may need to bring some back on a carry on bag.

So stay tuned I will have an update about my Utah Vacation.

My Little Yogi

Baby Belly
21 Weeks

I went to my first prenatal yoga class...I found a great Groupon for a yoga studio in town. I have been trying to get to this class for a few months, but in the beginning I was too sick, and then in the last few weeks it seems like something always comes up and I can't make it. The studio only offers the class on Sunday and Tuesdays. Tuesday's is kind of early in the evening for me to get off work, so everything has to go just right for me that day for me to actually make it. Anyways, it was great. It's definitely not as intense as my Bikram class, but it was fun to meet a bunch of other pregnant women. It was exciting to see a few women who were 40 weeks, just waiting for the baby to come, but they were still able to do everything and they looked great.

It was really fun to feel the baby moving, during this class they begin by doing the chanting/singing thing and wow, the baby was excited about it, and the whole time it moved around TONS, it was just rolling around. So I think I have a little yogi...or hippie, he seemed to really come alive during class.

It's A Boy, Half Way There & Ultrasounds!

We had our ultrasound yesterday and found out we are having a boy! We are very excited but we would have been excited either way. It's nice to know what it is and be able to plan ahead a little bit.

Today I am 20 weeks, that means I am half way there! So here is a little update on what is going on:

• I feel the baby moving everyday and yesterday Jed felt it for the first time (I guess I can call it a him rather than it now).

• I've only gained 1.5 lbs since last appointment so a total of 4 lbs, which they say is healthy.

• I love hot spicy foods, I am curious if the baby is going to be born with a Mexican accent...but as of lately I have killer heart burn all the time so I am going to have to cut back on the jalapenos, which makes me sad.
• I haven't been able to sleep through the night since last week, so I am hoping that is more from the cold I have rather than a long term trend...even though I am prepared for the restless nights later on.
  

Below are a bunch of ultrasound pictures...most of them I can't really tell what they are but if you stare at them long enough you might be able to see a foot or something. Everything went really well. With my job I work with people who are physically or mentally disabled so that has been something I've worried a lot about, so when I mentioned that to the ultrasound tech, he was really great at pointing out specific things he looks for for disorders and syndromes. Everything looked really great, the baby is a normal size. The tech said he thinks I'll probably deliver early because I am a smaller woman...I think he just cursed me, watch now I'll hold on to this kid until after the first of the year.

Baby Update #3

Friday I had my 18 week appointment. We were really hoping they would do an ultrasound, but it worked out that we didn't because Jed had to stay home because he was so sick with a bad cold...which he has so kindly passed on to me. So I was really sad to go to this doctor's appointment, especially since it was our first appointment with the doctor I want to deliver with. The appointment went really well, again I got to hear the heart beat, I recorded it and was trying to post it but I can't figure out how to do that. It was good, it was 155 bpm and I am measuring right where I am supposed to be, but I don't remember what that was.

I am really excited about my doctor, she was very nice; she lived in Utah for a while and went to the U. We talked bikes for a while, she is one of those year round cyclists and she is really great at encouraging me to get out and be active.

We scheduled our ultrasound for Friday August 5th. I am really hoping that we will be able to find out the gender.

Sleepless Nights

All week I have been waking up at 3am and can't fall back to sleep. Earlier this week I was having the worse nightmares, one about a gorilla zombie. I have crazy dreams that someone is hunting me and I am running and hiding, or people have killed my family and are looking for me, or someone has beat up my friends and are coming for me. It is crazy!

But tonight I have been awake since 3:15 and it is now 5am! It is awful, I thought the sleepless nights came later on in pregnancy.

So is this what I have to look forward to for the rest of my 24 weeks pregnant?! Or anyone have any ideas so I can atleast rest some before I become ginormous and before the baby comes.