Week 31

Where: Lummi Island, Washington (Mt. Baker in the background)

Week Recap ~

• Total weight gain/loss : +25 lbs
• Sleep : Getting a little harder. My stomach has started to get uncomfortable if I don't make sure to have a pillow under it. Also, waking up a lot to go to the bathroom. When I was asleep most nights I was sleeping hard, just waking up a lot. 
• Best moments : Relaxing all weekend and being in the sun. Just spending time with Stephen & the dogs not worrying about anything/ 
• Movement : She's getting bigger, as her movements are more pronounced. She still isn't the most active one, but has her moments where she's partying in there. 
• Symptoms : Starting to have my ankles get swollen :( No kankles yet, but I am worried they are on their way. We had a few 80 degree days and that had them swelling pretty good. 
• Maternity clothes? : Yes, with the warmer weather I have been rocking mostly dresses this week. 
• Food cravings or aversion's? : Nothing in particular this week. 
• What I am eating : deer moss, wild mushrooms, salmon, rhubarb, sunflower root, sable fish, flowers, fried halibut skin with razor clams, geoduck - to name a few items from our amazing 18 course meal at the Willows :)  
• Exercise : Lots of walks. I've really been doing well with getting out and moving more. 
• Gender : Girl
• Labor signs : None
• What I miss : Not having someone jam a foot or hand into my upper stomach for hours on end, especially after I have ate a large meal. 
• What I am looking forward to : Stephen has a nice mother's day planned for me and my sister arrives to Seattle next week. Also, I have a day off work to hang out with her next Friday and who doesn't love a day off work! :)
  
  
  Other Happenings:
  We spent all weekend in Lummi Island. We did pretty much nothing but relax. We didn't even watch tv other than a few sports events. The view from the house we rented (we have a friend who's mom owns a house on the island) was amazing. We spent a lot of time looking out at this view...
  
  
  
  The dogs LOVED it. There was a nice size yard they would roam and a wonderful deck we all spent a lot of time on. We left the door open and they would just go out and sunbath for hours. 
  
  
  
  As I mentioned, we had an amazing dinner at the Willows Inn. It was walking distance from the house we stayed in too. We got there about an hour early and sat out on the nice deck having a pre-dinner drink (me some fancy fresh squeezed juice).
  
  
  I think we had the best table (the place only has 12 tables).
  
  
  
  
  On Saturday we walked the beach and saw the head chef from Willows on the beach. We talked to him and found out he was foraging seaweed for dinner that night. All the food served at their dinners is foraged from the island or fished from the waters around the island. We thought it was just so cool running into him picking items for dinner, foodies meeting a celebrity. haha
  
  
  
  I love this picture of us on the beach. We were so relaxed :)
  
  
  
  Some scenery pictures from our weekend...
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  We played mini golf this Friday. I killed it on the front nine!
  
  
  
  Then I let a hard hole get in my head and Stephen killed it on the back nine.
  
  
  
  Final results....We tied! 
  
  
  
  I also went to the doctor this week, starting my every two week appointments instead of once a month. I am measuring right on track and the heartbeat sounded great!

Week 30

Where: Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA

Week Recap ~

• Total weight gain/loss : +23.5 lbs (almost at the "recommended" amount of weight to gain. With 9 weeks left I am hoping to just go barely over 30)
• Sleep : Fairly good this week. I had a couple nights that I didn't get a ton of sleep, but most nights I slept really hard. 
• Best moments : Well my amazing news went public, if you are someone that checks in here you probably already know the news via other chains, but my sister has accepted a job in Seattle! She moves here in a week and a half and I couldn't be more excited. The idea that baby girl is going to know a family member other than over the internet and holidays makes me tear up. Also, this week finished up the labor and delivery part of our child prep classes. Only two more weeks left covering baby stuff!
• Movement : She must be getting bigger as sometimes her movements shake my whole stomach now. It can take me off guard and startle me sometimes. hehe
• Symptoms : I have been getting tired again, not as bad as the first trimester but a lot of activity or long work days are starting to take it out of me. Also, baby brain is in full effect. I cant remember a lot and I am often at a loss for words and find myself just pointing at things cause I can't find the words I need. 
• Maternity clothes? : Yes, same as always with some non-maternity tops mixed in. 
• Food cravings or aversion's? : Nothing new
• What I am eating : I honestly cannot remember. Stephen grilled us sausage and peppers one night, as always I had greek yogurt for breakfast and I have had a ton of fruit. Strawberries were 3 for $5! the day I got them I ate a whole thing 
• Exercise : Walks! 
• Gender : Baby Girl
• Labor signs : None, but with our classes finished we should be 100% prepared right? right? haha
• What I miss : Lately I have been really wanting a beer. So this week I will say beer. :)
• What I am looking forward to : The weekend! We are leaving today to go to Lummi Island in the San Juan Islands for the weekend. It should be relaxing and filled with nature. To start the weekend off right we are dining at Willows. It is very hard to get reservations at but Stephen pulled it off for us! It is an 18 course meal, all sourced exclusively from the island.  

Week 29

Where: RoozenGaarde tulip field, Skagit Valley, WA



Week Recap ~

• Total weight gain/loss : +22 lbs
• Sleep : I didn't kick the week off great. Had my first bout of insomnia on Sunday night. I know insomnia strikes a lot of pregnant women, but I have been lucky to date to not have any. It did not make for a fun Monday. Luckily Sunday was the only night I was plagued with this.
• Best moments : All of the big nursery furniture is purchased and in her room! It has been a challenge arranging it in a manor I find acceptable though. I think Stephen has moved every piece in every possible position, maybe more than once :). Here is the dresser I picked up on Monday, found on Craigslist:

I also received some AMAZING news at the end of this week, but cannot share it just yet. Stay tuned!

• Movement : Same as the last few weeks, nothing new here.
• Symptoms : Starting to nest some. Like I mentioned, I had Stephen moving everything around in her room like a crazy person. I also took all of our amazing shower gifts and sorted them for easier use of where everything is and knowing what all we have right now. Check out this girls clothes!

I was glad I sorted through all of them. I quickly figured out what sizes she needs and doesn't need more clothes of. The two large piles are 3-9 months. We would be in trouble if she came today and was tiny. I know a lot of people say they aren't in newborn or 0-3 very long but right now she'd be going naked a lot while we washed the 10 clothing items she does have from newborn - 3 months every day. We wont get her too many more clothes in this size but a few onsies and pjs should have her covered.  
• Maternity clothes? : Rocking them still. Still wearing a few non-maternity shirts, but I have also gone to put on some tshirts this week to find that they do not fit at all.
• Food cravings or aversion's? : Nothing stands out this week
• What I am eating : greek yogurt, granola, pasta, salad, fruit, fruit, fruit, made some quinoa stuffed red peppers one night, ben & jerry's frozen greek yogurt so good! I was better about veggies this week, but I still need to work on having more.
• Exercise : Got a good number of after work walks in this week. The weather has been looking up and it stays light out till after 8pm now so we have a lot of chances to take family walks. It makes the dogs very happy too!
• Gender : Girl!
• Labor signs : I think one night I felt a Braxton Hicks contraction, just one so no need to be concerned :)
• What I miss : Taking a walk in 60 degree weather and not sweating! haha. To be fair 60 is warm here, 80 is HOT. So if you live in the Midwest maybe read this as 80 degree weather makes me sweat, to give you an idea of the temp we are having here. Also, walking up inclines and not having to stop or slow down to catch my breath. I am not letting either of these things stop me from getting out and in the sun when I can!
• What I am looking forward to : Having next Friday off! We are headed to Lummi Island for the weekend. Should be relaxing.

Other Happenings:

We went to the Tulip Festival! I was so excited that we were first in line to get into the fields.

Just a few of the hundreds of photos we took:

The dogs were super cute and loving.

 Yuri watching TV on his dad.



Chewie hanging out with his sister (he stood like this for 20 mins)

We enjoyed the sunshine! Not only did we take walks, but we spent time out on the porch. We also put up a gate on the front porch and leave the door open and Chewie eats it up. He loves hanging out there.

Bike Trips

We love to bike. If you talk to my husband you will know that. He bikes to work, he likes to bike to the grocery store, bars - even ones that are only a few blocks away. He loves biking more than I do. We both do like bike adventures. Over the summer we had quite a few. I don't have pictures for all of them unfortunately.

At the start of the summer Stephen made a purchase he was SO excited about. Baskets to attach to our bikes that will hold the dogs! Hahaha. They are HILARIOUS. We first took them for a test drive in the Goodyear parking lot next to our building.

Yuri was not very into it, but was a good sport. In the below picture I think he's looking at Stephen like "really dad? you thought I would like this?" Haha

 

Chewie LOVED it. He was living it up in that basket. The wind in his hair, the possibility of being taken everywhere with us. He was very happy about Stephen's purchase.

We took them another day on a longer bike ride, about 5 miles total. We biked to Norm's Eatery and Alehouse in Fremont, a dog bar. On the bike there we made it one block before one of the dog's tried to get out of the basket, surprisingly it was Chewie too! I should also note for you all that the dogs aren't just sitting willingly in these baskets. They are securely fastened in. All they can get out is about 1/3 of their little bodies. We got Chewie situated again and we on our way. We got a lot of looks, honks and laughs. I was laughing right along with everyone. We were quite the site I am sure. Yuri spent most of the trip crying and looking around. Him and I had to bike in the back so he could see Steve, Chewie and me whenever he wanted to. When I was in the front with him he cried the most and would stretch his neck out trying to see around me to his dad and brother. They might not have been as pumped about the bike baskets as we were, but they sure loved getting to go to the bar with us!

 

Another Saturday we biked downtown and took the water taxi over to West Seattle. We left the dogs at home for this trip.

Here I am waiting with my bike to get on the water taxi on the Seattle side of the water.

 

Stephen posing for me in front of our great city. :) West Seattle has a nice board walk area that leads to a beach. On a nice day in West Seattle you might think you are in Southern California, not Washington.

When we were biking along the boardwalk we saw a crowd of people looking out at something on the water. It was a bald eagle chilling on the beach! We were really close to it. It was a pretty amazing site to see.

 

Us taking a stroll on the beach after having a seafood lunch at a local spot.

There was a lot of happenings that day at the beach, there was some sort of SeaFair Pirate event happening and a pole volt championship occurring.

 

Not pictured is that we got new bikes! I was in the market for a road bike and when I was shopping around Steve decided he wanted one too. He found a great bike before I did and made a purchase that has changed his life. He bikes more than ever. We have taken these new bikes on many test runs and then one bike bike trip, totaling 45 miles round trip!

 

We biked from our condo building to Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville, WA. The trip was primarily along a combination of fitness paths that will take you around Lake Washington.

 

 

We met a few different friends along the way, near where they lived or parked. In total 6 of us road out to the brewery(one of those 6 is 2, so she really just chilled in the back while her dad pulled her). We arrived around 11:30am, just in time to beat the rush. Had lunch, a few beers, checked out what they call a tour and then biked home. Biking home was a lot slower after beer and food, but it still was a great time. It was the first long ride I had on my bike and I was happy to say that I was very glad with my purchase.

 

Steve and I are both hoping to do at least one big bike race next year. There are quite a few to choose from, MS 150, STP (Seattle to Portland, RSVP (Seattle to Vancouver).