25 Week Update

How far along? 25 weeks

Total weight gain? 17.8 lbs

Maternity clothes? Just bought myself that much needed winter coat. Thank goodness for Old Navy maternity

Sleep? I think I'm past the stage of getting a full nights rest at this point

Best moment this week? Discussing baby names

Movement? Yes, and I'm able to see my belly move on some of the stronger kicks/punches

Gender? Still haven't changed our mind about finding out!

Food cravings? No pickles and ice cream for me

Labor signs? Holding strong

Belly Button in or out? She's about to blow

What I miss? Sleeping through the entire night on my back

What I am looking forward to? Thanksgiving

Weekly Wisdom? When someone asks if it's ok to eat vodka sauce on your pasta (while you are eating it) exclaim "Yes, it's the only way I get any alcohol these days!"

Milestones? Had my 6 month check up last week and everything is looking good. Placenta has moved out of the way, so no need for c-section at this point.

The "linea nigra" running above and below my ready-to-pop belly button. Apparently this line does go away after birth.

And Peanut's name will be......

......kept a secret until "he" is born! Adam and I discussed names today for the first time. We both came up with our own lists for boy's and girl's names and then talked them through. Although we didn't love each of the names that the other one came up with, it wasn't hard for us to nail down a couple of options for each gender that we both really like. Looking forward to meeting First Name Middle Name Hardt, aren't you?

PS - Adam just announced that "he is ready to have the baby now" that he has finished reading the 30 page, large-font book I bought him called "My Boys Can Swim."

Baby books we're reading

There are TONS of baby books out there these days. Here are the ones we are referencing/reading!

Nicole's Bookshelf

Adam's Bookshelf

My naming rights have been revoked

Here is how far we've gotten in the "Naming Peanut Something Other than Peanut" contest:

Nicole: "I'm reading this book where the cat's name is Muffin!"

Adam: (barely shows any signs of hearing my comment)

Nicole: "I don't know if I've ever told you this, but the cat I had growing up was named Muffin. He was a boy though! Can you believe I named my male cat Muffin?"

Adam: "That just confirms that you have no naming rights to our child."

24 week fall walk

Today we took a little walk through the park and snapped a couple of photos. Still trying to learn the new camera so only have one decent one to share. More photos from our walk can be seen here.

Will Peanut be a rebel?

For those of you who believe in hocus-pocus-scientology-I'm a goat not a ram-mumbo jumbo, there is a good chance that Peanut is going to be an Aquarius. How does this bode for his demeanor? How does it compare to Adam and my sign? Read on....

Peanut:
Aquarius Strength Keywords:
- Witty
- Clever
- Humanitarian
- Inventive
- Original

Aquarius Weakness Keywords:
- Stubborn
- Unemotional
- Sarcastic
- Rebellious
- Aloof

Adam:
Cancer Strength Keywords:
- Loyalty
- Dependable
- Caring
- Adaptable
- Responsive

Cancer Weakness Keywords:
- Moody
- Clingy
- Self-pitying
- Oversensitive
- Self-absorbed

Nicole:
Capricorn Strength Keywords:
- Responsible
- Patient
- Ambitious
- Resourceful
- Loyal

Capricorn Weakness Keywords:
- Dictatorial
- Inhibited
- Conceited
- Distrusting
- Unimaginative

Phil made me promise that if I have 2 in there I have to give him 1

Phil and me in front of the bean in Chicago last weekend

She said what?

I was in hot, hot Houston this week for work and was sitting in my first meeting after having not been down there for almost 2 months. There were about 25 people in the room and we all had to introduce ourselves, telling our role on the project, our favorite sports team, and what we like to do in our spare time. This is how this little story played out:

Me: "Hi, I'm Nicole Hardt with Towers Perrin. I'm working on the service delivery workstream and my favorite sports team is the Badgers and the Packers, minus Favre. In my spare time I like to travel." The part about the Packers isn't really true, but had to throw that in for a little laugh.

Client: "And Nicole is going to have a new role in February."

Me: slightly embarrassed, but not sure why.... "Yes, I'm going to be a mom!" Round of applause ensues.

Random other client that I don't know: "Well we know what you like to do in your spare time!"

I'm pretty sure I turned Badger red.......

Trying to send us a message?

Peanut received these in the mail today from Aunt Jamie. My question is, are you trying to send us subliminal messages that we should move back to WI? A onesie with a cow on it and the other one saying "Grandma loves me"???? My bags are packed.....now I just need to get Adam on board.

23 Week Update

Have been really busy at work, and along with some weekend travel, haven't posted in a bit. So, here is a quick update:

How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain? An even 15 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes, and need to buy a new winter coat now too

Sleep? Definitely sleeping on my sides more now

Best moment this week? Having friends feel Peanut kick and punch his way around my uterus

Movement? Yes, frequently now. Makes me laugh every time

Gender? Not going to find out

Food cravings? Nothing unusual, but do I sure love me a slice of pizza

Labor signs? none

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but definitely ready to turn itself inside out.

What I miss? I'd be lying if I didn't say a WOODCHUCK (or 6)

What I am looking forward to? Now that fall is here, hunkering down and doing some serious planning

Weekly Wisdom? People, especially those in older generations, love that we're not finding out the gender. Given that they couldn't do such things in their times, it must feel a little sci-fi for them to think about being able to name a baby before it's even born.

Milestones? Peanut is developing nipples this week. Haha

Half way through this marathon

I'm officially at 20 weeks today, the half-way point! I wish the second half could be as easy as the first, but I doubt that will be the case. I am celebrating by posting a picture of my lovely hubby trying to figure out what it is like be to pregnant.

Adam giving my bellaband a shot.

First movement

Peanut's going to be a bowler!

On Friday night I felt Peanut move for the first time. It's normal to feel the first movement anytime between weeks 16-20, and it's typically later for women who are having their first baby. I was laying in bed and felt what can only be described as bubbles in my belly. I put my hand on it, and then I think Peanut wound up to throw that bowling ball because I almost jumped out of my skin. Cool, but a little creepy. Over the past couple of days I have felt the frequency of the movement pick up a bit, but Adam has yet to be in the right place at the right time.

Peanut's playlist

Now that Peanut can hear, I decided to put together a lullaby playlist for him. I put it on my iPhone and then put the headphones on my belly. Thanks to my rocker sister-in-law's suggestion of using Rockabye Baby songs, there is no "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to be found. Peanut is bound to be a rocker and has been to 3 concerts already (Lollapalooza, Jackson Browne and Snow Patrol). Here is his lullaby list (all songs are rendetions of the original song). Click here to listen to an example: Rockabye Baby - The Beatles

1. Clocks by Coldplay

2. All Apologies by Nirvana

3. Don't Speak by No Doubt

4. Karma Police by Radiohead

5. Yesterday by the Beatles

6. Ruby Tuesday by the Rolling Stones

7. Tonight, Tonight by the Smashing Pumpkins

8. With or Without You by U2

9. Hey Jude by the Beatles

10. Parabola by Tool (per Adam's suggestion)

Second photo shoot

I had a follow-up ultrasound today to take a look at where my placenta is sitting. I think it's still a little low, but I'll be going back in every other week for the next couple months so they can keep tabs on it.

The more interesting news is that although I have not felt Peanut kick or punch yet, he had his fingers balled up like that's exactly what he was doing. The ultrasound tech was trying to get him to flip over by pushing on my belly, but he wasn't having any of it. That's my Peanut - stubborn just like me. He's also up to 12 oz, which according to my fruit chart, is a bit heavier than a mango. She did take some more pics, but they're not nearly as clear as the last ones. I also got to see both hemisphere's of his brain which was a bit weird to see.

It must be in the water

Out of about 100 people that sit on my my floor in the office, there are 5 of us that are pregnant. Two (breaking news: now three!) of the women I worked with in the Chicago office are also pregnant (one with twins!). And if that's not enough, I have two close friends that are pregnant (one that found out the day I was with her). Babies R Us, here we come!

The two pregnancy tests that confirmed Peanut was a peanut.