Books I've read during my pregnancy

I've always loved to read. No matter where I am I'm reading something. I give credit to my mother and my grandmother (a retired librarian). Heck, I had a book themed baby shower!

It comes at no surprise that I remained an avid reader during my pregnancy. I'd like to share with you the books I read during my pregnancy and my personal book review.

     My favorite book this pregnancy was Ina May's Guide to Childbirth which speaks to the very natural process of childbirth. This hippy book is about a midwife who lives on a farm in Tennessee. Women would come from all over the nation to have Ina May and her team guide them in natural childbirth. Each woman becomes a part of the farm during their time before and after their childbirth. They clean their own cabin rooms, help with farming and even walk the woods during their beginning contractions.
     I heard about this book on a blog and I'm so glad I did! The beginning of this book contains stories of women who had natural births on 'The Farm'. The second half of the book, written by Ina May, speaks to the process of natural birth and explains terms and medications your doctor will mention. I will say this book is very biased. Ina May is completely against a medicated and hospital birth (she HAS had to take a high risk mother to a hospital for a birth - she's not cruel). But the 1960's hippy girl in her never died as she fights for women's rights and sticks it to "the man".

     When I heard about two friends from my Catholic elementary school becoming pregnant around the same time (1 year before I became pregnant) I was so happy for them! I wanted to send them a congratulations gift. I looked and looked for what I thought would be best and I came across this book. Unfortunately by the time I found this book I thought it was too late to send a congratulatory gift. But let's face it, it's never too late to send a gift!
    This book is a week by week journey through your pregnancy. Each week is about 2-4 pages beginning with what's medically going on in your pregnancy, followed by real life stories and advice from the author and finished with a prayer. The prayers were short and always had a challenge for the week: Dear Jesus, walk with me in these final weeks of pregnancy, and hold me close to your Sacred Heart. I am looking forward to meeting this baby, but I'm not necessarily looking forward to the process that gets me there. Keep me wise as I prioritize and focus always on God's will for my every day. Amen. See?  I loved this book because it was a light read before bed. Nothing too scary or too heavy.
     I just realized this book also has a chapter on baptism. I guess I need to read that (we haven't baptized Marshall yet).

     Another Catholic book I read throughout the nine months was Prayerfully Expecting by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle. I knew the nine months of pregnancy would be a perfect novena opportunity. A novena is when you pray for nine days in a row. It sounds easy but it is really hard for me! I figured if I had nine months I would at least have 30 days to remember my novena commitment. Believe it or not I still fell behind!
     This novena is pretty intense. You really need to set aside time to pray this. Not only are you praying a rosary (which takes about 30 minutes) there are other prayers and meditations that go with each month. While this was the most challenging book to read/pray. It was also the most rewarding. If you're up for it, I say give this a try!

     Funny story. One day I was in a Salvation Army store because they were having a sale. $5 for as many books you can fit in a box. I found a What to Expect When You're Expecting and put it in the box. I figured "Hey, I'll be pregnant someday and these books are expensive!" What do you know, it came in handy! 

     As soon as I found out I was pregnant I read this book cover to cover. Seriously. And it was an AWFUL idea! While they guide you through month by month, there are many tangents you can take when you find a symptom throughout your pregnancy. Q: "I have gas, what does this mean?"  A: "Gas is very common for pregnant women, it is due to the change in hormones. However, if you have severe gas it could be a sign that this pregnancy will be horrible and you will have a severely painful birth!" I would proceed with caution with this book. It give a LOT of information, most of which I found unnecessary during my pregnancy. Just keep it by your side as a reference but definitely take your doctor's word over anything.

     When I wasn't reading I was visiting blogs, pinterest and the WhatToExpect website. One day on this website I found a message board for mothers due in March. I joined and someone shared that there was a Facebook group for mothers due in March that would work better than the message board. So I joined the March Mom facebook group. This community was a godsend. No really, God sent me this community. Without them I would have been a nervous wreck throughout the pregnancy. We were all going through similar symptoms at the same time. "Anyone buying new bras? Where are you getting yours?" "My body is doing this funny thing, anyone else?" "Is my baby bump supposed to look like this?" etc. 

We turned Wednesday's Hump Day into Bump Day and would share our belly bumps!
Faces distorted to protect privacy. It was a secret group on Facebook.

     My sister-in-law was the only person in my life who was pregnant around the time I was. This was her second baby and so she had her hands full with a toddler. With over 200 women in this Facebook group there was always someone to encourage you, comfort you and suggest medical attention. This group is still going strong today as we share milestones our babies are reaching. I've learned I'm already a competitive mom. I said to J the other day: "A baby in my mommy group is already rolling over. Should Marshall be rolling over? I'm going to see if he can roll over." yikes! It has begun!

High Heels!

Last Month Diary

Journal to Baby Boy as we await his arrival. 

February 7: After feeling a lot of pressure over the weekend I went to see my doctor. Doctor says I can't attend Auntie Shaena's wedding in Las Vegas on February 22. He said you are measuring too big and I will probably have you before March 6. Too many emotions to share. I'll just say I'm thankful for the support everyone is giving us.

Saturday, February 8: Daddy and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary. Hard to believe we've been married a year and we already have a blessing like you on the way.

February 9: Mommy wanted to relax all day, but couldn't! There was a family birthday party and we needed to look at car seats for your drive home from the hospital. Mommy did sleep on the drive to Lubbock. Dad said it was weird because he "missed his friend" who keeps him company on the road.

February 13: Went to the doctor with our doula, Danielle. Doctor visit went well. He says I'm a little dilated which means you're getting ready to make your appearance!

Saturday, February 15: Mommy is very excited about your arrival. She has a lot to do to prepare, but she's not worried. She knows you'll come when you and God are ready.

February 16: Mommy and Dad were surrounded by the love of family and friends at your baby shower at the local Lion's Club. It was quite a crowd and you go lots of clothes and diapers! We thought we'd get a car seat, but we didn't. That's the #1 thing we need before your arrival. You'll soon realize Mommy is a safety freak.

February 17: I think you'll come on a Monday. Every Monday I feel a little more pressure as you try and make you way out. Dad surprised me after work so we could go shopping for a car seat. When we were shopping I called my friend Sarah G in San Antonio for advice. Instead of advice, Sarah just bought us our car seat on the spot! So it's thanks to Sarah, her husband Paul and your soon-to-be friend Vinny that you will be safe and sound following your entry into the world!

February 18: Mommy and Dad finished packing their hospital bags. The car seat and stroller are put together and we are ready for you to arrive! Mommy even had the energy to vacuum, cook dinner and do laundry. Can we say nesting!!

February 19: There is a lot of pollen in the air this week. Mommy is very congested and wakes up every hour to blow her nose. Soon, I'll be waking up every hour to check on you!

February 20: Went to the doctor. You aren't ready to come out yet! I got to see you on the ultrasound (well, the back of your head). The doctor wanted to make sure you were head down. Boy oh boy! You were head down and you have a big head! When I told Grandpa Kellar that he said you probably got that big head from him.

February 21: These allergies really got to me today at work. I left work early because I couldn't focus on doing my job. Went home to rest all afternoon. Saw your cousin Carlos play basketball. He's really good! My doula is officially "on-call" for me which means she'll be checking up on us to be sure we feel healthy and happy.

Saturday, February 22: We could have been in Las Vegas today! I'm spending all day on Facebook and Instagram looking for pictures of Auntie Shaena's wedding. I forgot Las Vegas is 2 hours behind us. So I stayed up late trying to catch a glimpse of the bride. She looked beautiful! This week has probably been the most difficult week of my pregnancy. My body aches, my mind is distracted, my emotions are all over the place. I honestly couldn't imagine traveling 12 hours to be in a busy day of wedding activities. I can hardly imagine getting off the couch right now! These hormones aren't helping with the disappointment of missing my best friends wedding either :( I'm trying to get to the bottom of this ice cream tub, hoping there's a morsel of happiness down there.

February 23: Daddy and I spent the day together. I slept in while he checked the cows and the land (he's watering wheat and plowing fertilizer into the ground). We went to church at noon in the next town and ate at Chili's for lunch. That spinach and artichoke dip never tasted so good! YUM! This afternoon we just watched movies and organized the house a little. Daddy's toboggan started falling apart, but Mommy was able to sew it together for him! Can't wait until I can sew something for you!

February 24: You're still not here! No pressure this morning either. So much for my Monday theory. The wonderful people I work with threw me a baby shower for you today. I work with a lot of grandparents so they know what worked in the past and what works now! You got your first rosary (it's from Međugorje!) , Sophie the giraffe (for teething), and a nubba wub, among many other fabulous items.  I wonder if you'll be a pacifier baby. Mommy would suck her thumb when she was a little girl but she needed braces later because of that! You aren't sucking your thumb in the sonograms so maybe you'll save us some money by avoiding braces. The Bishop blessed Mommy, thanking God for new life (that's you!) and praying for a successful delivery (whenever you decide that is...).

February 24 (evening): Wow! Today was a very hormonal day. You'll learn what hormones are when you are a teenager - until then, don't worry about it! Just be thankful the mommy and daddy have such great family and friends. They also are very good at communicating to each other. Mommy was feeling sad so she texted Daddy and he helped her relax. Then your Tia Mayra called Mommy and took her mind off the emotions. Mommy also talked to Aunt Shaena and Sarah and they both helped Mommy feel better. It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a Sisterhood to console a mother-to-be. Thanks be to God for my girls (and husband).

February 25:  Met with Danielle the Doula today. She says you'll probably be here NEXT Friday. that's the day after your due date. So much for Doctor thinking you'll be early. As long as you a healthy, mommy will be happy! I had steak and pasta for dinner and you LOVED it. I guess you're a true Texas boy who loves his beef! 

February 26: An uneventful day today. You are still in there! I watched a movie called 'The Business of Being Born' it was an eye-opener to the natural birth process. Mommy is hoping for a natural birth, to keep the drugs out of your system. This documentary helped with my self-confidence about the whole situation.

February 27: Mommy was up at 5 a.m. today and couldn't get back to sleep. I had a doctor's appointment today. Doctor says I'm 50% effaced and at a -3 station. I've felt my hip bones moving around so I thought there was some change. I'm surprised it's -3 stationed. Doctor wants to see how much you weigh next week. He thinks you'll be a big baby and we'll need to do a c-section. I don't want a c-section. Your daddy was 10lbs and he wasn't delivered via c-section. If you're big that just means there's more of you to love!

February 28: A lot of people thought you'd be joining us today, but you had other plans. People are calling and texting asking where you are. I tell them you are just too comfortable right now. I went grocery shopping today to prepare some frozen meals while we're home recovering from birth. The shopping tired me out so I'll make the meals tomorrow.

Saturday, March 1: Mommy was motivated to stay home and get stuff done today. She made 8 crock pot meals from the Six Sister's Stuff blog. These should keep us full for a few weeks following your birthday. 

March 2: It snowed today! After a lazy day around the house mommy and daddy were looking forward to getting out of the house. But around 10 in the morning it started to ice and then snow! We stayed home and did some projects around the house. You decided not to come today which is good because that would have been a slippery ride to the hospital!

March 3: Mommy was so tired and hungry today! I think my face was swollen too. I tried eating spicy food because that is known to help labor start. I had black eyed peas and white rice with lots of Tabasco sauce. Oh and spinach. Then I had a dream I had triplets! Are you hiding something from me??

March 4: Mommy is nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment. How big are you? Why don't you want to come see us yet? We want to do what is right so we'll get you here as safe as possible. But feel free to get things started on your own. See that bag of fluid? Just pop it!


March 5: Doctor says you are only 7lbs right now. There is a 20% margin of error but I'm not worried. I am concerned that your head measurement was OOR (Out Of Range) which means you have a BIG head! Big head means big brain, so you're going to be smart! We got a 3D photo of you. You are so cute! We think you look like daddy, but you might have mommy's upper lip. 

March 6: Today is your due date! and you're not here.

March 9: Today is Aunt Jessica's birthday and Daylights Savings Day. You want to be a spring baby, not a winter baby. You want those long sunny days so you stuck around until the clocks changed. Actually you're still in there! Are you trying to be a summer baby?!

March 10: I didn't go to work today because I was so tired from the weekend. I spent the weekend cleaning the house and getting ready for your arrival. I thought if I'd keep on my feet today and work out more you might make an appearance. You didn't. and now my ankles are swollen.

March 11: Whew! I was so tired this morning! I drove an hour to work, parked my car and fell asleep in my car seat for about 20 minutes! I was snoring and everything! You are wearing me out kiddo! We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to check on things. I'm pretty sure there will be no change. But you will be here in 2 days! I can't wait to meet you and I pray everything goes well during your delivery!

March 12: As expected, no change in my progress this morning at the doctor. I keep telling everyone you are already a mama's boy because you don't want to leave my womb! We'll head in to the hospital this evening and spend the night. By morning my water will break and you'll be on your way!

To be Continued...

Belly Bump Update!

I promised a belly bump photo weeks ago and FINALLY got around to it!

I wanted to take it in the same shirt because what you wear really does effect how pregnant you look. 

This is one of 3 shirts that I can wear without totally exposing my underbelly! Everything else rides up *awkward.

You can tell I got a new phone within the past 4 months. 22 weeks was taken with my Droid RAZR and now I have a Samsung LG G2. HUGE difference! I got the Samsung because it's the best camera phone on the market. So proud of myself for knowing what I wanted and going for it!

Notice anything different in these pictures? Besides the basketball I swallowed...

I can no longer where my engagement or wedding ring (SO SAD!) and I can't even wear my watch! The swelling in my hands and feet is unnoticeable to everyone but me.

I have a few more blog posts sitting in "draft" mode. Hopefully I can get those published this week for you. 

37 weeks - in the home stretch!

How far along? 37 weeks

Baby is the size of Swiss Chard (source)

Total weight gain/loss: I've gained 22 lbs. I gained those 10 at Christmas which put me at 22 but since then I haven't gained any more. That's good in my eyes. It really feels like all baby now.

Maternity Clothes? Nothing else fits! 

Stretch marks?  A few on my lower abdomen, under the belly button. But they are very light and Hubby refused to feed my fear. So I'll go with "not really".

Sleep? Sleep is good. Sleep is my best friend! As I anticipate being in labor for over 6, 10, or even 24 hours all I can think is "but when will I sleep?!" I'm trying to sleep as much as I can now. I fell asleep on the couch yesterday as Hubby warmed up the shower for me. It was awesome! I'm always tired after I eat, I think this baby sucks the life out of me as he digests our food.

Best moment this week:  It feels like my belly is all baby now. So I feel every movement. It's very cool. Kinda sad that it's at the end of my pregnancy and I only get to enjoy this for a few more weeks (days?). But he is very very active! I'm sure I will miss that.

Miss Anything?  Definitely food items. Sushi, wine, rare steaks, and any over indulgence in sweets. I've wanted ice cream every day, but I can't remember the last time I had ice cream. 

Movement:  Lots of movement! Especially after eating and after taking my vitamins. I can feel him burrowing down south when I wake up in the morning and when I walk for long periods of time.

I will try and take a belly photo this weekend! Sorry these are all I have

Food cravings:  Nothing but I'm not saying "no" to as many things as I was in the beginning. I did crave and go buy orange juice and milk the other day. It was yummy.

Anything making your queasy or sick?  Just heartburn after a big meal. 

Have you started to show yet? Oh ya!

Symptoms: Sciatic pain in hip is the worst. Still have indigestion, heart burn, numbness in hands, swollen ankles, very very congested. But as I prepare for an unmedicated birth I am putting all of this into perspective and I think "this is nothing to complain about" whenever I feel like complaining.

Super Sexy right? This is after a 3 day weekend in Dallas with PLENTY of walking and not enough sitting.
The 'after' picture is thanks to my LOVING husband who kept reminding me to elevate my feet and he wrapped them in ACE bandages for a night. Back to normal! (4 days later!)

Gender:  BOY!

Labor signs:  A few cramps here and there. Doctor said I was a fingertip dilated at today's appointment. I think he was lying to make the nurse and my doula feel excited.

Belly button in or out?  Hanging IN there!

Wedding rings on or off?  Off. Still wearing that size 8 ring (1 size up)

Happy or Moody most of the time?  Happy. No complaints here. I think I have a great 'tribe' to help me through the birthing process. Loving my doula! So I'm just waiting for the big day. Trying not to think too much about it so I don't get depressed if it doesn't happen soon.

Looking forward to: My baby shower this weekend, organizing (nesting) and my BFF getting married in two weeks! Can't wait for her big day!!

Book Baby Shower

Of course there is no where I'd rather be on my birthday, than my home town Dallas Texas. So I was fortunate this year to have a baby shower the weekend of my birthday. It was hosted by my 5th grade teacher who is now my mom's new BFF. She just renovated her house, you'll catch glimpses in the photos. She really opened it up, it looks great!

It was a 'Book' themed shower. All guests were asked to bring a gift and a book. I wasn't expecting the menu to be book themed as well! Too cute!

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs - served along side meatballs!

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss with Green Deviled eggs
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish with goldfish crackers and home made crackers

The Book of Virtues with bumble bee cupcakes
featuring virtues such as "Bee Honest", "Bee Friendly" etc.

The Hungry Little Caterpillar next to the veggie tray. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go with sugar cookies shaped like feet!

And I could not get enough of the cheese and crackers.
Maybe that means the baby will love this book!

I registered at Buy Buy Baby. I love that they offer a free wrapping station. Some guests did wrap their presents there. That is a diaper cake back there! yay!

A Texas onesie from my mom with a baseball hat.
My hubby wears baseball hats all the time and my mom swears she's going to buy a matching Texas shirt too.
She's loving this grandmother thing.

This beautiful piece of art was created by our family friend.
It is a collage featuring our last names and stamps from areas significant to our family.
Such a great personal piece!
I need to tap into my creative side when it comes to gift giving!

Baby's first tie!

The largest gift award goes to my two best friends (and bridesmaids)
This 3-in-1 walker Ally and Shaena.
Shaena swore she only bought off the registry, but she didn't on this one!
It is a black car that looks like a bat-mobile, Hubs loves it.
I said it'll be great for when it's wine night and I don't want to chase the baby around. 

Good Night Moon book and stuffed bunny from little sister Theresa/MOH

Baby got lots of stripes!

I had a lot of fun. Didn't get emotional at all! No tears from this hormonal mama!

The highlight of the event was the new BumGenius cloth diapers.
I registered for the One-Size diapers so guests were figuring out how the snaps and folds worked.
After looking at them when I got home I'll need a crash course also!

All recorded by my mom in the baby book we received at Christmas!

My younger sister, Jessica, (she's 3 years younger than me) and my mom.

Jessica was the photographer throughout the afternoon and did a great job! 

I think I'm standing on my tiptoes since Jessica is like 5 inches taller than me. No fair!

A pleasant surprise was seeing my friend from college who is also pregnant!

I missed out on a belly bump with my Sister in Law, but Danielle was the next best girl!

Dear Daddy-to-be,

Can you believe it's been 8 months since I asked you "Do you want to start trying?"? It feels like yesterday! Seriously, I remember exactly where we were and your facial expression when you heard the question. Now-a-days I can't remember my own name, but I'll never forget your face! Time flies when you're having fun! 

I think this pregnancy has been awesome for our relationship. Not that things were ever bad, but with the could-be stress of a pregnancy things are going much better than I expected.

You have been such a support throughout these 8 months. I am actually looking forward to the support you'll provide me during the labor and birthing process. I wouldn't want anyone else by my side in the hospital.

On that note, I want to say Thank You:

Thank you for joining me on this adventure.
Thank you for supporting me along the way.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you for calming my nerves.
Thank you for having your own opinion.
Thank you for dealing with my mood swings, even though you say they aren't that bad, I kinda think you are lying to make me feel better. ;) 
Thank you for coming TO me when I cry (due to hormones) instead of "giving me space".
Thank you for agreeing to keep the name a secret.
Thank you for the many many massages.
Thank you for dealing with my awkward sleeping patterns and positions now.
Thank you for the food runs.
Thank you for tempting me with ice cream and congratulating me when I refuse.
Thank you for gaining more weight than me! (I don't really mean that - haha)
Thank you for not overreacting to my stretch marks like I did.
Thank you for your positive outlook on our future.
Thank you for attending the birthing classes and doctors appointments.
Thank you for planning a paternity leave.
Thank you for your prayers.
and of course, Thank you for being who you are! I think we make a great team! You are one of a kind and I wouldn't have it any other way!

High Heels!

Wedding Season 2014

Forget the baby talk, Wedding Season has begun! My best friend for the past 23 years (I'm 28 years old) so my lifelong friend - is getting married. She is a savvy sexy successful woman who is way to cool to call me her friend but for some reason she does. (Thanks!) Her #1 no-no is most social situations is children. She'd just "rather not". Rather not deal with the crying, rather not deal with the distraction and just "rather not". So at her upcoming wedding at the end of February she has a strict NO CHILDREN rule. Five of her nine bridesmaids are married and three of the five have children. More like toddlers, not children. Either way, they are not invited to the wedding.

I was so anxious for her reaction when I announced my pregnancy. I expected her initial reaction would be one of the following Pinterest comments:



    

YIKES!! Not so nice...
 Style Unveiled.com

God Bless this bride with THREE pregnant BMs
source

Ack! Even hubby recalls the bride-to-be saying "You better not knock her up!" ayayay

When the day came I missed my chance to tell her face to face. However, she knew something was up and asked me a few days later. She is happy for me and hasn't banned me from her wedding.

Let's face it, this pregnancy hasn't change me much. I'm a pretty lame friend anyways. I'm definitely not the one you call for a crazy night out. A crazy night IN? I'm all over that! lol

For all other pregnant bridesmaids out here: I found this website with pregnant bridesmaid advice. 

1. Be honest with the bride With this being my first baby I have no clue what to expect! But she is my BFF so she pretty much knows everything about me anyway.
3. Order a bigger dress Done!

       

This is the dress straight from the boutique. Yes I said boutique, not store because it came with a boutique price tag, we're not talking David's Bridal here!

 I took this picture in my 17 year old sister's bedroom so the color doesn't do it justice. It's a really pretty dress I will ABSOLUTELY wear again, believe it or not. Also I had extra spark that day (notice the static cling). 

This is before alterations. Can't wait to see how big I get by the end of Feb!

More advice....
7. BYOB: Bring snacks and water to stay hydrated. Fainting bride, cute. Fainting preggo, "TIMBER!!"
8. Comfortable shoes! Flats for sure!
9. Laugh at yourself Hormones = emotional. But tears at a wedding are OK!


I'm signing off with Grits on this. Being pregnant is hard enough, add in supporting your BFF on the most important day of her life and it's hard to remember to take care of yourself. So a definite Grit post.

Grits,

It's not like I can wear high heels right now anyways.

Baby is not the size of fruit

I figured out the whole "your baby is the size of a _____" controversy I created.

Thanks to my 4 pregnancy apps I realized the "size" they are talking about is usually the WEIGHT of the baby.

When you look at it that way they do kinda go up in weight..
18 weeks: Bell Pepper
19 weeks: Heirloom Tomato
20 weeks: Banana
21 weeks: Carrot
22 weeks: Spaghetti Squash maybe a small squash
23 weeks: Large Mango
24 weeks: Ear of Corn
25 weeks: Rutabaga
26 weeks: Scallion ok, not this one
27 weeks: Head of Cauliflower
28 weeks: Eggplant
29 weeks: Butternut Squash
30 weeks: Large Cabbage
31 weeks: Coconut
32 weeks: Jicama
33 weeks: Pineapple
Then, Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Head of Romaine Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Leek, mini watermelon, and finally pumpkin.

Close enough. I'll settle for an average of length and weight just to keep me happy.

Working Out while Pregnant

I am SO grateful for my years in sports. My high school basketball and softball days helped me transition into TaeBo classes in college. Unfortunately those classes were only offered my freshman year.  After that I had to find the time and energy to run on the track or go to a gym (yuck!)

After college I become an at-home work out person. This included daily dog walks up and down hills in San Antonio and Arlington. I also enjoyed at-home yoga and hot yoga in a Dallas studio.

Since moving to the farm, I've kept up with dog walks without the hills (because there are none). I've also done yoga in my living room and zumba in the school gym. All are very satisfying. None are as strenuous as high school sports, but then again I'm not 16 anymore.

Now that I'm pregnant it's even more obvious that I'm, as my dad said, "not a spring chicken anymore". During my first trimester I was tired ALL the time. I lost weight in the beginning and then started gaining about 1 pound a week (as recommended). My second trimester flew by! I got my energy back so I added a lot to my plate. Thankfully, I was energized enough to workout consistently too. My biggest workout deterrent is travelling. During the holidays when we traveled to Dallas or Lubbock to see family and friends I never found the time to work out. 

Finally, the holidays are over and I have no excuses. I've gained 15 lbs over the past 7 months and I have 2 months (hopefully!) to go. Which means I could end up with a total weight gain of 23 lbs if I gain 1 lb per week for the next 8 weeks. Since I was overweight to begin with, I would be comfortable with a 23 lb gain. While I'd prefer less, it's really up to the baby. 

As you read the other day, I have almost every symptom in the book. I've been ignoring my copy of 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' (I kinda read the whole thing as soon as I got it, scared myself into a stressful state of mind and decided to play it cool and just go with the flow which meant NOT reading that book anymore). Well I re-read the sections regarding my symptoms and everything could be fixed with a healthy diet and exercise. I've been eating really well and not giving into sugary or white flour cravings. So I feel more motivated than ever to workout!

The workout routine I've been doing is the Tracy Anderson Pregnancy Project DVD. I love it. I bought this DVD set in my first trimester. The only research I put into it was reading the reviews on Amazon. I'm still not into pregnancy magazines or anything like that so I went where the money is actually spent by consumers.

PROS

• The stage is all pastel colors and she plays relaxing music

  

  See? Really muted and relaxing (source)

• There are 9 discs. One for each month. I have found each disc corresponds perfectly with where my body is during the pregnancy. And I could share the DVDs with my SIL who was 3 months further along than I was. (In return I got her extra changing pad and stroller!)
• Tracy is SO nice! I've always liked the video trainers who say things like "you can do it" even though they don't know that I'm actually sitting on the couch eating potato chips. j/k I'm usually yelling back at them "Shut up! You don't even know me!" 
• The further into my pregnancy, the more impact I see with the workouts. I couldn't even image some of the position she puts you in, but once you get in that position it feels amazing! For example, in months 8 & 9 we use a chair to help with balance and stability. I would have never considered that!

PRO & CON

• It is relaxing and doesn't "feel" like a workout. In the beginning I wanted it to feel like a workout (which is why this is part Con), but it is important to keep your body burning calories making the baby not making a 6 pack. (They say pregnant women have 40% more blood vessels in their body, so Tracy really works on getting the circulation throughout. I can tell a HUGE difference in my circulation on days I work out.)

CONS

• Tracy is BEAUTIFUL and her boobs are spilling out everywhere. It's not a bad thing, just makes me wonder why I am working out in a messy bun, no make up, and two sports bras and she has her hair perfectly curled, a face full of makeup and no bra?

See? boobs everywhere! Then again, she's pregnant! (source)

• There are a lot of butt workouts. Tracy says we are "lifting" our buttock. If you've seen my buttocks, it is quite lifted so this big booty lady doesn't see the need in getting it higher up on my back!...but I do enjoy what it does for my hips. 

Remember those biceps in baby boy's sonogram? I think it's safe to say he gets it from his mama! ;) 

High Heels!