Happy Friday!

I really like this song - it makes me happy!  And what I love most about it is it reminds me of my little Clairebear!



Enjoy! Happy weekend!

26 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Up 16 lbs. This is getting less fun to post every week - ha! I think that's because the weight has gone up so fast, seems like. Up until around 18 weeks, I had gained just 3 lbs. And as a first timer, it's surprising how quick the number on the scale has gone up since then.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a head of lettuce!

Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah!

Sleep: It's okay. I'm curious how that answer might be different if we didn't have a cat! She is a terror at night, but I can't blame it all on her. I've been having lots of leg cramps in my calves and of course I'm waking up to go to the bathroom too.

Movement: I love feeling movement. It is the sweetest, most reassuring reminder ever!

Cravings/Aversions: Craving pancakes! I have been craving Cam's grandpa's famous pancakes for days. Y'all, I craved them so much all I could smell was syrup the other day at school! Saturday I spent the day with my mom and sister doing baby shopping and we decided to have brunch first - we went to 4 different places and every place was so packed that we finally gave up and settled for a burger place. But thankfully Cam made me delicious pancakes on Sunday - I was doing a happy dance!

Gender: Sweet baby girl - Claire Campbell Todd. I love her and her sweet name. I have the itch to get something monogrammed!

Mood: Pretty good. I have my moments...8th graders beware!

Symptoms: Choking very easily! This is weird, a bit scary, and unexpected. My doctor confirmed that it is easier to choke now because pregnancy slows down the GI tract so much. Friday night, one of Cam's best friends came to stay with us while he was in town for a work conference. We waited to have dinner with him until he got in after 9 pm (yes, I know this is a recipe for disaster, but I was trying to be a good hostess!). We took him to eat at Bellini's. A little backstory on Bellini's: We found this place after we moved into our house and fell in love with it. It's good food and it's not a chain. Through a random set of circumstances (taking different sets of company there, etc.), I ended up eating at Bellini's FOUR TIMES IN ONE WEEK during my first trimester, before anyone knew I was pregnant. By visit #4, Bellini's and I were dunzo for a good long while. The thought of even setting foot in that place again for a long time was enough to make me nauseous. Friday night was my first visit back. The food was fine - it was never a problem before, I just ate there too many times during a time when my tastes/stomach were very sensitive. Anyway, when I got in bed that night, I had a glass of milk (helps with the heartburn) and a bottle of water. I'm trying to get in my 80 ounces of water a day, so I drank the bottle and went to sleep. At this point, I felt like a balloon that was very close to popping. A little bit later, I woke up choking - this time, it wasn't heartburn acid, it was just straight up choking. I ran to the bathroom and proceeded to get incredibly sick - like I haven't been that sick since before 15 weeks when I was a lean, green puking machine! It was crazytown! So I learned several lessons: 1) I cannot eat late anymore, no exceptions, 2) Bellini's and I are broken up again, 3) No water right before bed!

Milestones: I found a beautiful Feltman Brothers coming home dress on Saturday and a matching bonnet! I can't wait to see her in it. I also got a baby book. Cam and I have finished registering. Cam finished painting the trim in the nursery and set the furniture up. It looks great! We are getting somewhere!

Daddy putting a crib together for his baby girl-

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: On Monday I had an unexpected ultrasound. I hesitate to even bring this up, because I hate to seem like I'm trying to get attention because I'm not, but this blog is my little record of this pregnancy so I want it to be an accurate reflection. I had a little issue and had a precautionary ultrasound to make sure I wasn't leaking amniotic fluid. The nurse and I didn't really think I was, but they had to check it out just to be sure. Thankfully, I'm not and everything looks absolutely fine! All that to say, Cam & I got to see our baby girl again! She is just the sweetest little thing ever - just like last time, she was moving her mouth a lot and had her legs closed like a little lady. Here's her sweet little profile. Can't wait to see her live and in person in just a little over three months!

While I was there, we talked to my doctor about the particularly rough night I had with heartburn last week and the sore throat I had afterward. I was minimizing things a little bit because I'm a little hesitant about the whole prescription medicine thing, but Cam piped up and gave her his perspective. When he mentioned that on bad days, this is waking me up at 3 am, she said we definitely need to try something different and wrote me a prescription for Prevacid. I've been taking it for 2 days and so far it's completely eliminated my heartburn! I am so thankful this is an option! Between nausea and heartburn, I've been feeling pretty bad for about the last 20 weeks. Praying the relief continues!

And a bump picture from last night -

Thanks for reading my blathering!

25 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: I forgot to weigh myself this morning when I got up...oops.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a cauliflower.

Maternity Clothes: Yes indeed!

Sleep: Been pretty good until last night, when I had another reflux/choking episode at 3 am. My throat is torn up now, and I look and feel like death today because of it! :(

Movement: Lots of it! It's the best feeling! One night last week, Cam laid his head very gently on my tummy and Claire kicked/punched harder than ever repeatedly! It was clear she knew that was her Daddy! She moved for 20 minutes straight for us - it was one of my favorite pregnancy moments yet!

Cravings/Aversions: I'm craving peanut butter crackers!

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd!

Mood: Pretty good. If I could ditch this job, my stress would lessen by about 95%.

Symptoms: All the usual things. I think the swelling in my ankles is a little better - I've been making a real effort this week to put my feet up more. We went out of town this weekend again and traveling is getting tougher - it hurts to sit in a car for very long.

Milestones: 15 more weeks to go! Can't believe how fast time is flying!

What I Look Forward To: Seeing what Claire looks like! Cam and I wonder about this daily. It's such a unique, amazing experience to carry around this little mystery for almost a year and not know what she will look like or be like personality-wise!

Bump picture from last night-

24 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: I was up 12 pounds total on my scale at home this morning, but between my clothes, the swelling, and having eaten during the day, my weight was ummm....several pounds higher this afternoon than it was in the morning. No fair.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a cantaloupe!

Maternity Clothes: Yes, please.

Sleep: Last week my reflux woke me up pretty frequently, but it's been better the last few days. This week I've been sleeping pretty well until about 4 am. Then the cat wakes up and starts acting crazy and I usually have to go to the bathroom by then, so the hours between 4 and 6 are pretty inconsistent sleep-wise. 

Movement: Yes. I feel it everyday and it makes me so happy! It's such a neat reminder that no matter what I'm doing, she's in there, and that is a beautiful thing. Cam felt a kick on Friday night - it was so cool to see how excited he got! When I think about him holding Claire, I just melt.

Cravings/Aversions: Goldfish - I'm all about the cheddar kind right now.

What I Miss: Normal sized ankles!

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd

Mood: Pretty good. Still stressed but I'm making it!

Symptoms: I had my 24 week appointment today so I have lots to share. 

I talked to Dr. Orth about how bad the reflux has gotten. One thing that's happened a couple times lately is I fall into a deep sleep and then, all of the sudden, jump out of bed because it's like I'm choking on the acid. The other night I ran to the bathroom and got sick right afterward. It's awful. I've tried all kinds of home remedies like eating mustard and drinking apple cider vinegar. She gave me some tips that might help and gave me the okay to take a higher dose of Zantac. If that doesn't help, she's going to prescribe me something. 

In the last couple of weeks my ankles have started swelling. I'm trying to be really conscious about putting my feet up more. Dr. Orth noticed it before I even mentioned it to her today, which worries me a little bit. She said usually swelling doesn't start until about 30 weeks, so this is a little early. We both agreed this is likely a result of my job - I'm on my feet so much. At this point in pregnancy, she says the only way to relieve swelling is to lay flat, so sitting down won't even help, although I think it does help some. It's something we're going to watch, but she seems to think it could continue to be an issue. 

I've been having lots of pain in my left upper rib area. My doctor thinks it's probably a muscular/skeletal thing that will continue as my body shifts and makes room for the baby. 

Milestones: I found the perfect toile bedding! I'm a toile fanatic! It's beautiful and exactly what I had in mind! Claire also made her first trip to East Texas this weekend for my family reunion. If her childhood is anything like mine, it will be the first of many trips up that way! Can't wait until she can attend the reunion "on the outside" next year!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: Claire measured a week ahead today so she could be a big baby! She would certainly come by that honestly, given that her Daddy weighed almost 10 lbs. Of course, last month she measured right on time, so it'll be interesting to see how she's looking next visit. Dr. Orth thinks I probably won't make it to my due date, between her possibly being big and my swelling...eeeek!

Sometimes I think about what it will be like after she's born and I realize how much I will miss being pregnant. Yes, I go on about reflux and all that, but it's such a nice feeling having my baby with me all the time. I know we'll be together all the time after she's born and the joy of having her here will outweigh any sadness about pregnancy being over, but I will miss it.

What I Look Forward To: Not worrying about my job anymore and being able to focus on my baby girl once maternity leave begins. That whole maternity leave process has been very challenging....far more challenging than it should be, quite frankly. Not gonna lie - it's been hard on me.

And I'll close with a bump picture. I look huge! The shirt I'm wearing is not maternity and I feel like I look bigger in regular clothes.

23 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Up 12 pounds total.

Size of Baby: Claire is the size of a grapefruit!

Maternity Clothes: Yes. How will I ever wear pants with buttons and zippers again?

Sleep: I'm sleeping really deeply right now.

Movement: Yes, I'm feeling it everyday now! It's an amazing feeling! Like her mother, Claire is not a morning person. She is more active as the day goes on!

Cravings/Aversions: My mom heard about my pumpkin pie craving last week and made one for me last weekend! Thanks Mom - it was delicious! I'm also craving french fries from McDonalds. I'm such a health nut - lol!

What I Miss: Eating without fear of heartburn.

Gender: It's a girl - Claire Campbell Todd!

Mood: Not trying to whine, just keeping it real: I'm exhausted and overwhelmed. The bags under my eyes have never been this dark, ever! Work is insanely busy - I'm either in meetings or tutoring every second I'm not teaching. Doesn't leave much time for planning lessons, grading, or this "cutting back" business everyone keeps mentioning. When, where, how? We've had something going on every single night this week so far and we'll be out of town the next two weekends. I need a nap. And a pedicure. 

Symptoms: My ankles are starting to swell. My heartburn is bad lately - twice this week I've had what can only be described as true reflux - acid literally coming back up. Oh, and I threw up a whole separate time the other night - totally out of the blue. I think my gag reflex just isn't what it used to be and it doesn't take much. I choked on some water in bed one night and all of the sudden, I threw up all over myself. Cam was right there and was pretty freaked out. It was lovely.

Milestones: The nursery is painted and it looks great! I'm really happy with the color. Can't wait to see the room with furniture in it! We've also combined our office and guest room into one room and it's looking nice!

Anything Else You'd Like to Share: Cam sold his truck and got a new (to him) truck this week that is carseat/baby friendly! It is really nice and he loves it, which makes me so happy! Now, we've both sold our old cars and gotten family-friendly ones! Feels really great to have that done!

What I Look Forward To: Meeting our Claire. I just can hardly imagine that moment! It will be wonderful!

P.S. I promise I'll post a bump picture soon! I keep thinking about it and then forget to do it before I change into my pajamas at night. Cam & I aren't picture takers at all, but I have a feeling that will change when Claire arrives!