Last week in the 20's... Woohoo! Who would have thought I'd be so happy to "leave my 20's"?! ;) This week baby girl is the size of an...

What's Baby Up To?

• She's growing white fat deposits under her skin, and her energy is surging because of it.
  
• The buds of her future permanent teeth are beginning to form in her gums now! Chomp!
  
• She loves exploring mommy's tummy and will be on one side one minute and then on the opposite the next. This has been very entertaining for mommy and daddy to watch as my stomach morphs its shape to accommodate her!
  

How's Mama?
Symptoms: Still sleeping well, but have to do lots of flipping from side to side during the night as my back will start hurting or my arms will sometimes go numb. My jumbo maternity pillow keeps me comfy (and may just be a permanent addition even after pregnancy)! :) 

Cravings: Mainly sweets! Can't go through the day without at least one...or five... ;) 

Weight Gain: ?? I'll get back to you on that... But I will say, I've bought two dresses for showers/weddings in the past week that were both non-maternity size smalls, so even though I'm expanding... I haven't totally lost it! Phew! Mama's still got it! ;) 

29 Week Bump Pic: 

This week Mommy & Daddy spent the first half of the week cooped up inside due to a winter storm that made it's way through Dallas. This gave Mama two days off of school to hibernate, clean the house, and catch up on our recorded shows! It was nice to have the time off from work, but I definitely got a little bored during the day. Better enjoy it while I can, because I'm sure life will never be dull again! :) 

Not too much else to report this week, just ready for the weather to warm up so that we will be more productive! Still lots to be done!

11 more weeks to go! :) 

Last Thursday, we went to Presbyterian Hospital (where baby girl will be born) and took an evening class called Baby Care Basics. On our own we are both pretty capable individuals and as a team we can figure out most anything, but we decided it wouldn't hurt to take a crash course in baby basics to learn such things as swaddling, baby CPR, diaper changing, etc. 

We were the first to arrive and had our pick of the litter of babies. After we chose our adorable plastic baby girl we got to enjoy such melodic masterpieces as "The Hokey Pokey" and "If All the Raindrops Were Lemon Drops and Gumdrops" while we waited. Stab. Me. In. The. Face. if these are the songs we will be listening to on repeat for the next 10 years. 

As class started, we were asked to introduce ourselves, share our due dates and baby's name if we had decided on one. There were about 15 couples in the room with us. Only like 2 of them would share their name. With strangers. Like we were just dying to copy whatever clever name they'd whipped up... puh-lease. We shared ours, because who cares and also because we were suckered into going first! 

Throughout the duration of class, we learned how to make the perfect swaddle, how to bath a newborn before their umbilical cord comes off, how to soothe a crying baby, and how to change a diaper. Here is a video of Mason's very first time to "change a diaper" ever.

Like a boss. Now that I know he is so skilled there will be LOTS of diaper changes in his future! ;) 

This was a very fun class and I would highly recommend all new parents taking something like this for a few valuable pearls of wisdom and lots of laughs! 

Bring it on bebe! We will give you the tightest swaddle and driest diaper in all the land! ;) 

Baby Girl, 

You've been a champ hanging out in Mama's tummy this trimester! Half the time, I hardly even noticed you were there! ;) Here is a recap of all of the fun things you've been along on the ride for in the last 14 weeks...

You made your big social debute this holiday season and everyone was anxious to see you, feel you, and hear all about you! Your first event of the season was the 7th Annual Dallas Girls Christmas Panty Exchange party, that was followed by an outing to the Ricki Derek, a Frank Sinatra style singer,  Holiday Concert at the historic Lakewood Theatre.

We also attended  a fun holiday party and white elephant gift exchange party at the Faubel's house - where Mommy & Daddy won $55 on some scratch off Lottery tickets! And to round out the festivities we went to Daddy's Comstock Company Christmas party which was held at Reunion Tower. We tried to take our picture with you out on the new observation deck, but Daddy is a wussy and afraid of heights and it was WAY too cold. We'll take you back someday! 

You were technically also along for the ride this Christmas season as we piled our presents and bags into the Acura sleigh and made our annual treks to Tyler and then to Houston to visit family! Daddy even convinced Mama to take a side trip afterward to Lafayette so that he could do a little work and we could visit our good friends, the Schoeffler's. It was a lot of traveling, but luckily you weren't big enough yet to make Mama too uncomfortable. 

As an added bonus of our trip to Lafayette we were able to have brunch at the yummiest place ever, the Blue Dog Cafe! Mama often dreams of their oyster dressing, crab chowder, and crawfish enchiladas! Luckily you got to join us to have your very first taste! We're certain it won't be your last either! 

You got to ring in your very first New Year with Mommy & Daddy! 2015 will be a BIG one for you... you know with the whole being born thing that you'll be doing! ;) Next year we can't wait to give YOU lots of New Year's kisses! 

Because Daddy so kindly arranged to take his girls on a tropical adventure to the island of Antigua, you got to enjoy your first time on an airplane and your first trip to a new country! You tiny jet-setter you! :) We hope, someday, you will love to travel as much as Mommy and Daddy do!

Not only have you started traveling the world, but you have started attending charity events, our little do-gooder! ;) In February, you attended the Cut For Love Charity event put together by Mommy & Daddy's good friend JJ. We all had a fabulous time, but had to leave a little early, because Mommy's feet were hurting in her 4 inch heels. 

Mommy & Daddy seem to always have a wedding to go to and this one was in Austin, TX again! We celebrated the marriage of Daddy's hometown friends Cody & Stephanie Johnson! Mommy had quite the struggle trying to find a dress that was both cute, yet roomy enough to fit you, as well. The selection of maternity dresses out there is quite horrendous, but luckily I found something that worked from Nordstrom and in a non-maternity, size small thank you very much! We still got it! ;) 

Daddy's "still got it" too! He had lots of moves out on the dance floor! ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well... that's all of your new adventures in the last few months! We can't wait to see what big things are in store for you during this last trimester! Mostly, we will just spend the days finishing your nursery, buying you lots of cute things and counting down to your arrival! Life will be much more entertaining with you around to share in the fun! 

We love you!

Love, Mommy & Daddy XOXO

We're here! We've officially made it to the THIRD trimester!! Baby girl is 66.6% cooked! :) This week she is the size of a...

What's Baby Up To? 

• She's starting to develop more fat, so her wrinkly skin is smoothing out!
  
• Her lungs are mature enough that she'd probably survive if she was born now. :)
  
• She is now blinking! ;) 
  
• She is also now dreaming thanks to  the REM sleep she is now getting. (Wonder what babies dream about...)
  
• She may be sticking out her tongue now too! : P
  
• She recognizes Mason's voice now. When he talks to her she always gives him little kicks! So sweet... :)
  

How's Mama?
Symptoms: Beginning to have what I think are sporadic Braxton Hicks contractions. Luckily, they do not hurt at all. I've also woken up twice in the middle of the night this last week with a foot cramp. Not sure if that is a pregnancy symptom or not... 

Cravings: None. I've been eating pretty much like I did before pregnancy. I'm a little more lax about eating carbs than I used to be, but other than that, the types of things I eat and the amount I eat has pretty much been the same. 

Weight Gain: Up about 13 pounds total.... which pre-pregnancy would have been horrifying to me, but it seems to be mostly packed into my belly bump, so I'm not stressing about it too much. 

28 Week Bump Pic: 

Glucose Test Update:
I had my three hour glucose screening on Monday. It was pretty awful. Thankfully, my mom came in town to suffer through it with me. After fasting after dinner Sunday night and having nothing to eat or drink Monday morning, I checked into the lab, had an initial base line blood sample taken, and then chugged my 10 oz of glucose drink (fruit punch flavored this time). After that I had to get my blood taken every hour for the next three hours. The drink made me a tad nauseous this time, probably because it was so sweet and I had nothing else in my system. The first hour passed quickly and my second blood drawing went just fine, and I thought, hey this isn't so bad...

Then it was time for the third. I just about blacked out. To make matters worse, she couldn't get anymore blood from my left arm so she had to switch back to my right, as I'm trying my hardest not to pass out. She had to literally stop and fan me for a little while, as I was as pale as a ghost and sweating profusely. I finally managed to regain composure, but was not even allowed a sip of water. Talk about cruel and unusual. 

My fourth and final blood donation went well, although, it was pretty painful as she went back in through my right arm for the third time of the day. My arms are all bruised up now and might be cause for concern for those who don't know better. 

I do not know my results yet. I plan to call in tomorrow to find out. I'm just glad the massacre is over and that my veins have a little time to recover. It was pretty brutal.

Besides all the sugar drama for this mama, I am so happy to be in month 7 of pregnancy and in my final trimester. I really just can't believe how fast it has gone by. She will be here before we know it! Yay!!! :)  

12 more weeks to go! :) 

To our sweet little Valentine, 

Happy First Valentine's Day! I know it probably seemed like just any other day of chillin' in the womb to you, but I wanted to let you know how Mommy & Daddy spent our day together.

I woke up super early to tidy up the house and whipped together a delicious Valentine's Day breakfast feast for the three of us to enjoy (you gave me a few kicks, so I assume you were a fan). Meanwhile, Daddy caught up on his Zzzz's. I can't wait until you are here so that you can encourage him to join us during our early AM parties! Anyone can stay up late. It takes a true animal to get the party started before 5AM! Don't worry... we'll teach him! ;) 

After a lazy morning, Mommy & Daddy got up and went to a few thrift stores looking for a bargain on a canvas and frame. I am working on an art project for your room. You may not know this yet, but your dear mother is  kind of an amazing bargainer. Daddy is way too nice and parts easily with money (which I'm sure you will figure out in years to come). Not me though. Someday, I'll teach you my slick ways. Anyway, we left with a large frame (for only $10, thank you very much) that has a great shape that I plan to paint hot pink for your room. It'll be totally fab, I promise. 

After our shopping success, and since it was such a beautiful day, we took a little stroll down Greenville Ave. and had a late lunch at a restaurant called Sundown right next to the Granada Theatre. On the walk back home we stopped to take the occasional photo of you! ;) 

You had a big mail day, as well! You received your very first Valentine card from your sweet friends Scarlett & Savannah Weatherford! :) They can't wait to meet you! 

You also got an adorable hot pink sun bathing hat from Lissey! You will undoubtedly be the chicest baby poolside this summer! ;) 

Mommy and Daddy spent the rest of the evening cooking dinner at home and watching movies! Father of the Bride I and II were on! :) Two of my very favorites and my first time to watch them knowing that we have a little girl on the way. I couldn't help but tear up as the dad in the movie relives a montage of scenes of his little girl growing up! And then I completely lost it when in the second movie (spoiler alert) he has another baby girl and they place her in his arms for the first time! Daddy and I absolutely can not wait for that moment. Three more months can't get her fast enough! 

It was a very lovely Valentine's Day and we hope that you had fun tagging along with us! Next year's will be even better! XOXO!

We love you so much, 

Mommy and Daddy

Can't say I've ever heard of this week's veggie. I couldn't even find one at the grocery store this evening. But, nonetheless, our baby girl is now the size of a...

Um, ok.

What's Baby Up To?

• With more brain tissue developing, her little brain is very active! (Our little smartie pants! :) 
  
• She is hiccuping! 
  
• She is sleeping and waking at regular intervals. ( Her most active times are usually around 10am, 2pm, 6pm, and 9pm.)
  
• She has more taste buds now than she will have at birth (or ever again!) Which means she can taste all the different foods that I'm eating when she drinks in the amniotic fluid. 
  

How's Mama?
Symptoms: Not really any this week. Back pain and heartburn have gone away for now. Just been concentrating on trying to eat healthy and avoid sugars to win the war against gestational diabetes!

Cravings: None this week.

Weight Gain: I haven't weighed myself in several days, but probably around 12 or 13 pounds up from pre-baby weight. 

27 Week Bump Pic: 

This is my last week of my second trimester. Yay! The light at the end of the tunnel is nearing! Other than my little glucose test debacle, pregnancy has been a breeze so far! Every day she patiently sits through 4 class periods of math (as if she has a choice) and every night we look forward to her movements (which are becoming full on body rolls instead of just kicks).

Tonight, Daddy plans to read Dr. Seuss' "Wacky Wednesday" to her (a childhood favorite of his and Uncle Cameron's - generously gifted by Aunt Keisha and Uncle Cam) now that we know she is listening. :)

I never thought in a million years I would say this, but a tiny part of me might even miss being pregnant one day. But don't worry... I'm sure a shrunken waist line and a large glass of chardonnay will eventually bring me back down to Earth! :) Enjoying these moments for now though...

13 more weeks to go! 

I'm not really okay with failing. Probably because I hardly ever do. I failed a Calculus test in college once. I cried. 

Today, I received the results from my one hour glucose test that screens for Gestational Diabetes. I failed. I cried then too.

Last Thursday, at my 26 week check-up, it was business as usual. Weigh-in, listen to the baby's heartbeat, and this time head to the lab for my glucose test. The glucose test consists of chugging a bottle of a sugary orange flavored drink (kind of like Sunkist) and then having THREE viles of your blood drawn exactly one hour later. You guys know how I feel about giving blood. I really didn't want to fail so I didn't have a single carb or sweet for the entire week to prepare. AND at my weigh in I proudly only gained 1.4 lbs from the previous month's checkup AND that was with me being weighed with my heeled boots on! I was pretty confident that I'd pass the sugar test with flying colors. 

Well... I got the phone call this afternoon that the Doctor doesn't like to see a blood sugar level over 139 and mine was 155, so I get to come back in on Monday morning and re-test. Only this time I have to fast ahead of time, get my blood drawn first thing in the morning, drink a larger amount of the glucose drink, and then get my blood drawn every hour on the hour for three hours. That's FOUR blood drawings in one morning. Are you KIDDING me!?!?! You may as well go ahead and plan my funeral!

More than anything I was in shock! Why me?? I eat pretty healthy. I follow a mostly paleo diet during the week, I hardly ever drink sodas or fruit juices, and I haven't really gained that much weight! So I was a little defensive with the nurse when she called me. (Even though I, ironically,  may have been in mid-Reeses Peanut Butter cup-bite when I got the call. Don't judge! It was my one sweet of the day!! And I don't even have wine to fall back on!)

She assured me that it really didn't have much to do with my weight or diet. Gestational diabetes can occur to anyone as a side effect of how your body handles pregnancy. Apparently hormones from the placenta, that help the baby to develop, can block the action of the mother's insulin in her body. Without enough insulin, glucose (sugar) cannot leave the blood and be changed into energy, which could be potentially dangerous to both Baby and Mama. Anyway, having GD doesn't sound like a picnic, so I'm praying that this next test goes well.

According to my research, a variety of things can affect the one-hour test and most women go on to pass their second glucose screening. Let's pray that's the case for me, because the alternative of dealing with diabetes (even if only for 13 weeks) seems horrible. Especially for someone who is not a huge fan of being poked with needles to begin with...

Thankfully, my mom is going to come in town to go to the test with me since I will most likely be a little woozy from near starvation and becoming a human pin cushion. Also it'll be nice to have someone to pass the three hour wait time with. 

My loving and supportive husband picked up a surprise Valentine's Day flower arrangement, that he had ordered for me, a few days early as a little pick me up after my bad news day. 

They smell oh so sweet. Hopefully, not enough to raise my glucose levels any higher! ;) 

I'll keep you posted...

While I'm not sure that veggies are quite as adorable as fruits are, this week baby girl is the size of a....

Daddy has nicknamed her "Little Lechuga" for the week! :) 

What's Baby Up To? 

• Her eyelashes are now grown! :) 
  
• Her eyes are beginning to open! (Can't wait to see if she'll have baby blues or be my little brown eyed girl!) - Also, apparently if we were to shine a flashlight on my belly she might respond to the light. Hmm, seems like a mean trick you'd play on a cat...
  
• She's getting her immune system ready by soaking up Mama's antibodies. 
  

How's Mama?
Symptoms: Heartburn, big time today... Also, I have come down with another cold! :( My second one during this pregnancy. Hopefully, it won't be as horrendous as the last one was. Other than those two things, everything else is still going just fine. I'm just in awe of my growing belly that seems to get a little bit bigger each day! One student even let me know that last week, "No offense, Mrs. Guinn, but you're getting fat!" Thhaannkkssss....

Cravings: SUGAR! But only because I have gone cold turkey from it this week. I have my glucose test tomorrow at my doctor's appointment and ain't nobody got time for gestational diabetes, so I have, with extreme self-control, resisted the box of Girl Scout Samoa's in the kitchen! I also, randomly, have been craving cherries. Like the kind that come in the jar. Haven't given into that yet either... 

26 Week Bump Pic: 

As I mentioned, tomorrow we have another check-up to look forward to. Seems like we just had one! Time is going by so fast! :)

Other than working, I've been passing the time by continuing to get the nursery together and building a wardrobe for one soon-to-be mini fashionista! :) Baby shopping has become my new favorite hobby! I can't wait to play dress up! 

14 more weeks to go! :)

Last weekend, Mason and I spent an entire Saturday registering for everything from strollers to burp cloths! During our Babymoon trip, I read an entire book about the best brands to buy and the safest products to use. Though I do not even have a baby yet, I feel that I can speak with expertise  on things such as the latest features of baby monitors and bottles that will make our baby the least gassy. With a detailed list of wants and needs, we confidently headed out into the unfamiliar land of baby super stores to conquer our registry. 

After about 20 minutes inside of Buy Buy Baby, I was ready to cry. 

They didn't have the brands that I had on my list, the colors and patterns offered were not my taste in the least, and in general we just felt completely overwhelmed. Knowing that we couldn't very well just give up, we battled on, finding things here and there that we liked or could use. But after an hour inside, I had a pounding headache and felt like I could use a stiff drink. 

To make matters worse, the next stop on our baby registry journey was Babies R' Us, my own personal version of HELL. I hate BRU with a passion! I have had to go in more than a handful of times to procure items on other friend's baby registries and more times than not I am unable to find what I am looking for even with the assistance of an employee. So after a not so pleasant start to our registering, I was less than thrilled to be walking into my least favorite store on Earth.

But wait! Contradictory to all of my prior experiences, Babies R' Us had nearly everything that we needed! All the major brands, lots of variety, and it was very user friendly to find the items we were looking for. Who would have thought? 

However, baby gadgets and basic necessities aside, neither store could offer me anything as far as clothing, bedding, or accessories. I'm not really your average baby mama, I guess. I hate pastels and I don't like baby animals or cartoon characters adorning my baby items. My nursery colors are black, white, gold, and fuchsia, which is not the typical baby color scheme sold to the masses. 

Luckily, I was able to find tons of cute things on Etsy to fill in the gaps of our registry!

I also found out about a website called Babylist where you can link all of your registries to one site, as well as add things that you would want from other places like Etsy, Amazon, or other department stores!

So... if your interested in taking a little peek at what Mommy and Daddy would love to have for our Baby Girl, please feel free to visit our link: 

https://babyli.st/guinn-registry

With baby showers on the horizon and the task of registering behind us, we are truly enjoying this exciting time in our lives! We can't wait to push baby girl around the neighborhood in her stroller or buckle her up in a new car seat on the way home from the hospital! Heck I'm even amped up to change a diaper, at the moment. Mainly we can't wait for it all to become a reality! :) 

Baby girl,  you will be our greatest adventure and we are oh so ready for you! XOXO!

The countdown is officially on! There are only...

separating today and having our baby girl in our arms! Swoon... <3