17 Weeks - Our Little Sweet Potato

How far along? 17, almost 18 weeks.
Symptoms? Headaches (which, just to clarify, I take one regular strength Tylenol for ... and only if they headache is unbearable), increasingly painful heartburn after certain foods, and oh yeah - a bigger belly! :)
Total weight gain/loss: Up 4 lbs. total ... 137.
Maternity clothes? Nope, although the best part of the day is when I take off my jeans/pants and change into yoga pants. Heaven.
Food cravings: Apple cider and cinnamon donuts (must be Fall!), kettle corn, wheat toast with peanut butter, oranges, Granny Smith apples, Oreos dunked in milk, salad with Italian dressing
Anything making you queasy or sick: Slowly I find myself getting over my cheese aversion, which is good ... still not a fan of fish, though. The only fish I crave is spicy tuna rolls, and I'm not allowed to have those. Chicken breast has been weird for me lately, too - whether or not I'll eat it depends on the day.
Stretch marks? Nope, but I'm scared they're going to show up!
Sleep: Sleeping great!
Best moment this week: Realizing how much my little baby bump is turning into a round baby belly - I am starting to really look pregnant, which is awesome :)
Have you told family and friends: Yep, just anxiously waiting for Wednesday so we can find out if we're having a little "Jack-o-lantern" or a little "ghoul" :)
Miss Anything? Beer, margaritas (going out drinking in general, really), sushi, and sammiches. I've been seriously careful about lunch meat because of all that listeria stuff, but I gave in and ordered Jimmy John's this week ... now I want them all the time!
Movement: Flutters and little kicks/rolls, especially when I'm lying down.
Have you started to show yet: Yep - check out that growin' bump!

Gender prediction: I still say boy, Steve - and most other people - say girl. We'll find out Wednesday!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? Innie
Wedding rings on or off? Both rings are comfortably on.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy happy!
Baby Stuff Purchased? None this week
Looking forward to: Our OB appointment on Halloween - look for the gender announcement this coming week! :) :)

A Wedding in Paradise at 16 weeks ... Aloha!

Well, Steve and I are officially husband and wife! Earlier this week we returned from Maui/paradise/heaven on Earth, and I can't say enough about our trip, our incredible friends and family who shared it all with us, and our beautiful dream wedding. I'll post more shots of the wedding once we get our professional photos back, but for now I give you one of my favorites - it's amazing what pictures you can take with a cell phone these days - and a belly pic with the BEST backdrop possible. :)

How far along? 16 weeks - I missed a couple posts while I was lost in wedding mania. It's okay, though ... my belly didn't change that much.
Symptoms? Worst one now is headaches ... they've been pretty frequent, and I try not to take anything for them if I can help it. No more queasiness, energy has gone way up from the first trimester, and I've been digesting food a lot better, too. So far, VERY impressed with the second trimester!
Total weight gain/loss: Up 3 lbs. to 136 - yeah!! Our little turnip is growin' and growin'!
Maternity clothes? Nope
Food cravings: Oranges, Granny Smith apples, Hot Cheetos (which I have cut myself off from since they are SO bad for you ... but oh so delicious), Oreos dunked in milk, salad with Italian dressing, pickles, cereal ...
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still grossed out by any cheese that hasn't been melted, fish (although I did eat a little bit in Hawaii that wasn't awful) ... that's about it.
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Sleeping great!
Best moment this week: Having Steve wake me up in the middle of the night with his hand on my belly, frantically asking me if I could feel the baby moving ... sure enough, I felt the first flutters! So incredible :)
Have you told family and friends: Yep - just need to find out the gender and spread that good news around!
Miss Anything? Beer, margaritas (not drinking any tropical drinks in Hawaii was sad!), and sushi is still my #1 craving ... probably only because I can't have it.
Movement: Flutters and little kicks/rolls - even woke me up from a nap this week!
Have you started to show yet: Not so much in clothes, although the belly is definitely growing. Won't be long now ...

Gender prediction: I still say boy, Steve - and most other people - still say girl. We'll find out soon!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? Innie
Wedding rings on or off? BOTH rings (yep, I have 2 now!!) are comfortably on ... still looking to get my engagement ring resized 'cause it's a little too big.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happiest I've ever been!
Baby Stuff Purchased? Mom and Dad (a.k.a. Nana and Papa) bought Baby another adorable elephant wall hanging for the nursery ... looks like we're gonna have an elephant wall! :)
Looking forward to: My first OB appointment/seeing and hearing our baby's heartbeat for the first time. We are officially scheduled for Halloween :) :)

And the weekly posts begin ... Week 13

How far along? 13 when the pic was taken ... technically 14 weeks now.
Symptoms? A few mood swings, a headache here and there, but my worst enemy is indigestion - hunger pains/bloaty/gurgling/my stomach hates me all the time. Ugh. (But no significant morning sickness ... and zero vomiting! Thanks, stomach of steel!)
*Also getting over my first pregnant cold, which was about a week of awfulness. Glad that seems to be over, especially before Hawaii. Things they don't tell you about pregnancy - your awesome immune system that you built up from being a teacher is now shot!*
Total weight gain/loss: Nothin' yet ... actually lost a few lbs. during the 1st trimester, but I'm back to 133, which is what I weighed when I found out. Blame the lack of appetite due to symptoms above.
Maternity clothes? Oh goodness, no.
Food cravings: Mostly healthy food, actually - lots of fruit, especially citrus (love putting lemon wedges in my water now!), orange juice, cereal, yogurt, pickles - today's specific craving is grilled cheese & tomato soup.

Anything making you queasy or sick: The thought of most meat, especially chicken breast, and a lot of beef ... fish grosses me out for the first time in my life ... and any unmelted cheese. Yuck.
Stretch marks? Nope.
Sleep: A bit uncomfortable some nights ('cause of aforementioned stomach issues - and having to get up to use the bathroom all the time), but sleeping well for the most part.
Best moment this week: Having Sawyer and Isley kiss my belly and say "Hi!" to Baby Nielson :)
Have you told family and friends: Yes, finally!! It is even Facebook official. (Now the weekly blog and picture posts can finally be a regular thing!)
Miss Anything? Enjoying an adult beverage now and then ... that, and spicy tuna rolls. *sigh*
Movement: Nope, but I know our little lemon is movin' and shakin' in there!
Have you started to show yet: Nope! Just hang on a little while longer before making the stomach really poke out, Baby Nielson - Mama's got a wedding dress to wear soon! (Note - this picture is truly me "sticking it out" ... Steve doesn't let me "suck it in" at all for bump pics.)

Gender prediction: I say boy, Steve says girl. Hmmm ...
Labor Signs: Oh goodness, no.
Belly Button in or out? Innie
Wedding rings on or off? Engagement ring still comfortably swings around my finger a bit - actually a little big since losing some weight this past year. (Picked up our wedding rings from the jeweler last night, by the way! Eeeep! :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, except for when food doesn't agree with me ... :-/
Baby Stuff Purchased? We bought our first wall hanging that (we think) is going in the nursery - an elephant watercolor print from an artist at Pike Place Market. I love it! And elephants!
Looking forward to: My first OB appointment/seeing and hearing our baby's heartbeat for the first time! Won't be long now ...