Week Twenty-Eight

How I'm Feeling: I am *finally* getting over being seriously sick for the past week. Think Zombie Plague + Pregnancy. Still super stuffy and coughing, but at least I'm finally sleeping again (mostly). I actually went to the Urgent Care Center in my hometown, because I was just so tired of being sick. They gave me a shot (which was ridiculously painful for some reason) and a ton of meds with strict orders to take it easy. Of course, all of this just made me worry about River, because I really didn't want to take any medications with her, but they assured me everything would be fine and it was in her best interest to take them. It helps to ease my freak out modes when I can feel her kicking and moving like crazy though.

Latest Doctor Visit: First 3rd Trimester Doctor Visit happened! It was super quick, and they measured my belly and I got to hear River's heartbeat like always (152). She's doing great and she should be here in 12 weeks hopefully!

Nursery Update: Nursery is still being put on hold because we're still debating on moving. Which sucks, because I am so ready to get River's things together for her, but I can hold off for a little longer.

Cravings: Chocolate Pop-Tarts & Milk. Seriously, best things ever. Zack and I are going through almost 3 gallons of milk a week right now!

Gifts for River this Week: So, my sweet little girl isn't even here yet, and she's already spoiled rotten thanks to her awesome family! Here's just *SOME* of her gifts!

Most Coveted Baby Item of the Week:

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. I absolutely loved this book when I was younger, and I plan on buying it soon for River and writing a sweet message inside.

Week Twenty-Seven

How I'm Feeling: Weird. On the one hand, I'm super happy and ready to have River in my arms as soon as she's ready to be here. On the other, I'm super stressed because of some issues that have come up with our property that might mean we have to move in the near or distant future. I'm also feeling like I'm about to catch a cold (or what I hope is JUST a cold, and not the beginnings of the flu), with a scratchy throat and fatigue. 

Milestone: This week I've been playing music to little River whenever I get the chance. So far she seems to like the mellower side of the spectrum. She enjoyed Neil Young's Don't Let it Bring You Down and Obadiah Parker's version of Hey Ya. Both she kicked and grooved a lot too. 

Nursery Update: As of right now, the nursery is put on hold until we figure out the housing situation :( Which really sucks because I was so excited to finally get started on it. But we don't want to put any more money then we already have into it if we're just going to end up leaving. So practicality comes first unfortunately.

Cravings: Burger King burgers and onion rings! And of course, still milk.

Weird Non-Gross Body Stuff: Leg Cramps and Braxton Hicks contractions. They both suck majorly.

Gifts for River this Week:

 This week River received her first book from her sweet cousins, Amy and Macie! They also bought her an adorable little owl plush toy.

She also got this adorable little outfit from her Aunt Anita and cousin Regina :)

Most Coveted Baby Item of the Week:

This adorable little onesie, found HERE.

Week Twenty-Six

How I'm Feeling: Mostly good, but I'm getting super uncomfortable trying to sleep! Besides the fact that River is moving around like a crazy chick, my back is killing me every time I try and roll over. 

Nursery Update: River's nursery is *finally* painted thinks to some of our awesome friends! It's a light gray and we plan on doing some pink accents soon. We also got the flooring, and plan on installing it this weekend. Pictures to come!

Milestone: Last weekend I bought my first pair of maternity jeans... and they are AWESOME. Seriously, I may never go back to regular jeans again... sorry hubs.

Doctor Visit: This week I had my last monthly check-up, and now move on to my two-week visits! I can't believe how fast time is flying! River is doing great so far, but still hasn't gotten into position and is lying sideways with her head on my left side, but my doctor said that should be changing in the next two weeks or so. This time around I had to do my gestational diabetes test, which involved me getting to drink this super sugary nasty red Hawaiian Punch like drink and then waiting an hour to get my blood drawn- which really sucked because they couldn't find a "good" vein and had to take it out of my hand. I also had to have a TDAP vaccine in my arm which didn't hurt at the time, but is now sore. We got to meet the mid-wife since my doctor was on vacation, and she was *very* informative and gave us lots of pamphlets on breastfeeding and gave Zack a mini-lecture on what his duties were going to be when I was breast-feeding (one of which included making sure I got a 3 hour nap in the day!). She also recommended he read So That's What They're For, which I may or may not buy for him as a Christmas socking stuffer.

Registry #1: After the not so fun doctor visit, we decided to treat ourselves and go out to eat and registry River at Target. Which turned out to be insanely fun. Zack went a little nuts with the scanner though and I had to constantly remind him that we had to scan for "age appropriate" shower gifts- not a 2T outfit (even if it was adorbs).

Registry HERE.

Cravings: MILK. Tons and tons of milk.

Weird Non-Gross Body Stuff:  Super dry skin. Migraines. Swollen feet.

Most Researched Topic this Week: Gray and Pink Nurseries.

Gifts for River this Week: 
This week River's daddy bought her (and me) a super cute Vera Bradley diaper bag for Christmas!

And since I didn't update last week, River also received a very beautiful blanket made by my sweet friend at work!

Most Coveted Baby Item of the Week:
Her crib! I am *so* beyond ready to have her little nursery completed it's not even funny! Luckily, I found a pretty reasonably priced one on Amazon that is a 4 in 1 and that has beyond excellent reviews. Never underestimate the power of a good Amazon buy!

Week Twenty-Four

Milestone: River finally let Zack feel her kick for the first time Sunday night! We were going to sleep and I made Zack keep his hand on my tummy for at least an hour and she finally gave him three swift kicks to let him know she was still in there hanging out.

How I'm Feeling: Hungry. Like, all the time, 24/7. It's a bit ridiculous actually, but I'm keeping an eye on my food intake and hopefully staying on track for weight gain and management!

Cravings: Still tons of milk.

Weird Non-Gross Body Stuff- Back/ Hip aches! My back hurts all the time now and if I sit too long or when I first get up in the morning I am super stiff.

Most Researched Topic This Week: Baby on a Small Budget! Seriously, Zack and I have always budgeted and this ARTICLE was a really great and informative read.

Most Coveted Baby Item This Week: Swaddlers! Specifically, I've heard great things about the Miracle Blanket brand. Found HERE.

"A Thousand Pieces of You" by Claudia Gray

Series: Firebird #1
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Format: Kindle
Publication: November 4, 2014 by Harper Teen
Cover Rating: 5/5 Stars
Links: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depo

From Goodreads: Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure. 

My Thoughts: SO AMAZING! You know how they say never judge a book by it's cover? Well, you can totally judge this one by it's beautiful and unique cover, because the pages inside are just as magnificent and original!

I can't tell you the last time I read a great YA novel where I didn't think "This is really good, it reminds me of..." It just didn't happen in A Thousand Pieces of You, because it didn't remind me of anything that I have ever read before, which was so refreshing! And there's never a dull moment! From the first page to the last you are thrown into this amazing world that Claudia Gray has created, and you can't put it down. Anyone who likes a good science fiction story, with some romance, and an awesome heroine will love this book!

Bottom Line: I definitely recommend this one to all YA fans.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars