18 & 19: On the Move

Well it officially happened: I felt Baby H move.

at 18 weeks

On last week and this week's pregnancy app (which noted that the baby was the size of a sweet potato & mango, respectively), it noted that soon I'd be able to feel some movement going on in there. This could range from a bubbly feeling or a flutter to a little punch. For a week, I couldn't discern whether the bubbles I was noticing was simply stomach acid or wishful thinking. There were more than a few nights when I'd tell Shaun that I thought that maybe the baby was moving around. But I wasn't really sure. He was cautiously excited since, well, I wasn't really sure if it was happening or not.

Then, I was sitting at work on Wednesday and felt a very clear wave/punch sensation in my lower abdomen. Followed by another one. I sent a message to Shaun that there was no doubt about it...Baby H was on the move! The afternoon continued with a few more wave/punches in my gut and I couldn't stop smiling all day long. Everyday it's feeling more and more real and more and more amazing!

The Bump

Well, it's definitely growing! I'm almost 19 full weeks now:

at 19 weeksThe bump is growing and I love every minute of it!

Due to the growth spurt, I went a little crazy with maternity shopping this week. Not only are regular jeans, pants and skirts simply not an option anymore, but it was time to upgrade my undergarments and I feel like a new person. So.much.more.comfortable. I also invested in some skinny jeans and colored skinny pants, all of which I am really digging. I'll do a separate post on maternity clothes thus far, but I will tell you right now that I realized that I am willing to spend a little money in order to be comfy for the next 5 months. Just sayin'. And I'm supplementing with other non-maternity clothing which is working nicely (like the Forever 21 tank). And happily, I feel like I'm starting to approach the point where I actually look pregnant. A nice gentleman even offered me his seat on the train the other night.

How I'm Feeling:

Pretty dang awesome, honestly. I'm still tired at the end of the day (and pass out on the couch most evenings, leaving Shaun to wake and pull me up), but mostly, I have more energy to get things done which is a great feeling. I've noticed that I get out of breath very quickly. By the time I climb the stairs from the bowels of the Earth that is the Christopher Street Path Station, I'm huffing and puffing. Oh and on my 1/2 mile walk to the office? Yeah, doing the walk and talk isn't so great. I've also noticed that apparently the little mango has decided to start using my bladder as a fluffy pillow. I can't make it very long between bathroom breaks these days and find myself waking up around 4:30 every morning to take care of that. Lastly, I definitely have a bit of lower back pain in the evenings and when I wake in the morning and am realizing already that my days of bending down or forward are likely limited.

What I've Been Eating:

I'm continuously amazing by my ever-changing tastes. Slowly making its way off the list? Meat! Especially chicken. I'm not grossed out by it, I just don't want it. So more meatless dinners have been happening as of late. Same goes for eggs. My coveted 92Y breakfast just isn't interesting me anymore.

In its place? Cereal! I've been starting every morning with Raisin Bran and loving it. And I find that it does keep me full until mid-morning when I proceed to snack on another one of my favorites of late...green apples! I have been working vegetables back into my diet which feels really good. Not so much on salad, but roasted or raw broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are working for me. 

So that's what been going on with me over the last couple of weeks. It's been a ton of fun and I'm feeling Baby H moving around a couple times a day now! I'm looking forward to hanging by my parents' pool this weekend and simply relaxing with a book and some good food. 

Hope you all have a fantastic and safe holiday weekend! What are your plans?

The Perfect Tank Top {Pregnant or Not}

I'm one of those people who really, really wants to be into fashion and look perfectly put together at all times. 

I am not actually one of those people.

I try my best to look nice and in the season's fashions. I want to wear patterns and polka dots and stripes... but somehow I often end up with solid tanks and cardigans and giving them a lil' somethin' somethin' with fun jewelry or shoes. 

I was incredibly psyched when my sister Kimberly recommended the Essential Ribbed Scoop Neck tank tops from Forever 21.

They are stretchy and flattering yet keep their shape, they come in a zillion colors and..oh yeah, they are a whopping $4.80 a pop. Since I've been pregnant, my love for these tank tops has grown uncontrollably!

They are slim fitting and extra long, so they are perfect for showing off the burgeoning bump!

I don't want to hide my pregnancy under big, baggy clothes and I've found that these tanks, mixed with cute cardigans and pants or long skirts really do the trick from making me look too bulky and oversized, not to mention keeping me in some sort of style.

Oh! And I haven't worn them this way, but I think these tanks would also be absolutely perfect for bedtime, especially in these last hot summer days! And um, again for $4.80 a pop, you really can't go wrong. And, I just realized they are on special this week online - 2 for $8. I plan to stock up on darker colors and wear them throughout the fall, mixed with chunky sweaters, leggings and boots!

So that's what I'm crushing on these days. I'm off to scoop these up in every color under the sun...

Do you have a go-to look?

What are your favorite clothing pieces?

Making My Week Better...

Sons of Anarchy season 4 is available on DVD today.

Shaun and I plowed right through seasons 1, 2 and 3 with a mad furor earlier this year. I was convinced that season 4 had already been released on DVD and so I told Shaun that we need not worry about going through episode after episode...we had plenty more to watch!

Yeah, then when I went to order season 4 and realized it wouldn't be released until August 28...and it set in that we had about 6 months to kill in between. Sigh.

It's one of the best shows I've seen (and sadly, I've seen a lot).

We left season 3 fairly wrapped up and with an amazing finale to boot. Jax, how I've missed you!

I can't wait to get my mitts on this one. And thanks to Amazon Prime, the mitts will be happy on Thursday morning.