100!

I just got my 100th follower!

I really want to thank each and every one of you. It means a lot to me when someone thinks my blog is worthy enough to read again.

And thank you all for the lovely comments! I'm sorry I don't respond like I should, but know that it is appreciated. I'm going to try to work harder on commenting back.

Also, for everyone who stops by and leaves their own blog address, I do try to stop by whenever I can. Sometimes it takes a while, but I do get to each and every one of your blogs.

Thank you Thank you!!!

16 Week Belly Bump

Holy cow! Four months! How and when did this happen?! My first trimester went by at a snail's pace and now time won't slow down. I love being pregnant and want to cherish every. single. day.

How far along - 16 weeks

 Weight gain - 3 lbs! I really hope my weight gain (or lack thereof) is not an issue this pregnancy.

Morning sickness/nausea - Gone! Once in a while a smell can make my stomach turn but I don't really ever feel sick otherwise.

Movement - YES! They are small so sometimes I still wonder if it's my imagination.I wasn't 100% sure with both kids until 18 weeks so I bet at the 18 week post, I can give you a definite answer. :)

Physical changes (that you can see from the outside) - I don't feel much bigger from my 14 week post. Some days I feel bigger than others. My belly button is coming out now too. And my boobs have grown.

Pain - My lower back pain comes and goes. Recently, it has been hurting very low on the right side on the fleshy part by the hip bone (basically the very top of my butt). It has been making it very difficult for me to do anything when the pain is there. And I have been having almost nonstop headaches! They've gotten even worse since Alena accidentally smashed my glasses into my nose one day. I go to sleep with a massive headache and STILL wake up with one! I got so desperate the other day that I actually took headache medicine (and I hate taking meds while pregnant)!

Sleep - What's that? Gabe has been on business trips the past two weeks (mama needs a break!). Our neighbors had their motorcycle stolen one night (Gabe has his parked right in front of our house) and since then I just can not sleep. I leave all the lights in the house on and turn on the alarm at night but I just can not sleep easy. Every little noise wakes me up. I think I got more sleep with a newborn in the house than I do now!

Stretchmarks - Nope.

Maternity clothes - All in maternity bottoms and 50/50 on maternity shirts. The weather is somewhat cooler staying between 77-85 so I have worn some of my long sleeve maternity shirts, although I should wear the short sleeve and tanks as long as I can.

Food cravings/aversions - Not really any aversions except when smelling food that just doesn't agree with me. I do crave whatever I see someone else having!

Eating/drinking -  I can finally eat a normal size meal again! Well, sometimes. It's quite strange how one day I can eat a lot and then the next, I eat three bites and feel full.

Boy or Girl - We're not finding out! We think it's a girl.

Lowlights of the week - back pains and headaches

Highlights of the week - Well.... there really isn't one. Gabe is gone so I've been a LOT more stressed. If I had to pick one, it would be feeling tiny, random movements.

Anything to add - Not pregnancy related but Gabe just completed his most recent colleges classes with all As and a 3.75 GPA! You can read a little more about it here.

15 weeks

16

16

16 weeks

16 weeks

16

p.s. Don't forget to put your guesses in on the poll to the right. :)

Have to Brag

I HAVE TO BRAG ABOUT GABE FOR A MINUTE. 

For the past 15 weeks he's been working full time (with lots of traveling) AND taking a more than full time college class workload. All that while somehow still managing to squeeze in some family time here and there.

It has been a long and hard 4 months for us all, but it paid off. He completed the upper level courses, which were not easy (chemistry, physics, physics lab, short stories, and films and literature) WITH ALL As!!!! 

 I am so so so proud of him and also so so so glad that he has just a couple months of classes left and then he will have his degree!!

Say What?!

Remember me writing about our computer problems? Well, the other day I turned the computer on to fiddle with it one more time before taking it to Best Buy for repairs.

Wouldn't you know it, it worked just fine! Hmm, OK... We never/rarely shut the computer off and just let it go to sleep mode. Apparently it just needed to be shut down for a while because after three days of being turned off, it works like normal again!

Now I can go back to my normal blogging. Like this totally adorable photo. Alena is just taking off in the reading and writing department. She will look at anything with words and try to sound them out. And she loves to draw and write. She's started to try and make books. I'll cut out paper and we'll staple them together. Then she'll draw pictures (mostly animals) and write their names.

Last night, she went off to her room for a while and came back with this... COMPLETE SENTENCES! I was beyond surprised and proud.

Translation:
A fox can jump.
A kangaroo can eat.
A rabbit can eat.
We can eat.

And I can't forget to mention that my most beautiful, smart, and talented little girl also got all As on her first quarter report card! Proud mama right here.