Chalkboard Update!

I have the most wonderful husband in the world and he is working on making me the chalkboard for baby updates and blog posts! It should be up and running for next week's post! Yay! Can't wait :)
Here is a picture of the progress...

17 Week Update!

Hello, all! Sorry it's been so long since I posted last. I haven't had a chance to catch my breath, let alone sit down and make a blog post. As of today, I am 17 weeks and 2 days along. I don't have a current picture to share today, but this is one from last week when I was 16 weeks (4 months, already!).


A lot has happened since I last posted... we have had a few baby appointments which have been very exciting. At our 12 weeks appointment we heard the baby's heartbeat, and the heart rate was right around 150 bpm. :) She did some blood work which all came back normal and perfect, which was great to hear, as well.
So far, this pregnancy has been pretty great. Besides the nausea that lasted for a few weeks in the beginning, I have been pretty satisfied with the way things have been going. I have started to get some pretty painful sciatica pain, though, which is making work extremely difficult for me. I am hoping to get to a chiropractor (that specializes in prenatal care) within the next couple of weeks, and hopefully get adjusted enough to fix the painful situation that I am in!
For a few weeks I had been having some serious sinus problems, which at first I chalked up to the weather changing. And while it probably did have something to do with that, I also learned that you can get a stuffy or runny nose just from being pregnant. And since everything is 10x worse when you are pregnant, needless to say, I was miserable. I found nothing that would give me any relief, until I went to an appointment with Monica, my absolutely WONDERFUL midwife, who gave me a few things to help clear it up, including some acupuncture beebee's to tide me over until our next appointment. :) She is a life saver! Then, a few days ago I came down with some type of stomach bug which was the most miserable two days of my life. I have no idea how I got it, and ended up having to work a 12-hour shift on my second day with it, which was almost unbearable. It's difficult to feel that sick when you're pregnant, especially when you can't keep anything down. I was so empty, and I couldn't help but feel like I was starving my poor baby. But by the third day, I was good to go, and back to ravenously eating like I had been!
Since the chalkboard is still a no-go, you would think that I have given up on the idea, but I haven't... yet. I am planning on ordering something here in the next few days and I can (hopefully) finally get to doing what I REALLY wanted to do from the beginning. Oh, the joys of living an incredibly busy life.
I have been feeling the baby moving around for quite a while, now. But Zack had yet to feel it. The other night I tried to call him in to feel it, but by the time he got to me, the baby decided to be stubborn. BUT... last night we were relaxing watching a movie and this little baby would NOT stay still. It was flipping back and forth and I knew that he would be able to feel it. And finally, after about 5 minutes he did. It is amazing to be how active this baby is already, it is the most incredible feeling.
Being that I am 17 weeks along, we will be having an ultrasound in a few weeks (about 3 or 4) to find out what this beautiful little baby inside of me is! I am so excited, I can not even explain it.

How far along? 17 weeks
Total weight gain? About 5 pounds.
Maternity Clothes? Sometimes!
Stretch Marks? Negativo.
Sleep? Oh yes. When I have time, of course.
Best moment this week? Definitely the baby appointment, and hearing the baby again!
Miss anything? Not that I can think of!
Movement? LOTS!
Food Cravings? Anything strawberry flavored or related, pancakes, kiwi, chocolate, blue popsicles!
Anything making you feel sick? Nothing!
Gender? Three more weeks till we find out.
Labor Signs? No, no, no.
Symptoms: Nothing too specific anymore.
Wedding rings on or off? On!
Happy or moody most of the time? Generally Happy!
Looking forward to: Ultrasound to find out the gender, of course.

At 17 weeks, baby is the size of an onion! The skeleton is finally starting to harden, the umbilical cord is getting stronger, and the fingers and toes now have prints!