SHE's Here!

Sophia Mae Himmelberger

February 28, 2012

born 2:54am

6lbs. 5oz.

19.25 inches long

Baby H. Week 38

38 weeks

Two Weeks Left!

The angle of these pictures is way off but I was not in the mood to retake them.

Size: Baby H. is the length of a leek about 19.5 inches long and weighs about 6.8 pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: One more pound gained for a total of 36 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes! Looking forward to fitting into some of my regular clothes in the near future.

Cravings: Not really craving anything this week- we did have sweets in the house. I am looking forward to having a Slurpee in the soon when 7-11 opens two locations near me, but that is more nostalgic than anything else.

Symptoms: No major symptoms except for being VERY pregnant. I have found myself to be a little irritable this week. I get winded easier and my back has been a little achier. The unseasonably warm weather is also wreaking havoc on my allergies.

Movement: Yes! I am still waiting to feel real contractions, but what I think may have been contractions are just strong braxon hicks contractions.

Sleep: Still getting between 5 and 6 hours a night but I am having a harder time falling back to sleep after I get up to use the bathroom.

Moments of the Week:

Our doctor's appointment went well. The heart rate was 142 and I am holding steady at 3cm (and relaxing as often as possible). I did test positive for Group B Strep so I will have to take antibiotics at delivery. Pretty bummed about that, but the antibiotics make for much better odds of not passing it to the baby.

Dave assembled all of the furniture - I think there is only a swing left to put together. We have furniture in the nursery, but are waiting until the little one arrives to finish decorating. We need to touch up paint still and cuteness needs to be added, but I would like to add some feminine touches if we end up with a little lady.

I finally packed my hospital bag. I am sure I over packed, but I would rather be prepared than send Dave to pick up things I am missing.

It was another good week of packages. I really love getting mail.

What I Miss: Having energy!

What I'm Looking Forward to: We head to the doctors on Thursday this week. I am anxious to meet our little one, but hoping to make it to my due date.

Baby H. Week 37

37 weeks

Full Term

Three Weeks Left!

Size: Baby H. is about 6 1/3 pounds and measures about 19 inches long, like the stalk of swiss chard.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained one more pound this week for a total of 35 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, yes, yes! Some of my maternity shirts no longer fit :(

Cravings: Not much of anything, but still wanting sweets - probably because they are not in the house.

Symptoms: I was a little more uncomfortable toward the end of the week. I am also enjoying allergy symptoms in February - will we get any winter weather this year?

Movement: The little one is still moving around in there in the little space that is available. It makes for some strange belly movements.

Sleep: Overall good, most nights I got between 5 and 6 hours of sleep.

Moments of the Week: It was a very good week.  I was very fortunate to spend time with many of my friends. It was heartwarming to hear all the nice things they had to say. We also had the carpets cleaned and started setting up a nursery. I washed all of the baby's things and got them ready to be used.

Tuesday night I got to talk to one of my sweet friends who just moved to Atlanta. She gave me so much confidence about breast feeding. Her little one had the hardest time latching on so she pumps and bottle feeds and it works out great for them. I will definitely be calling her for some words of encouragement if I get discouraged.

I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and I left completely freaked out! The baby's heartbeat was lower than normal (which happens due to the baby being in the birth canal). I had my iron test (normal) and my strep test (still waiting for results). When she did my internal exam it was discovered that I am already 3 cm dilated! Yikes! I called Dave (who was very busy preparing to feed all of the love bugs their valentines dinner) and he decided to freak out with me. We definitely had the giddy-this-is-really-real giggles. The doctor said that I could stay at this point for a few weeks. I am just monitoring for other signs of labor. I will be sitting with my feet up and keeping my legs crossed as much as possible! One of my friends was 3cm dilated for the last four weeks of her pregnancy and still needed to be induced, so there is hope to last until my due date.

What I Miss: Aside from allergy medicine I am missing my  independence. When I prepared our second floor for carpet cleaning I got really discouraged with how little I was able to do. Aside from the lifting that I was unable to do, I had a really hard time reaching under the beds and furniture. Although I want the little one to stay in until our due date, I am very much looking forward to bending and moving normally again.

What I'm Looking Forward to: My next doctor's appointment and continuing to work on the nursery.

Baby H. Week 36

Four Weeks Left!

Size: Baby H. weighs 6 pounds, about the size of a crenshaw melon, and is 18.5 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Total of 34 pounds gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes...and the wardrobe is very stale.

Cravings: Sweets this week, especially red velvet cupcakes and chocolate.

Symptoms: Nothing new. I think I feel pretty good for being nine months pregnant with the exception of a few aches and pains.

Movement: Yes! I can tell it is harder to move around in there, but the little one continues to be very active. Hiccups are still happening almost every day.

Sleep: Not great this week, but I am still getting about six hours of sleep a night.

Moments of the Week:

Being at the doctors. It never gets old hearing the heartbeat. They decided to do my first internal exam and strep test at my next visit.

The packages keep on coming - the little one is very fortunate to have so many people who already love him/her and are spoiling all of us.

What I Miss: Napping. I have never been good at napping - don't get me wrong, I LOVE to nap, but I am a much better at sleeping for long periods of time. Unfortunately, my pregnant body feels that any extra sleep during the day means less sleep in the middle of the night. Cat naps are out of the question.

What I'm Looking Forward to: We are full term at the end of this week! We have a doctor appointment early in the week and may actually start creating a nursery. Everything is in the garage and once the carpets are cleaned it may feel a little more like a baby will be joining us in a month.

Baby H. Week 35

Five Weeks Left!

Size: Baby H. is the size of a honeydew melon, about 5.25 pounds, and is about 18 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Total of 33 pounds gained - the fabulous stomach virus going around my school may be the reason no weight was gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes!

Cravings: I had a little stomach bug this week so I kept things pretty bland this week. Fortunately my bathroom issues only lasted one day.

Symptoms: Nothing new this week. Little achiness and vein issues continue.

Movement: There is not much room for the little one to move, but an effort is being made. I find myself frequently distracted by all of the strange movements that are happening.

Sleep: Averaging about six hours a night. I am definitely yawning more now...but I can only imagine what my sleep will be like in a little over a month!

Moments of the Week:

Our hospital tour was Sunday evening. I liked the hospital - it was much more hotel-like than hospital-like. Most of the rooms have a private balcony. Hooray for fresh air! The only thing I need to check into is the food. I know they can accommodate my gluten allergy. I just want to make sure my food will be prepared in a separate setting since I will still be eating for two after delivery. It was a little quiet, which is not a bad thing, but I expected to see more mommies and babies.

My sweet Charlotte friends threw a baby shower for me on Saturday. It was held at a Mexican restaurant - yum! We got some great gifts for the little one and I loved spending time some great people.  I forgot my camera, so no pictures!

What I Miss: I decided against painting my toenails this week because it is not comfortable to reach my feet!

What I'm Looking Forward to: Our doctor's appointment is later this week. I got quite a giggle when the nurse told me to be prepared for a "pants off" appointment - sorry for the TMI! We are getting close to the end so I imagine my pants will be off at the rest of the appointments.

Baby H. Week 34

Six Weeks Left!

Size: Baby H. weighs about 4.75 pounds, about the size of a cantaloupe, and is 18 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Total of 33 pounds gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes!

Cravings: Still none, but for some strange reason my appetite increased this week. I guess the little one is going through a growth spurt.

Symptoms: I have been a little more uncomfortable in the afternoon this week. My right leg is also starting to bother me a bit more. The veins are still lovely to look at and I am starting to get some very minor swelling toward the end of the day. I have also been breaking out a little bit more the past two weeks. Not sure if that is from the baby or from stress.

Movement: Yes! I can tell things are getting tight in there. Hiccups continue to be a daily occurrence.

Sleep: Erratic this week. Some nights I slept great and others not so much.

Moments of the Week:

I found out that I know one of the labor and delivery nurses where I will be delivering. It will be nice to have a friendly face encouraging me.

I had two different people tell me that I do not look pregnant from the back. I find that quite ridiculous since I am VERY pregnant, but I really can't see myself from the back so I will have to take their word for it.

It was also nice to see several of the people I used to teach with at a wedding shower for my sweet friend Amanda. They seem to think that I am all baby as well.

What I Miss: Squeezing through what have become tight spaces. :) I take for granted how big my midsection really is. I have been bumping in to a lot more things lately.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Our hospital tour is scheduled and Baby H. will soon be showered with even more love from my Charlotte friends.

Baby H. Week 33

Seven Weeks Left!

These self portraits crack me up.

Size: The little one is about four pounds, the size of a pineapple, and measures about 17 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Official doctor weigh-in 30 pounds gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes!

Cravings: Still none.

Symptoms: General achiness...I can definitely feel the baby weight and the waddle is a little more prevalent, especially after a long day.

Movement: This week hiccups were a daily occurrence and I had to fight to keep the little one out from under my ribs.

Sleep: My new favorite times are 2am and 5am. I am glad my body knows to train me to get used to waking up. I am sure going to miss my solid eight hours of sleep!

Moments of the Week:

Hearing the little heartbeat on Wednesday. (156 for those of you who keep track - yes, that is considered girl range).

More packages arrived this week. Our garage is filling up!

I also went to a breastfeeding class this week. I think the class made me a little more nervous than confident, but I am glad I went.

What I Miss: Bending down. The rain has made our backyard a soupy mess. The dogs walk into our living room from outside and track lovely muddy paw prints as they enter. I keep a towel at the door for them to walk across, but the mud just sticks to them. We wipe their feet every time they come in, but it is not quite so easy to do with the baby in the middle.

What I'm Looking Forward to: No students on Monday (training day - ick!). I am also looking forward to making a nursery. It probably won't happen until sometime in February. Yes we will be cutting it close. Kona destroyed the wood around the window in the nursery when he was a pup and we need a carpenter to repair it. After the window is fixed and the carpets are cleaned, then a nursery can be assembled. Fortunately, we have almost everything we need in boxes in the garage. We just have to get a crib mattress and a glider and we will be set!

Baby H. Week 32

Eight Weeks Left!

Size: Baby H. weighs as much as a large jicama, about 3.75 pounds, and is almost 17 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Two more pounds gained for a total of 30 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes...and still wish I had more of a selection, but we are getting close to the end. I did find a bargain on two more shirts at Target.

Cravings: Chocolate...shame there was a very limited supply in the house.

Symptoms: Shortness of breath - this week I have been winded very easily. My leg cramps were also a little more prevalent, but thankfully were not long-lasting. Nesting has also begun. I have been dreaming of cleaning (not much has happened in reality), but Dave is going through it as well. We started a list of things we wanted to get done before the baby arrives and he has tackled most of the projects already. Now if only I could get him to clean we would be set!

Movement: Yes! The baby discovered my ribs this week and has spent a great deal of time on my right side just below them. Definitely not comfortable. The little one also had hiccups multiple times this week.

Sleep: Normal. I have been going to bed a little later than usual but sleeping great through the night.

 Moments of the Week: The heater being fixed in my classroom. It is so nice to be comfortable while teaching!

What I Miss: Sushi. It has been added to the post-baby list.

What I'm Looking Forward to: No school on Monday and our doctor appointment on Wednesday.

Baby H. Week 31

 

Nine Weeks Left!

I am definitely starting to notice more weight in my face...especially in this picture.

Size: Baby H. is about 16 inches long and is the weight of four navel oranges, about 3.3 pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Official doctor weigh in: 28 pounds gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes...although some of the pants I bought early in the pregnancy get a little uncomfortable in the waist by the end of the day. I did not want to buy any more maternity clothes if I could help it, but it looks like it is inevitable. If only I could wear sleep bottoms to work...oh well.

Cravings: Still none, but still heavy on the dairy products.

Symptoms: Vein achiness was the biggest problem this week. They are not too painful, just uncomfortable. The itchy armpits have returned again, not as bad as earlier in the pregnancy. I guess my body is gearing up for our new arrival.

Movement: On Thursday and Friday there were constant movements. I am not sure when the baby took time to rest! It is neat to actually feel major movements when I am at school because before they were only happening at night.

I have started my kick counts. After dinner I have to lay on my side and count ten times that the baby moves and then record how long that it took. Fortunately the baby gets all the movements in pretty quickly; unfortunately I just want to take a nap while I am laying down.

Sleep: Good this week. I was able to fall back to sleep after my bathroom trips which was a huge plus. I also was able to 'sleep in' until 6:30 over the weekend.

Moments of the Week: Our doctor appointment. We heard the heartbeat at 163 - the little one was very active on Wednesday morning!

We also came home to several packages this week. One of the packages was the dresser for the nursery. As soon as we get the carpet cleaned we will have a nursery to set up. I have a feeling Baby H. is going to be very spoiled!

What I Miss: My energy. It was rough going back to school this week, but the week went by quickly. It is getting harder to be energetic in front of the class, but I am still putting forth the effort. I am pretty much useless when I get home. It also didn't help that my classroom was a sauna this week. Not very conducive to a pleasant learning environment - or fun for the very pregnant teacher.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Parking my car in the garage again. It is never fun to scrape windows at 6am, but much less fun when you can't reach the middle of the windshield! We are going to shift all of the "stuff" in the garage so my car fits. It will also mean I can get a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning. {Yes, we are those Northerners who treat their garage like a basement since we are lacking one. We even have the old couch in the garage right now.}

We usually have to fight to keep Kona out of the weekly pictures.
This week Dave took a picture of Kona by himself.
Sorry for the freaky eyes - I could not fix it.
Hunter hides as soon as he sees the camera. He is scared of the flash.

Baby H. Week 30

                                            

Ten Weeks Left

Size: Baby H. is 15.7 inches long and is about the size of a head of cabbage, weighing almost three pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gain of two pounds for a total of 28 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, yes, yes! I am going to miss my comfy clothes when I am back at work this week.

Cravings: Still no cravings. Dairy is still being eaten more than usual.

Symptoms: Lack of balance, congested, little achiness where my veins are not great.

Movement: All the time! The little one likes to make their presence known! I love to watch "the belly show" in the evening.

Sleep: Great this week - it has been so nice to relax during the day, stay up late, and sleep in. The only day I took a nap I had a horrible time sleeping at night.

Moments of the Week: Finding a dresser for the nursery and getting presents for the baby. I love packages :).

I also pre-registered with the hospital - yikes!

What I Miss: There is a lot this week - time off has given me the opportunity to do more than just work.

-my balance

-getting up from the floor without assistance or rolling over onto all fours

-going into a store without wondering if they have a bathroom I can use

-ability to walk around without needing to take time to sit

What I'm Looking Forward to: Our doctor's appointment on Wednesday. We get to go every two weeks now. I am just excited to hear the heartbeat again.  

Kitchen Adventures

I am very blessed to be married to a chef. I am not a domestic goddess when it comes to anything kitchen related - I usually leave the cooking to Dave. However, the holidays had me in the kitchen attempting some new recipes.

 

 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I got this recipe from our friend Rachael.

For this recipe you will need:

2 packages of softened cream cheese

2-3 poached chicken breasts

1 bottle buffalo sauce

blue cheese crumbles

shredded cheddar cheese

Spread the softened cream cheese in the bottom of the baking dish.

Tear the poached chicken into small pieces and spread evenly on top of the cream cheese.

Cover the whole thing in buffalo sauce.

Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles on top of the chicken.

Cover with the shredded cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted.

Top with green onions.

Serve with Tostitos scoops or another chip.

Super easy but this was a flop for us. I could not find gluten free buffalo sauce so I picked up a wing sauce. The sauce was WAY too peppery. It had good taste but no one wanted to eat more than a chip or two since it has such a strong black pepper kick. I also left off the blue cheese (again, not gluten free).However, poaching chicken is much easier than I anticipated. I will be trying this again once I can find a better wing sauce.

 

 

Chocolate Candy Cane Snowflakes
If you have left over candy canes try this recipe. They are sooo yummy!

I got this recipe from Gluten Free Girl. Her pictures are much better than mine!

For this recipe you will need:
2 1/2 cups rice krispies (I used a gluten free chocolate rice crisp cereal)
6 candy canes, crushed into small pieces
1 cup chopped nuts
22 ounces white chocolate chips

Crush the candy canes. I found it best to put them in a large ziplock and wrap with a towel before smashing with a mallet.
Melt the white chocolate until smooth. I do not have a double boiler so I just put the chips in a large bowl over a pot of boiling water and stirred with a rubber spatula until smooth.
Mix together the rice krispies, candy canes, and nuts until well combined. I just shook them around in a ziplock so I would not have to dirty another dish.
Working quickly pour the rice krispy mixture into the melted chocolate and stir until well coated.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie tray.
Place the tray in the fridge for about a half hour.
Once hardened the cookies can be stored in a sealed container. We keep ours in the fridge.

I left out the nuts since I did not have any in the house. Next time I make them I will choose a different cereal. The chocolate cripsy cereal I chose is very dense and that makes the cookies very hard to bite into. They taste amazing and I have been snacking on them constantly!

Andes Cookies

I hear these are amazing, but I have yet to try them in a cookie form. I am trying to adapt them to be gluten free and the first attempt did not work out.

I got this picture from Tablespoon and the recipe there is a little different from the one below. I just needed a picture :).

For this recipe you will need:

1 box devils food cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 package Andes mints

Combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil. The batter will be very thick. Place teaspoon-sized balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Take the cookies out and flatten them gently with the back of a spoon. Place an Andes Mint on top of each cookie and allow to melt. Spread the mint around with the spoon. Allow to cool.

I followed the recipe above and it was too much oil. The taste is amazing, but the cookies are too soft. I have been using the cookies as a delicious addition to vanilla ice cream. They have made for amazing sundaes. I will be trying this one again.

What recipe should I try out next?

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Baby H. Week 29

Eleven weeks left!

Size: Baby H. weighs 2.5 pounds - about the size of a butternut squash and is about 15 inches long from head to heel.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Wednesday's official weigh-in 24 pounds (a loss of two pounds). The doctor was not concerned due to my overall weight gain still being in the acceptable range. It does have me eating more.

Maternity Clothes: Yes! But this week when I was home I hung out in the few pair of pjs I have that still fit. Most of the pants I purchased are dress pants, which is not what I want to wear when I am relaxing at home or out running errands.

Cravings: I am eating more dairy and sweets than usual, but no real cravings.

Symptoms: I have been feeling a little uncomfortable from the extra weight in the belly, but it has been nice to be home and taking it easy. The most discomfort is in my "pelvic junction" - Dave's term to describe the region I am referring to. The veins are not great in that area and the pressure from the baby makes it feel a little sore. Again, the doctor said it is normal to have discomfort there and just to take it easy, especially when standing up.

Movement: Yes! The baby is poking all around in there. I think the baby is a little confused with me being away from school. Usually the little one is very active in the evening but this week was active all throughout the day.

Sleep: Overall good at night. I just wish I could sleep in. I don't seem to wake to use the bathroom until somewhere in the 4 o'clock hour and then I can't seem to get back to sleep.

Moments of the Week: Our doctor visit. It was great to hear the heartbeat. Initially the heart was beating at 164 beats per minute and then it dropped down to 137 beats per minute. The doctor said that I was measuring at 27 weeks.

What I Miss: With the holiday I am missing alcohol again. I am adding a strawberry basil mimosa and lemon drops to my post-baby drink list.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Time off this week. I do not have anything major planned, but it is nice to have time off from school to take it easy. Maybe I will actually make some progress on the closet in the nursery!

Baby H. Week 28

The Third Trimester

Size: Baby H. is the size of a chinese cabbage (have you ever seen one of these?!) and weighs about 2.25 pounds. The little one measures at 14.8 inches from head to heel.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Home scale - 26 pounds. Official weigh in at the doctors today.

Maternity Clothes: My gap maternity pants arrived and they fit - yay! Now I just need to get a few more shirts to give my limited wardrobe some variety.

Cravings: None - I am excited for holiday treats and Dave's cooking! I have decided to postpone my baking until after my doctor's appointment. I have my glucose test and there is no sense baking a bunch of treats that will add unnecessary sugar to my diet. After the glucose test (if all goes well) I will not feel guilty about the extra sweets.

Symptoms: I think it is possible that I pulled a muscle in my abdomen this week. Definitely uncomfortable. I have been doing really good about lifting things, but I picked up a bag that I guess was a bit heavier than I should have. I put a call in to the doctor and they told me some other things to look for. No other symptoms have appeared - just uncomfortable.

Movement: Definitely moving and grooving happening in there. It is my favorite evening distraction to watch my belly move all over the place.

Sleep: Not great this week, but not awful either. I was definitely feeling more tired this week.

Moments of the Week: I have gotten such a kick out of watching the belly move when I am relaxing. It is the neatest thing! I also like that I can tell which side the baby is on even if the little one is not moving around. Dave was able to feel the hiccups this week. He seems to miss out on the really good movement, but got to feel some significant thumps and bumps.

What I Miss: Lifting things! It is funny what you take for granted. I thought I was doing a really good job, but Monday proved me wrong (see above).

What I'm Looking Forward to: Winter break, our doctor's appointment, and CHRISTMAS of course. I can't wait to spend time with Dave (work has been very hectic for him) and our NC "family".