35 Weeks

Well here we are at 35 weeks! I can't believe it's only a matter of days until our little nugget will be here! Time has really flown by these last 2 trimesters (although the first one seemed to draaaaag).

Joshua Holt is the size of a coconut this week and on his way to being a honeydew melon! His growth won't change too much now in the coming weeks in terms of length. He's probably about 17-19 inches and will only grow a few more before birth. He probably weighs around 4-6 (!) pounds by now and is working on getting chubby! By week 35 his hearing, circulatory and musculoskeletal systems are all finished and his lungs are completely mature (yay!)

Mommy is doing pretty good for the most part although I'm starting to get in the "uncomfortable" stage!  I'm officially waddling instead of walking and definitely feel large and exhausted most of the time. I'm still enjoying having him in my belly but both Jon and I are SO ready for him to be here! Josh's movements have become more pushing and rolling than the kicks and jabs which means he's starting to run out of room in there! He especially loves sticking his little feet and knees in my ribs and then rolling around. Definitely painful for Mommy! He's still head down which is putting a lot of pressure on my hips and pelvis. I haven't noticed too many Braxton Hicks the past couple of weeks. Occasionally I'll get little pains here and there but nothing too bad.

My latest symptom has been swollen feet and ankles! Oh it's such a glamorous and beautiful pregnancy symptom...NOT! I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible (good excuse to read and watch movies!) and am drinking lots and lots of water. It does seem a bit ridiculous that the way to fight water retention is to drink more water! So far, my blood pressure has been normal and I'm not swollen anywhere else thank you Lord! And my sweet hubby rubs my feet every night...and also laughs at how weird they look!

This week we set up his cradle, got a glider and are meeting his pediatrician! Checking things off that list! I love it!

Here's a picture of Josh and Mommy at 35 weeks large!

How far along: 35 weeks + 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: + 20 lbs (I have a weigh in later today so I'm sure it will be a couple lbs more!)
Maternity clothes: Yes! Tanks and shorts in this hot summer heat!
Stretch marks: None
Sleep: Sleep is hit or miss. Some nights I'll only get up once and am able to fall right back to sleep. Other nights I can be up for hours at a time. 
Best moment this week: Setting up his cradle and our rocking chair and packing the hospital bag!
Miss anything: Normal sized feet! It's frustrating that my shoes get smaller throughout the day! I also miss sleeping on my stomach!
Movement: His movements haven't slowed but they definitely feel different. More rolling and sliding than sharp kicks and jabs. Although when he gets in my ribs it takes my breath away sometimes!
Food cravings: Cheerios and Starbucks bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches! Super healthy I know!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Just heartburn/indigestion. It's gotten better now that I'm taking some meds but I still occasionally have issues. 
Have you started to show yet: Ooooooh yes! Still having people tell me I'm tiny (which I appreciate) and even the doctor said recently that everything is tight and compact :)
Gender: Baby Boy!
Labor Signs: Pressure and some occasional pain but no real signs of labor yet.
Symptoms: Heartburn, swollen feet/ankles
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: Just wearing my wedding band now! I can still get them on but I'm fearful of them getting stuck so I took the thicker engagement band off for now. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Although it's getting frustrating to not be able to do everything I used to do without having to take a break. 
Looking forward to: Josh's Gigi coming to town, Baby shower on Sunday and our hospital tour on Monday!

Shrimp and Grits

This is another Brown family favorite recipe! And while it's not necessarily the healthiest recipe, it sure is one of the tastiest! Jon absolutely loves shrimp and grits and even though I've known this for a while, this was my first time making it for him. I'd say it was a tremendous success (and mommy and Joshua enjoyed it too!) Thanks to my mother-in-law, Gisele, for passing on the recipe and my sister-in-law, Stephanie, for originally posting the recipe so I could follow it!


What you need

- 1 C grits
- 1/4 stick of butter
- 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 strips of bacon, chopped
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp dried parsley

*optional:
- 1 C chopped green onion
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

I left the optional things out because of my preggo heartburn but it's really yummy with a little spice!






Directions

- Cook the grits according to the directions on the box

- After they have simmered, add the butter and cheese. Stir and set aside

- Cook your bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside but DON'T drain the pan!

- Run warm water over your shrimp (if using frozen) and remove the tails

*NOTE: I usually buy fresh shrimp but I can't really stand the smell of the seafood counter at the grocery store these days, so I bought the frozen kind and they worked great!

- Add the garlic, shrimp (and red pepper if using) to the bacon grease and cook for 3 minutes.

- Add the lemon juice, parsley (and green onion if using) and immediately pull off the heat

- Add in the cooked bacon and stir

- Add the shrimp mixture to your grits. Be sure to not waste any of the delicious juices left in the pan!

- Stir well and serve. You can top with more cheese if you like (which we did!)

*CONFESSION: I ate 2 bowls. It was SO delicious! Hope you all enjoy!

34 Weeks and Happy Birthday Winnie!

We got a good report at our 33 week appointment last week! I can't believe how close we are to the end. Less than 6 weeks until we meet this little dude! Unless of course he decides to hang out in mommy longer than that. We will pray he comes on his due date or before then!

Right now Joshua is the size of a butternut squash or a small pumpkin. That's right...a PUMPKIN! We don't know his exact measurements but he could be anywhere from 4.2-5.8 pounds and 17 - 18.5 inches long. He now keeps his eyes open when he's awake and is starting to coordinate his breathing, sucking and swallowing. His bones are continuing to harden and he's growing through major brain development. He's been head down for a couple weeks now and continues to slide his bum and legs and tiny feet all around my ribs. His heartbeat was 145 and mommy's belly measured at 31 cm and has gained 20 (YIKES) pounds so far.

Mommy is starting to feel pretty uncomfortable. It's getting difficult to get off the couch and out of bed with this big belly in the way! I'm starting to get hot flashes occasionally (the summer heat doesn't help!) and it's hard to take a deep breath. My ankles are starting to swell up when I'm on my feet a lot so I have to remember to prop my feet up throughout the day. I'm still experiencing major heartburn but I got a prescription for some super strength Pepcid. Hopefully that will do the trick!

We have our hospital tour scheduled as well as our first consult with the pediatrician. Those were the last "big" things on my list to set up so I'm so glad they are in place! I also am working on packing for the hospital and sorting through cute little boy clothes. So fun! My goal is to be pretty much set by the end of this month after my baby shower so that Jon and I can try and relax in July until he gets here.

Some really exciting news this past week was the birth of Josh's cousin Winnie! I love that they will only be about 6 weeks apart! She is a beautiful, precious baby girl and we are so happy for Taylor and Stephanie! We can't wait to meet her! Lots of baby fun will be happening at Thanksgiving this year! We can't wait!

Here's some pictures of us at 34 weeks from our maternity photo shoot

Momma's getting big!

One of my favorite pictures from our shoot :)

How far along: 34 weeks + 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: + 20 lbs 
Maternity clothes: Yes! All that is left in my closet is stuff that I know will fit these last few weeks. No more frustration trying to figure out what will fit this belly!
Stretch marks: None
Sleep: Now that Josh is head down I'm definitely using the bathroom more frequently. Usually I get up twice at night but sometimes only once (which is wonderful!)
Best moment this week: So many things! The birth of my niece Winnie, taking our maternity pictures, and being able to tell people I'm due next MONTH!
Miss anything: I'm still feeling pretty good but I miss sleeping on my back and being able to move around easily.  
Movement: He's a little mover! He slides all over the place and pushes out all the time.
Food cravings: Anything cold with this Florida heat! Been craving strawberries this week also.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still having a daily battle with heartburn but hopefully my new meds will help.
Have you started to show yet: Yes! Most people tell me I'm tiny for being 3 weeks from full term but I feel like a giant whale. The husband assures me that I don't look pregnant from the back despite my complaints of back fat and a larger caboose :)
Gender: Man Child!
Labor Signs: Mostly just feeling lots of pressure and occasionally some back pain. Not feel Braxton Hicks this week but they are probably happening. 
Symptoms: Heartburn, swollen feet/ankles, back pain
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: Just wearing my wedding band now! I can still get them on but I'm fearful of them getting stuck so I took the thicker engagement band off for now. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Sometimes I feel pretty tired and am really ready to have this boy and that can make me a bit cranky. 
Looking forward to: My baby shower next week!

Stephanie's Rigatoni Macaroni

This is my beautiful sister in law, Stephanie's, recipe. She made it when she and her husband (Jon's brother) Taylor first started dating and it quickly became a Brown family favorite! The only change I made to her original recipe is subbing gluten free pasta. It's quick, easy and delicious...my 3 favorite things when it comes to cooking dinner! Jon had 2 huge plates of this and declared it amazing. It made plenty for the two of us, plus leftovers for lunch. It's definitely going in the dinner rotation often! Thanks Steph!


What you need

- 1 Rotisserie Chicken, diced
- 12 oz GF pasta (I used little spirals)
- 1 tub Alouette garlic and herb cheese
- 1 C milk (I used almond)
- 1/2 C sundried tomatoes, diced
-  2 C broccoli (I used frozen florets)
- Salt and pepper to taste










Directions

- Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Set aside

- Cook broccoli and set aside

- Dice up your chicken and tomatoes. *You can cook your own chicken if you want. I'm still having trouble seeing and cooking raw chicken so I took a shortcut.*

- In a large pot, combine milk, cheese, tomatoes and a pinch of pepper. Over medium heat, stir until the cheese is melted

- Add the pasta, broccoli and chicken to the cheese sauce. Stir gently to coat and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

- Top with parmesan cheese and serve!

Enjoy!

32 Weeks

I'm officially 8 months pregnant! Only 8 weeks left to go until we meet our Joshua! I've been so surprised (and grateful!) at how quickly this pregnancy has gone so far! I'm sure that these last 8 weeks will feel like an eternity.

I got some wonderful news at my last dr's appointment...I passed my 3 hour glucose test! YAY! This was such a huge relief. I know that gestational diabetes is manageable but I was praying praying praying that I wouldn't have to manage it :) Thank you Lord! My doctor also said that my belly is measuring around 29-30 cm which is pretty much on track and I've gained 18 (!!) pounds so far. I'm hoping my weight gain stays normal! Joshua's heartbeat was around 154 and steady. He was head down at my appointment and his knees and feet were on my right side up by my ribs, but she said he may still move around quite a bit at this point.

This week I've developed a couple new symptoms. I'm still battling major heartburn. Nobody does heartburn like a pregnant woman! And the other day my ankles swelled for the first time. Now by the end of the day, especially if I'm on my feet a lot my feet will get swollen, but they are back to normal in a couple hours once I put them up for a little while. I'm feeling pretty uncomfortable these days, especially when Josh constantly moves around in my ribs. It literally feels like they are slipping out of place. So strange! I'm having occasional BH contractions but nothing too painful or uncomfortable.

This week we are hoping to establish with a pediatrician and I'm starting to think through what to pack for the hospital. Jon has also been on the phone with our insurance making sure everything is in order for our hospital stay. This is also my last month on the worship team at our church for a while. I'm definitely losing my breath a lot while singing now so it's about time to be done :)

Here's a picture of Josh and Mom at 32 weeks!

This is one of my dearest friends, Janelle, who is also pregnant with a little boy, Silas. We are 10 weeks apart and are already planning on our boys being best buddies!

How far along: 32 weeks + 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: + 18 lbs 
Maternity clothes: Yes and enjoying them!
Stretch marks: None
Sleep: Sleep has been hit or miss. I always wake up at least once and lately heartburn has been waking me up/keeping me awake.
Best moment this week: Hearing Josh's heartbeat and spending time with my bump buddy Janelle!
Miss anything: Being able to move around and bend over easily. This belly is getting in the way!  
Movement: Lots of movement! He rolls and jabs and gets the hiccups at least once a day.
Food cravings: Really nothing this week. Although I do count on getting my black tea lemonade from Starbucks everyday!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Heartburn is getting to the point of making me feel like I'm going to throw up, but otherwise I'm doing pretty good with food.
Have you started to show yet: Yes! I feel very round and jolly!
Gender: Man Child!
Labor Signs: Some Braxton Hicks and some random crampy type pain. My doctor said now that I'm producing relaxin that I will feel more pressure and soreness.
Symptoms: Heartburn is still the worst one. I'm also getting some back/hip pain and my ankles are swelling when I'm on my feet a lot. 
Belly button in or out: Out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! I start to get overwhelmed a little when I think of what still needs to get done before he comes!
Looking forward to: Our maternity pictures next week and my baby shower in a few weeks!

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

My craving for homemade baked deliciousness continues! I'm not usually a huge carbs eater (especially being GF) but the past couple of weeks all I've wanted are muffins and coffee cakes. So, I've been trying out my favorite GF flour blend and baking some things on my own. The latest recipe is for Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. They came out really well and I was very happy with them (so was the husband). Hopefully this craving will cease soon so I don't end up gaining 40 lbs by the end of this pregnancy! Here's the recipe for ya!


What you need (makes 30 mini muffins)

- 1/2 C butter, softened
- 1 C sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 2/3 C GF flour (my recipe HERE)
- 3/4 C buttermilk
- Zest of 1-2 lemons (I used about 1 1/2)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 T poppy seeds

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350

- Combine sugar and butter and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy

- Add the eggs, mixing well after each one

- Add the flour, milk, lemon zest, salt and baking soda and mix until just incorporated

 - Add the poppyseeds and gently stir until mixed

- Divide the batter into a greased muffin tin. I made these as mini muffins but you could do regular size or even a loaf if you wanted

- Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until lightly brown around edges and on top

- You can stop there if you like but I wanted a little more lemon flavor in mine. So I mixed the juice from 1 lemon and 1 T of sugar and brushed the top of each muffin with it. It really added a nice pop of tart lemon flavor which I loved. You can skip this step though if you prefer or have another use for your lemons.

Ta - dah! The husband really liked these and so did our church worship team! There are only 3 left so I think I'll go finish those as my breakfast this morning! Happy baking everybody!