First, I'm going to show you the other side of my belly with my little (but growing) turtle. This picture was taken 3 weeks ago (@ 25 weeks). Does this side make me look fat? Hahha. :)


Now I'd really like to revisit a topic that many people tried drilling terrible thoughts and fears into my head about (and then I ranted about profusely on here). And that is: the flu shot. This will be much shorter than my past discussion, I promise.

So basically I was told back in October that my immune system was compromised significantly due to my pregnancy and that If I did not get a flu shot, I would almost definitely get the flu. And, if I get the flu, that it would be the worst flu in the world and could potentially be fatal to my baby, and even myself. I read this on multiple websites, and both my doctor and midwife warned me of the risks. I did additional research (click here to read my previous post) and decided it wasn't for me so I politely declined every time I was asked. (At least twice by my midwife, the one and only time I decided to see my actual OB doc, three times by the nurses that took my vitals at each appointment, and by my maternity nurse during our telephone appointment.) The funny and ironic thing is what happened (and didn't happen) over the course of the next three and a half months:

1. I did NOT receive a flu shot, while many other people I know did.
2. Several of my coworkers (both in my dept and others around the store) got the flu and were out of work for days. Even ones that got the flu shot.
3. I've noticed when several friends on my Facebook feed contracted the flu. Again, even some who got the shot.
4. A few ladies in my birth group mentioned having to see other doctors or midwives temporarily because their OB doc contracted the flu. (I'll bet you a million bucks that they got vaccinated, too!)
5. Articles have been circulating the web that I have stumbled upon or that have come across my FB and Twitter feeds about how wrong doctors were this year as to what strains of the flu they included in the vaccine. They were apparently wrong about one particular strand that has been pretty sneaky and making it's way around pretty much terrorizing people's immune systems.
6. Seeing how many other people were getting the flu and reading those articles got kind of scary and only for a second did I doubt my decision. Then I realized that while this was all happening, there was one thing that didn't happen: I HAVE YET TO GET THE FLU.

Now I am not saying that flu season is over and that I will definitely not get it, I'm just putting this into perspective for anyone else who thought I was nuts for not getting vaccinated. The flu shot isn't even helping a ton of people who are getting it anyway because a particular strain was not included in the vaccine. Also, I haven't felt even for a second that my immune system has been compromised. I'm sure it's not in tip-top pre-pregnancy shape, but I eat healthier than most people I know and, although I am no expert, I'm pretty sure what you put into your body has a lot to do with how it responds to outside threats. My body has treated me well thus far, and even if I somehow do get the flu I will know that getting that shot would not have prevented it.

Now, on to my 28 week update!

How far along? 28 weeks.
Total weight gain? Over 17 pounds.
Stretch marks? Nope.
Best moment this week? Baby's first hiccups! My gosh, she is adorable. Also, I am halfway through her block set. :)

My first thought this morning was "I want brownies." Like the ones that I made and brought to my mom's on Saturday. I was drooling over my recollection of their soft and chewy texture when it occurred to me that I'm pretty sure I ate 4 out of the 12 brownies that I brought! How embarrassing! But I still wanted more. So I got myself out of bed and had my morning visit with the bathroom before remembering I have chocolate ice cream in the freezer! So now, 10:30am when I am finally getting out of bed, I also have a pint of chocolate ice cream sitting next to me with a spoon. :)

To be fair, I didn't actually wake up at 10:30. I woke up when my boyfriend left for work, which was probably around 7:45. I decided to become conscious shortly after 8 and picked up my copy of Jenny McCarthy's "Belly Laughs" (so thoughtfully gifted to me by Susie what seems like ages ago!), and began reading how she comically describes her pregnancy experience. I finished the entire book in two hours and by the end, just ended up feeling really bad for her. Although I felt like (at least so far) we were having two completely opposite pregnancies, I still sympathized with what she went through and found myself rubbing my tummy and thanking my little girl for being such a princess and not putting me through the horrors that were in this book. Parts of the book definitely made me laugh out loud and as I read her story of labor and delivery I was totally broke down sobbing as I turned the page. One preggo lady to another, I totally admire her for everything she went through and that in the end she says she wants to do it all again! Maybe it's the hormones, or maybe it's knowing that many other women have similar experiences to her (and I could have as well), but I found myself feeling shocked and thankful that I have been so lucky with my first pregnancy. She recounts her days of morning sickness, hormonal rages, constipation, hemorrhoids, hot flashes, terrible gas, dwindling bedroom time with her husband, cellulite gain, facial acne and rashes, bodily swelling, gaining 60lbs, and even buying granny panties! I'm sitting here reading these thinking "OMG THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME." Then I remembered I am 6 months and 11 days preggo and I have not experienced any of these things, while Jenny started experiencing these things within the first 10 weeks. For some reason I often think everything I read will come true for me, however, 95% of what I have read or been told has not happened. Oh yes, I read all about Jenny's painful and growing boobs and was right along side her with that. But even though they hurt like hell for at least 3 months and woke me up a few times in the middle of the night because they ached when I rolled over, I was actually happy about it because I knew they were (and still are) getting ready to produce my baby's breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a million snack times for the long haul. And if breastfeeding works out the way I hope it does, I will be thankful for my time spent at the store buying bigger bras and maybe even the times I spent swatting Ashton away from them because they were sore.

One thing that I took away from Jenny's book (as I do with most pregnancy and birth stories) is that pregnancy, labor, delivery, and motherhood are different for every mother and child. One experience does not dictate all, and even what I plan to happen does not dictate what WILL happen. Knowing that our bodies are all different and handle this experience differently does not change one simple fact: Our bodies were made for this. I honestly feel like I was made to give birth and, as terrified as I have been about the actual process of pushing the baby out, I am feeling more connected with the idea with each day that passes. I know it will probably be hard and painful and seem unbearable, but it is something I know that I can do. Delivery has been the one aspect of this entire journey that I was completely terrified of. Not the horrors of pregnancy, not the exhaustion and omg-what-the-hell-do-i-do-with-a-newborn postpartum feelings, nope. It was the delivery that I wanted to pretend wasn't going to happen. And although I am still nervous about it (who wouldn't be nervous about passing a watermelon?), I am so looking forward to the challenge of childbirth. I know I can do it, because my body was made for this.

This trimester has seemed significantly longer, but just as exciting and rewarding as the first. This trimester has brought on the most changes and the most decisions have had to be made so far. I've gone through a whirlwind of emotions, but I am still loving every moment of this journey. I still feel like everything has been quite peachy so far, with no major issues or symptoms.

Symptoms: continued acne, cramping and pressure due to baby hiding out in my pelvic area, and terrible nightmares accompanied by night sweats.
Issues that came up: anemia due to an iron deficiency.
Important decisions: not taking prenatal vitamins and getting vitamins and nutrients from food instead (with the exception of iron), not getting a flu shot, giving birth at Brigham & Women's hospital, not getting an epidural for pain during labor, not opting for an episiotomy unless it is medically necessary, and choosing a name for my baby girl!
Improvements from last trimester: breast tenderness, leg cramps and waking up to roll over at night have all gone away, surprisingly! (I'm preparing for all three of these to make an appearance again at some point though). I have probably the same amount of energy, but have more motivation to do "nesting" things like cleaning, baking, preparing for baby, designing her nursery, and beginning a few diy projects.

Like my last trimester recap I will include the highs and lows, beginning with the lows.
Lows: Honestly, the worst thing to happen to me this entire pregnancy is having nightmares that involve my baby. I have woken up terrified, sweating, and crying. The dreams seem so real at the time and it's hard to let go of that when I first wake up, so I just lie there feeling numb, until the thoughts roll away. Luckily, Ashton has been such a great support person and comforts me when he knows I need it, but also lets me ride out the fears and thoughts until they are gone. Luckily, this lasted less than two weeks.
Working six days a week or working longer hours right up until 27 weeks for fear of not having money when I go on maternity leave. That has been a major cause of stress this trimester and I know will only get worse as the time for leave draws nearer. I don't know if I will continue working 6 days after this past week, or if I will even be allowed to at work. We'll see. I am proud of myself for making it to 6 months working so much though!
Stressing about not being able to find an apartment yet and not being able to get out of my current lease. I don't really want to get into this again, as it is still making me really upset to think about. I'm afraid of preparing for a nursery that my baby girl won't get to have. :(
Highs: Continuing our registry at Babies R Us. Reviewing our registry, one of the things I am most excited for is a diaper bag! I know that sounds so silly and I can't even explain why I can't wait to have one and fill it up, haha.
I love feeling her move around all the time. I used to get lonely and miss her because I could barely feel that she was there, but now there's no mistaking it! I was even told (by my doctor) I don't need to bother tracking her movements since she is so active all day. I also love that my belly is getting bigger because I can never be upset when I rest my hand on it, knowing that she can feel the warmth of my hand. I made up a little song that I sing to her in the shower as I wash my tummy. I really love moments like those.
Nesting! I absolutely love it. I feel energized and motivated and purposeful. For the first time so far, I feel "motherly"!! I don't even mind so much with cleaning, and I LOVE being crafty and coming up with little projects. During my first one I was so excited to be painting again!
We have received so many wonderful gifts from friends and family. Several gifts came at Christmas, but we also have friends who have recently had baby girls and were willing to give us their extra goodies. We have tons of teeny clothes already and we haven't even bought anything yet!
I'm still really invested in my blog and am delighted that so many people have taken the time to read it and tell me how much they enjoy it! I can't wait to look back on it all and read previous posts and remember the joyful moments I had. I also secretly hope my sisters will read it again when they are pregnant to see how our journeys compare. :)
We decided on our daughter's name and I wrote it in the snow one day and sent Ashton a picture of it while he was at work (as I am sure you know if you have read my past posts). I am in love with her name already and can't wait for the name reveal at her birth!

Overall, I am loving being pregnant more than any other experience in my life!! There are times when I feel a little heavy, but most of the time I actually feel pretty light on my feet. I know baby is due for another growth spurt any second, so that will probably change and also affect my energy level and mood. I can't see myself getting too upset by anything at this point, but I do still have three months to go! I'm ready for trimester #3!

Sneak-a-peek! My first nursery project.

I wasn't going to reveal this project or post any pictures until I was done but I just can't help myself! I decided to design and hand paint a truly unique, one-of-a-kind set of blocks for my little bump's nursery. Now I know she probably won't play with them (I used acrylic gloss enamel and she will undoubtedly put them in her mouth), but I think they are so adorable anyway and will make a nice shelf decoration to go along with the Studio Ghibli theme in her nursery. The set is going to include 6 blocks, each one based on a different Studio Ghibli movie. As to not give too much away I will only show you one side of the three completed blocks so far.


These are based on the movies: Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro. I am still working on Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky and Whisper of the Heart. They are pretty time consuming and tedious (1 1/2 inch blocks!), but I am loving this project because I haven't painted in so long (I forgot how much I love it even though I'm not great at it), it is very relaxing for me and something I can do to stay busy while sitting, and I have a secret obsession with everything Studio Ghibli. Basically this is a project for the both of us! :)

How far along? 27 weeks.
Total weight gain? 16-17 pounds.
Stretch marks? None.

How far along? 26 weeks, 1 day.
Total weight gain? 16 pounds, according to my OB appt earlier!
Stretch marks? None.

Work Christmas party.

For the dinner they had place cards for people with special diets, and I was so excited they had a special meal prepared just for us! (And it was delicious!) I ended up having a good time and felt bad that we had to leave early because Ashton had to work at his second job later that night. We got to take our champagne glasses home and I got a mini white rose in mine from my sweetie.♥

Baking fun.

Among the several treats I conjured up, were these scrumptious pistachio-cherry-chocolate cookies. I took a picture of the magazine article I used for inspiration and then my finished product. Not to brag, but I think mine turned out better looking than the magazine photo! Other treats included chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars, pumpkin cheesecake bars, gingerbread brownies, & marshmallow-pretzel-peanut clusters. I altered all of the recipes to be vegan and I'm pretty sure no one could tell the difference, as they were a huge hit with everyone!

Family time.

Ashton and I went to my mom's later on and spent the night there. I hadn't spent the night before Christmas at my mom's in a while, so it was really nice. I loved waking up on Christmas morning to a warm and cozy house.


I had a really wonderful time at my mom's (as usual!). Both of my sisters came over as well as Devon, Aaron, and my mom's boyfriend Pete. It was so nice to have all of us together at once. We had a super yummy early dinner, played a trivia game that we were all terrible at, and then exchanged gifts!



Mom presented Ashton and I with our very first family ornament for the Christmas tree. It was so sweet, I only wished we were living together at that point and had a tree to hang it on. It will definitely be admired on our tree next year though!




Deasha and Devon picked out these cute onesies for their neice. How stylish will she be!








Mom and Pete spoiled their granddaughter with her first set of books! Mom says they are for Ashton to read to my belly since baby can hear us talking to her now. ♥







Look at this sweet little fleece hat! It is so adorable and I am imagining it to be super warm. I love this so much.






As a tradition, on Christmas night we all ventured to my Aunt's house for our huge family Christmas party. Ashton and I had to leave a bit earlier than we would have liked because we both had to work early the following morning and we still had a 2 1/2 hour car ride ahead of us. :(

Other baby-related gifts that we received this Christmas include this cute set of baby washcloths from Ashton's sister, and these comfy little booties from my roommate. So precious!


This year was one of my favorite Christmases. I enjoyed every minute of being able to see my family since I live in a different state from them all. I am definitely looking forward to next year when baby will be here and get to experience it as well. She is going to love her new family and I have a feeling she is going to be spoiled a bit!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and was able to spend time with family throughout the holidays. Warm wishes to you all. ♥

How far along? 25 weeks.
Total weight gain? Almost 15 pounds. This baby is getting massive, and quick!
Stretch marks? None.

I had been thinking about the pros and cons of getting an epidural for a couple weeks now. And although I may change my mind when I actually journey through labor, I am fairly confident that I have made a decision on the subject. First, I decided to gather more information on getting an epidural and sort out all of my options. This is what I have gathered about getting an epidural for pain relief during labor (from babycenter).

The procedure: You will most likely need to be in active labor (4 or 5 centimeters dilated with regular contractions) before starting epidural pain relief. It is never too late to get an epidural unless the baby's head is crowning. You lie curled on your side or sit on the edge of the bed while an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist injects numbing medicine to the area and guides a needle into your lower back, through which a catheter is passed and the needle is then removed. A "test dose" is given to ensure correct placement and your baby's heartbeat is monitored continuously, as well as your blood pressure. It takes about 10-20 minutes to feel the numbing effect, but numbing in the uterus may begin within just a few minutes. After delivery, the catheter will be removed, but may remain in a little longer if you've had a c-section.

Pros:

• Potentially very effective pain relief than can be used throughout your labor
• The type, amount, and strength of the medication can be adjusted at any time
• It will keep you awake and alert during labor and birth
• Being pain-free during labor could help save your energy for when it comes time to push
• A smaller amount of medication reaches your baby than using systemic narcotics
• It can provide anesthesia if you need a c-section or your tubes tied after delivery
• You can have the epidural dose lowered while you're pushing so you can participate more actively in your baby's delivery, but there's no evidence that reducing the dose actually shortens this stage of labor

Cons:

• Depending on the type and amount of medication, you may lose some sensation in your legs and be unable to stand
• Most practitioners won't allow you to get out of bed once you've had an epidural
• An IV, frequent blood pressure monitoring, and continuous fetal monitoring is required
• The pushing stage of labor can be prolonged due to the loss of sensation in your lower body, which weakens your bearing-down reflex to push your baby out
• It is more likely you will have a vacuum extraction or forceps delivery, which increases your risk for serious lacerations and the risk of bruising your baby
• In some cases, the epidural only provides spotty pain relief or the catheter can "drift" slightly, causing a need for the catheter to be reinserted for another try (which may also be spotty)
• The drugs can temporarily lower your blood pressure, reducing blood flow to your baby and reducing her heart rate (which has to be treated with fluids and medication)
• Narcotics delivered through the epidural can cause your face to become itchy, or bring on nausea
• Anesthetics delivered through an epidural can make it more difficult to tell when you need to pee (if you cannot pee on your own, you may need to have a catheter inserted into your urethra)
• An epidural raises your risk of running a fever in labor, possibly because you pant and sweat less (since you're not in pain), so it's harder for your body to give off the heat generated by labor (and since it's unclear at first whether the fever is from the epidural or an infection, you and your baby could wind up getting unnecessary antibiotics)
• Epidurals are associated with a higher rate of babies in the posterior or "face up" position at delivery--which will cause you to have a longer labor and run a greater risk of needing a c-section
• In 1 in 100 women, an epidural causes a bad headache that may last for days, due to a leakage of spinal fluid (you can reduce the risk of headache by lying as still as possible while the needle is being placed)
• In very rare cases, an epidural affects your breathing, and in extremely rare cases it causes nerve injury or infection

My decision: If you know me at all or have been following my blog, isn't it quite obvious by now?! While I have yet to experience the astonishing and painful experience of going through a labor and delivery, I definitely don't think any of the "pros" are worth arguing about. It is said that labor and delivery is one of the most painful experiences that anyone can go through, so why wouldn't you want to be able to ease some of that pain, be entirely alert for the birth of your child, and be able to control the medicine when you see fit? Well, as with any medical invention (as scientifically sound as we may think it is), there come risks that we have to be willing to face. In this case that includes a prolonged "pushing" stage of labor, the need for a vacuum extraction or forceps delivery, bruising to my baby, the lowering of my blood pressure and baby's heart rate, nausea spells, the need for a urinary catheter, running a fever and receiving potentially unnecessary antibiotics, a posterior delivery, a headache spanning several days post-delivery, and potential nerve injury or infection. Yikes! Of course I know these are all risks that may not occur during my labor/delivery, but I have always had faith in nature don't feel like putting my body and my baby in the hands of science. In the end, I have decided to include a natural non-epidural labor and birth in my birth plan.

Lastly, I wanted to share this video of a natural labor and delivery, that I have found to be very inspiring. It does show everything, so if you don't want to see a baby coming out, don't watch it!! If you are willing to be enlightened, click here. :)