Modern Wife Life

I can't believe there's only 1 week left until the 3rd trimester.... what!?  And only 10 weeks until baby boy is considered "full term."  YAY!  Here's the update on weeks 25 and 26 of this pregnancy.

How's baby: Baby boy is the size of a bowling pin, and his actual size measures 2 weeks ahead at 14-15 inches tall and around 2.5 to 3 lbs.  His eyes are opening and he is capable of inhaling, exhaling, and even crying.  If he was born now his chance of survival is 80%.  He is kicking SO hard throughout the day and it's really easy to see him moving from the outside.  The shape of my stomach also changes when he rotates so you can pretty easily see his position.   He still needs a name.

Total weight gain:  144 lbs (a total of 14 lbs gained).  It's getting uncomfortable, but I'm ok with it.

Sleep: Things are getting a little crowded in our queen bed... with my 6 pillows.  Sorry, Wes.

Belly button in or out:  It's halfway out and I think it will flip any day now.

Maternity clothes:  I found some amazing deals at Old Navy ($9 maternity dresses) and Motherhood Maternity.   We were at a wedding two weeks ago in Tennessee and I wore a blue dress from Motherhood Maternity.  It's the perfect knee-length with side rouching and a scoop neck.   They had a promotion for buy 1 dress get one 50% off so I had to get it in black, too.  I love wearing pregnancy Spanx under clingy maternity dresses to "smooth things out" a little more.

Food cravings: Cheese quesadillas in the microwave... HORRIBLE for you but yummy.  I also love red grapes, strawberries, apples, and melon.

Food aversions:  None!

New symptoms:

• Mobility impairment-- The belly is getting in the way a LOT.  I'm bumping into tables, chairs, people... and it's harder to do everyday tasks like painting toes, shaving legs, and tying shoes.  
• Rib pain-- the left side of my ribcage feels like it's shattered. I know I'm dramatic.  But really.  I have to lay on the floor with my arms stretched above my head every hour or so throughout the day while I'm working.   Overall it's not a big deal and it reminds me that I'm so blessed to work from home.

Exercise:  I'm a major slacker here.  I am on my feet most of the day for work, but otherwise we just do a 1-2 mile walk in the evenings.

Best moments of weeks 25-26:

1. It's not pregnancy related, but I had such a good time going to Tennessee and seeing my husband's family at his cousin's wedding. His aunts and uncles have a great sense of humor-- I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.   After the wedding we drove to Memphis to see my husband's older sister.  It was so fun and baby boy loved the BBQ!

2. We started our Bradley Method birth classes!  I was kind of nervous for what the class would be like since it's centered around natural childbirth.   At the beginning of the class we all went around the room and said why we chose the Bradley Method.  The other couples probably had more organic, holistic lifestyles and some were even anti-medication/anti-hospital.   They were all really nice to us though.  I think it's going to be great for Wes and I to attend together for the next 11 weeks.  Hopefully we will be able to finish the classes before baby arrives!

3. We scored an AMAZING deal at Babies R' Us on a stroller/carseat travel system and a pack n' play with a basinet/changing table attachments for the top.  We got both the Chicco Bravo stroller/carseat travel system (normally $399.99) and Graco Pack N' Play (normally $150) for $284 TOTAL (including tax!).  We had no intentions of buying those items so soon, but at 50% off we couldn't pass up the opportunity.

What I'm looking forward to: I'm excited to complete the last blood draw (*fingers crossed*) of this pregnancy this week for the gestational diabetes test.  I'm also super excited for a trip we planned to Scottsdale, AZ for early June.  With the persistent vein issues we decided that a trip to Hawaii might not be the best idea right now, but we found a great resort in Scottsdale and we can't wait to have some R&R.

We are 6 months pregnant with only 7-8 more updates to share before baby boy arrives.  He is going to be here before we know it!

We are officially in our 6th month of pregnancy!  I can't believe there's now less than 18 weeks left.   Lots has happened in the past two weeks so here's an update!

How's baby boy?

Baby is now 12 inches long and weighs more than 1 lb! He is developing his sense of touch and might be feeling his face or holding the umbilical cord.  Blood is traveling through the umbilical cord at 4 mph... cool!  His skin is now opaque and wrinkly, but it will fill out more as he gains fat.  He's also sprouting eyebrows and possibly hair on his head, and his fingernails are now long enough to cover his fingertips!  On Monday we will get to see him again when we have a fetal echocardiogram to take a closer look at his heart.

Baby is kicking up a storm!  I can feel him throughout the day now, especially at night time, and Wes can feel him daily, too.  I finally have felt the "rolling" motion of his little body rotating around along with the short kicks and punches that we have felt for a few weeks.

How's mom?

I've been having a hard time these past two weeks.   My husband and I were in Vancouver for 8 days, and it was a really great vacation together.  But it also involved a lot more exercise and walking than I've done so far this pregnancy. While we were there I had a bit of a scare with bleeding for 4 days or so.  It was such a horrible feeling, especially after our miscarriage, but our doctor didn't seem too concerned and told me to take it easy and take a break from exercising.

My legs are now not only scary-looking with bulging and spreading veins, but now they hurt.  I am on my feet all day for my business so by the end of the day it feels like I have marbles pushing through my veins.... such a gross visual, I know.  Luckily we just ordered thigh-high compression stockings and they've been amazing!  They're like Spanx for your legs.

My stomach has officially "popped" (check out the progression below). It is tight and hard like a basketball.  I definitely had to go pants-shopping before our trip to Vancouver.  The maternity jeans all had a saggy crotch and my old jeans were basically denim sausage casing. I ended up purchasing non-maternity jeans one size up from my normal size from a brand called "Wanna Betta Butt?" at Marshalls.  Yes, someone actually created a brand called "Wanna Betta Butt?".  And they were only $19.99 so that's a plus.

Weight gain is now ranging from 10-15 lbs, up from my previous 8 lb gain two weeks ago.  It fluctuates a lot from day to day based on water retention and swelling.  I've been trying to eat a healthy diet with lots of protein, fruits and vegetables.  My latest indulgence is Dairy Queen ice cream cones.  I would highly recommend ordering a size large vanilla cone from Dairy Queen.  You will not be disappointed.  They are massive!

Overall these past two weeks have been challenging. As the pregnancy progresses and our schedule gets busier it's increasingly taxing on my body to keep up with my online business. Every day I have a pretty high quota for production and shipping to keep up with demand.  It's been hard to find time to walk the dog, make a phone call, or buy groceries.  These next two weeks will involve my mom and sister visiting for three days and then we will fly to Tennessee for five days for a wedding so I'll be working in overdrive to get ahead.  I know I could take a break, but I put a lot of pressure on myself to hit specific business goals before baby comes.  I'm still enjoying the pregnancy and I'm grateful for my business, but my goal for the next couple of weeks is to find a better balance and slow down.  It would be good for all of us. :)

What's new with Baby Boy?

We had our 20 week anatomy scan and they told us that baby boy looks perfectly healthy!  It was absolutely incredible to see the detailed images of every body part.  The 3D images were SO COOL.   The baby was head-down and facing up so our ultrasound tech got all of the images she needed.  His legs were kicking back and forth vigorously like he was running in place and his arms were waving around his face.  It was really neat when the tech made me cough and lay on my side because we got to see how those simple actions could make baby boy switch positions.  And P.S. he is most definitely a BOY... wowza!

We also learned that I have an anterior placenta (it's positioned on the front wall of the uterus), so that explains why we haven't felt much movement.  But as our baby grows larger than the placenta we will start to feel him much more.

The ultrasound tech measured him at 10.5" long from head to toe and 14 oz.  She said he was measuring big... shocker (not)! I'm convinced we are going to have a basketball player on our hands.

Since my sister was born with truncus arteriosis that required a heart valve transplant as an infant we will go back for a fetal echo in 2.5 weeks to make sure his sweet heart is in the clear.  I'm glad we will get a chance to see him again in such detail.

What's new with mom and dad?

I have gained a total of about 8 lbs so far, but I've found that my weight fluctuates +/- a few lbs every day depending on how much sodium (aka chips and salsa) I had the night before.   Honestly though, I have been making a huge effort to eat as healthy as possible. I probably eat healthier now than I did before I was pregnant... not sure if that says much.  I love Chipotle salads, red delicious apples, Panera's Strawberry Poppyseed + Chicken Salad, frozen Nutrigrain waffles, and chocolate/caramel combinations like Rolos.  Oh Rolos, you make everything better.

One new symptom-- nosebleeds.  Lovely, right?  The first time it happened I was eating breakfast and our dog, Bentley, sat right front of me whining and staring at me, which he never does. Then I realized why when I looked in the mirror with blood streaming down my face and chin.  Ew. Let's hope this symptom is short-lived.

Wes got to feel the baby kick in week 20!! This was probably the best part of these past two weeks.  It was about 11pm and we were about to fall asleep and all of a sudden baby boy was bouncing off the walls.  A small part of me wonders if it was just the Chipotle I had for dinner, but we're going to call it the baby, mmk?

Also, this week our doctor took a look at my bulging leg veins and said, "Ooo wow yes, these are only going to get worse." Gotta love a straight shooter.  She suggested not sleeping on my left side and not standing for long periods of time.  I am on my feet almost all day for work, so that will be tough to avoid.  But Wes and I are going to switch sides of our bed and hopefully that will help.

I've been incredibly exhausted keeping up with my business, but Wes has been a huge help in the game of "get-ahead" and "catch-up."  We have been busy getting ready for the 6 weeks of jam-packed fun.... a week-long trip to Vancouver, a visit from my mom and sister, a trip to Tennessee for our cousin's wedding, a week vacay in Hawaii, and probably at least one weekend trip to LA mixed into all of that.   Whew!  I feel like we are definitely taking advantage of our time together before baby arrives.

I can't believe this pregnancy is almost halfway over!  I realized I'll only have 11 more updates on my blog before baby boy comes.   I'm cherishing every moment.
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The second trimester has been GREAT so far!  Here is my 15-16 week update on mom, dad, and our little boy.

How is baby boy doing?  Baby boy is the size of a dill pickle!  He is moving like crazy, waving his hands, making faces, and his precious heart is pumping 24 quarts of blood every day. He can now sense light, so if I shine a flashlight on my tummy he will move and turn away from it.  He can also hear my heartbeat, our voices, and music, so I love talking to him throughout the day.  Our doctor said that in just two weeks he will be fully formed and all he will need to do is grow grow grow!

Total weight gain/loss?  I'll be real honest here. Yesterday's weigh-in at my 16 week appointment had me in tears.  Yes, I was the pregnant lady who was crying as she got off the scale.   I was +7lbs from my pre pregnancy weight. I don't think I'm fat by any means, but it was a super sudden jump, and I've never weighed this much.  It made me scared for what's to come. Yeah, I might be a little crazy, but I know I'm not the only one who has dealt with this.  Adjusting is a process!

Maternity clothes?  There's no way my normal jeans will button, so I've been using a Belly Band around my waist/hips to keep them up without having to zipper/button them.  Luckily it's been sunny and 70's-80's here in San Diego, so dress season has arrived!  I'm so relieved.  Dresses are 1000x more comfortable and right now more comfort equals a better mood.

Sleep?  It's been AMAZING.  I don't think my husband has much room left in our bed with all my pillows, but the sleep has been glorious nonetheless.   I see a King size in our future.

Best moment these weeks?  Our 16 week ultrasound was incredible.  I was really nervous going into this appointment because I had felt our baby move twice two weeks ago but I hadn't felt anything since then.  My first time mom paranoia combined with the miscarriage in our last pregnancy had me fearing the worst.  But when the doctor showed us our little boy on the screen a sense of peace washed over me.  He looked like a real baby!  He was waving at us and we could see so much detail... his cute little ribs and spinal cord and his beating heart.  He is perfect.



Symptoms?  Headaches, daily exhaustion, and uncontrollable hunger.  This is a total breeze compared to the first trimester nausea.

Food cravings?  Wentzel's Pretzels (seriously), Panera Chinese Citrus Cashew & Chicken salads, corn on the cob, and fruit... all the fruit, please!

What I miss?  Nothing!  I was never really an alcohol or sushi girl, so I haven't had to give up very much during this pregnancy... except for Diet Coke.  That's a toughie.

What I'm looking forward to?  I am so excited to feel strong kicks, but I'm even more excited for my husband to feel them.  I'm also excited for when we choose his name! Wes and I are brainstorming ideas and it's so much fun.

Bump? My bump is starting to round out, and I'm so excited!  I cannot wait to style it in cute fitted tops and dresses.

How is my husband holding up?  My husband says that the pregnancy has gotten better for him in these past two weeks, too!  He is relieved that I'm no longer feeling sick all of the time, and he legitimately said that I've been less emotional than he expected me to be (wait, what!?). I think both of those factors took a toll on him earlier in the pregnancy, so I'm glad he's getting a break!  He deserves it.  From my perspective my husband has been a total SAINT, completely selfless, always thinking of ways to help me get through the day whether that means helping me with my Etsy shop, sending me a surprise Edible Arrangements fruit bouquet, cleaning the house, filling up my car with gas, or giving me a Panera gift card so that I will be more likely to go out for lunch.  He thinks of everything.  Seeing how Wes handles me, our challenges, and our decisions makes me so happy that we are having a son. I would be so proud to have our son turn out like Wes.

It's officially the second trimester! YAY!  Baby boy has been growing, and BOY can I tell!  Here is my 13-14 week update.   I will try to stick to updates every 2 weeks.

How's mom?  

Nausea has eased up and now it's more of an annoying mosquito in the background than a bee sitting on my arm.  Basically, I'm managing.

The exhaustion, however, is another level.  It probably doesn't help that I've had ~70 items ordered this past week on my store, Begonia Rose Co.... but they say entrepreneurs are the only people who work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week.   Sounds about right.  Luckily my husband has been a LIFESAVER and eagerly helps me every night when he gets home from work.

I gained 3 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. Maybe it was the McDonald's double hamburgers or maybe it was the Girl Scout cookies, but I'm realizing that these pounds are here to stay.  It's slightly uncomfortable since I've weighed the exact same for about 8 years, but I'm mentally adjusting.

I officially have two stretch marks.... on my butt.  I'm telling myself that these were preexisting from my days of gymnastics, dance, and sprinting.  Regardless, I'm now using coconut oil all over every night after I shower.  Hashtag booty gains?

My favorite pregnancy craving that I could eat for EVERY meal is Panera's "Chinese Citrus Cashew Salad with Chicken."   Get it before it's gone, people! It's incredible.  Order the sauce and the dressing on the side because otherwise it comes with a lot.

My little baby bump has grown a lot, but I'm still wearing my non-maternity clothes... barely.   I am so excited for the weather to warm up so I can pack up my jeans.    I'll probably regret saying that when I'm 8 months pregnant in July.  However, I did just purchase two dresses from Asos maternity that I am super excited about! They're both midi-length and I think I'll be able to wear the blue one postpartum, too, since it's super flowy.  Great deals, too!   Check out the red dress here and the blue dress here. 




How's baby?  

Baby boy is now the size of your fist!  WOW!  Other apps say he is the size of an apple or a peach, roughly about 3.5 to 4 inches long.   His weight doubles every week.   Holy buckets!

Baby boy is also moving a TON and I felt him rotating around for the first time!  It made everything feel so much more real.   I told my husband it felt like rice krispies snapping, crackling and popping all at once.   I cannot wait until my husband can feel him, too.

Baby's body is now becoming more proportional with his arms and legs lengthening.  He is also testing out his facial muscles, making faces and even sucking his thumb!

What are some 2nd Trimester goals?  

1.  Remember to pray for baby boy throughout the day.

2. Focus on nutrients and food groups.

3.  Get back in the gym now that I'm not as nauseous.

4. Get more sleep so I can do #3.

5. Plan a romantic trip with my husband.

6. Shop for great deals on baby gear.

7. Sign up for classes on infant care, breastfeeding and child birth.   We will probably take these early/mid-3rd trimester.













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My husband and I had been planning to have our first child while we are here in San Diego with him on Shore Duty.  During this two year window he actually has a "normal" Monday-Friday job, he has weekends off, and he doesn't have to go underway on a submarine.  Hallelujah!

After a heartbreaking miscarriage in November, we were blessed with another pregnancy in December.  It was God's little Christmas present to us and our families.   We were cautiously optimistic until finally we had our first appointment at 8 weeks and saw what we were hoping for... a strong, healthy heartbeat!  It was the most beautiful sound.

I feel like pregnancy is a time where God is visibly working in your life... testing your faith and giving you strength, all while designing the most intricate, one of a kind, perfect Child.  I feel lucky to have the opportunity to bring this little one into the world.   And I feel even more lucky to have the best husband and partner to share this with.

I've decided to do a pregnancy blog to create a lasting memory of this experience.  It will be so fun to look back on in the future to if/when we have baby #2.   Not to mention, I have been that lady googling "9 week pregnancy update," "10 week pregnancy update," etc. each week to see what others have experienced, so hopefully this will be interesting to other moms-to-be.

Here we go!  The first trimester has been a huge blur of nausea and exhaustion, but I'll give highlights of each week to cover the first 12 weeks, and then I'll do more regular updates from here on.

Week 4: My husband and I were in Minnesota for Christmas and I had been super tired, hardly able to keep my eyes open.  Sure enough, on December 20th we found out why-- we were expecting!

Week 5: We were back in San Diego and had the pregnancy confirmed at the Naval Medical Center.  I was hoping for blood tests to monitor my HCG levels like they did during the miscarriage, but they said they didn't need to see me until the 8 week appointment.  Symptoms: Exhausted, dizzy, craving chocolate chips.  Great combo.

Week 6: This week we told my husband's family!  This will be the first grandchild in both of our families.  Biggest symptom this week: NAUSEA.  It hit me like a wall.  Part of me was so happy about it, because it reassured me that the baby was developing normally.   I only got sick 3 times, but it was a daily struggle.  We tried all the tricks in the book-- Preggy Pops, Seabands, Ginger tea, Pink Stork tea, sour candy, ginger chews (yuck), lemonade Vitamin water.... All I could eat were saltine crackers and chicken noodle soup.

Week 7: We went on a hospital tour for expecting parents this week.  I felt slightly out of place since the other moms looked to be about 7+ months pregnant, but I like to be prepared.  Symptoms: Nausea, exhaustion and food aversions.  I couldn't stand chicken, beef, breakfast foods, salad, vegetables, Mexican food, Chinese food, or sweets.  Nothing sounded good.

Week 8:  Nausea continued this week, and at this point I felt so guilty for being no fun.  My husband was incredible as usual, picking up my slack and helping with Etsy orders, doing the dishes, vacuuming, cleaning, etc.  I felt like I was functioning at 10%.

Week 9: The nausea was more manageable this week, and I had moved on to apples, cheerios, graham crackers, pb&j sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese.  I ate like a 5 year old.  We had our first ultrasound and got to see the baby and hear the heartbeat.  We met our Dr. for the first time and she was super nice.  Every other word was "sweetie" and "honey." Due to my sister's congenital heart defect our doctor ordered an extra blood test for us for 12 weeks to look at the baby's chromosomes as well as gender!  Our due date was August 30th.

Week 10:  I was officially wearing my "fat pants" with the button undone.... yikes.  My stomach was starting to protrude a bit and it was rock hard.  The nausea was still in spurts and I seemed to alternate between good and bad days all week.

Week 11: We took a trip to visit some of our extended family and the travel definitely put my nausea back at full force.  I was eating nonstop every 2 hours on this trip to try to keep the nausea at bay... literally 2500+ calories a day.  Despite all those calories I actually lost weight.
Week 12: This was the big week! I had a special blood test that would look at the baby's DNA to determine the gender and look into specific chromosomes for potential issues.  We found out that all of the chromosome testing came back negative! And we found out the Baby Jahraus was a BOY!!!  My mom also came to visit this week so we got to take her to the 12 week appointment and the doctor did an extra ultrasound for us so grandma could meet her little grandson.  Baby boy was jumping around a lot and it was amazing to see how much he has grown!  His heartbeat was 166 bpm.  This week we also announced it to my sister via FaceTime and she was SO excited!  She will be the best auntie.  Now it's time to start thinking of names for our little boy...!

Well, kind of.  We're moving down the street to a different apartment.  Why?  We've lived in our current 2 bed x 2.5 bath town home apartment for about 8 months now and it's pretty safe to say that we don't use the second bedroom or bathroom.  The extra space is nice, sure!  It became my Etsy crafting space, bursting with fake flowers and baby mobiles.  Necessary?  That's debatable.
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This past June, a couple of days before our wedding, our wedding photographer met up with us to take some pre-wedding pictures and get to know each other.   We chose to take these photos on Berryhill Farm, where I grew up in Watertown, Minnesota.  It's 160 acres of beautiful rolling hills, lush woods, and Mud Lake (emphasis on the "Mud").   I have fond memories of growing up there, taking the motorboat around Mud Lake, riding our horses through the wooded trails, and cruising around on the golf cart with friends.  It was really special to be there with my husband.   It is a peaceful, sacred place to visit.  I can't wait to go back there in just a few months!