Week 35

The past four weeks have literally been insane! Daniel and I walked for graduation from Brigham Young University--Hawaii, we went on a one-week vacation to Kauai with our family, Daniel and I both started our senior and final research projects, and I started my internship at Ko'olauloa Health and Wellness Center with a Family Nurse Practitioner. This last semester is supposed to be laid back and carefree, but man, it's been so busy so far. I am pulling 8-hour shifts at the health center on my feet all day, which is tough! I only have two and a half weeks left, so let's pray my feet don't fall off. 

Baby updates: I don't know why, but over the past week, our excitement level for baby to get here has literally skyrocketed. I think the transition into May brought everything into reality that our sweet little girl is right around the corner. Graduation is over, Kauai is over, everything we were previously counting down to is over, and now all of our focus is directed towards June 10. Sometimes I feel like this little girl is literally trying to kill me though, with love. Her movements have become so pronounced and intense that they verge on the point of being painful. The time of cute, sweet kicks are over. Movement now consists of full body outstretches. There have been times were I can literally see limbs poking underneath my skin. But of course, this is all with love...right? We also had a baby appointment last week and our baby measured in at roughly 5 pounds 6 ounces, which put her in the 50.1 percentile; so she is right where she is supposed to be. Our next appointment is on the 14th, and then after that they move to weekly appointments! 

As far as graduation and Kauai are concerned, those two weeks were the best way to spend our last hoorah and it's all better demonstrated in pictures. Here's a few: (all of the rest are on facebook)

And since I am all about countdowns, here's the new and updated version:
Mom arrives in Hawaii: 20 days
Dad arrives in Hawaii: 28 days
Bruce and Sherri arrive in Hawaii: 30 days
Baby Barnes: 34 days

AH, AH, AH!!

How far along: 35 weeks

Due date: June 10, 2014

Sleep: Bathroom breaks all day, all night. Sleep has also become undoable in the sense that I wake up in pure discomfort. Hip pains, back pains, I need a waterbed. 

Best moment of this week: Of the week? How about of the past four weeks? Graduation, Kauai, FAMILY, Maternity Pics, etc. 

Miss anything: After 8 months of being pregnant, I guess I am just ready to be normal again (ha), I want to be able to hold my little girl in my arms, not just in my belly. 

Movement: Oh yes, borderline painful movements; such pronounced movements that I can see my stomach moving out of the corners of the my eyes and sometimes wonder if other people see them too and get freaked out...

Food cravings: I haven't had craving for foods, but I have had a craving for smells, non-food related smells, and weird smells at that. 

Anything making you queasy or nauseous: I caught the flu, and that made me nauseous, but that's completely un-pregnancy related.

Labor signs: No, but I should probably become more familiar with them soon. 

Belly button in or out: Out. You can officially see it through my shirts.

Stretch marks: Yes, on my hips; but I think I am over-exaggerating them because I pointed them out to my doctor and he laughed in my face and said "come back to me when you have real stretch marks!" 

Wedding ring on or off: On

Happy or moody most of the time: So happy! And SO EXCITED! 34 days, WHAAAA?

Week 31

Before I begin, Haley I apologize for skipping weeks!! I honestly haven't thought about it in the longest time and had the realization a couple days ago that "Oh yeah, I have a blog, riiiight." So here we go: Only 9 weeks left! Jeepers creepers! And for some perspective, remember those countdowns we had going on? Well, my family arrives tomorrow and we walk for graduation this Saturday and leave for Kauai this Sunday! How's that for the end of the road?! I think it's safe to say that my Instagram will be receiving a lot of updated attention over the next two weeks. Picture overload. You've been warned.

The past three weeks have been great, though. Funny story, before I forget: So if you have been paying any attention, you may have noticed that I have been somewhat emotional throughout this pregnancy. The definition of "over-emotional" was surpassed a couple weeks ago when Daniel and I went to the DMV to try and get our Hawaii driver's licenses (because who wouldn't want a license with a rainbow on it?). But anyways, long story short we waited in line for an hour at the location we thought was the driver's license division, come to find out we were at the wrong building. So we drive to the correct building and wait another hour in line just to get turned down because we forgot our birth certificates (and the lady claims we needed our marriage certificate too...for a driver's license...). As we leave the DMV, I just break down in tears because I am beyond frustrated at how unproductive our day is. Daniel, being the happy-going guy he is, decides that we must get McDonalds to at least make the trip worth it (because if you know anything about Hawaii, civilization is at least a half-hour drive in each direction). I order my usual: 6-piece nugget kids meal (don't judge) and Daniel throws in an ice-cream cone to make me happy. As we are driving home, I am still sad and frustrated and just lickin on my ice-cream cone as an ambulance comes up super fast behind us. Daniel pulls off the road, my ice-cream flies out of my hands, and lands face down on our sandy car floor. At this point, I just lose it and am feeling like my whole world is coming to an end (because of an ice-cream cone). Daniel, in a state of confusion and probably wondering what the heck is going on with me, picks up the ice-cream cone and licks off all of the sandy parts (yes, you read that right) and hands it back to me, perfectly clean. And then I start crying again, because his act of love was just so beautiful. He's a keeper. Believe it or not, but it's moments like this that make our marriage beyond romantic and desirable. He's just genuine, in everything he does. 

Outside of my crazy emotions, we are just preparing for the move in June by selling some stuff and throwing away useless junk. Yesterday, we threw away about 7 garbage bags full of who-knows-what. I mean, how did we even accumulate that much JUNK?! And the sad part, we aren't even close to being done yet, which is also why we are starting two months early. Plus, when baby is here we won't have time for that! 

How far along: 31 weeks

Due date: June 10, 2014

Sleep: I wake up about every 2-3 hours, on the dot. Just prepping for baby I suppose...

Best moment of this week: Husband, movement, updated ultrasound picture that clearly depicts what her face looks like, and developing the waddle (I might be over-exhaggerating on that last one, but I feel some swaying going on).

Miss anything: I miss being able to go throughout the day without constant back pains. That has been the hugest negative development over the past weeks. It's a constant ache and pain.

Movement: Firecracker. Pow, pow, pow. It's getting really neat, though, because she is getting big enough that I can literally feel limbs when she presses them against my skin.  

Food cravings: String cheese, frozen fruit, Buffalo Wild Wings. 

Anything making you queasy or nauseous: The thought of finals this week makes me nauseous.

Labor signs: Nope! But I finally understand what Braxton-Hix contractions feel like! I'll check that off my list now.

Belly button in or out: Groovy, part sticks out, part is flat. One word: Sexy.

Wedding ring on or off: On

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy, lovey, yet borderline overemotional at times. (Refer to ice-cream story)

This was at 29-30 weeks:

Here's the cool picture I mentioned:

Week 28: THIRD TRIMESTER

I wasn't originally going to write for this week, because honestly not much has changed since last week; however, today is the first day of my third trimester!! Plus, the fruit comparison for this week is that baby is the size of a coconut, and seeing as we live in Hawaii, it just wouldn't be right for me to forego this post. I know I say this time and time again, but I still cannot believe how quickly time is passing. The university has started sending me all of these checklists in regards to graduation (which is only three weeks away!) and Daniel attended my EXS graduation banquet last week with me. It's all just rolling on in and trumping away. This also means that I only have three more weeks of yucky 5 a.m. shifts! For those who do not know, I am a supervisor at the BYUH Fitness Center and believe it or not, having to spot for all these "macho" men while they bench press has become quite awkward with my seven-month pregnant belly. "Oh, here, let me hover my pregnant belly above your head while you try and lift more weight than both of us know you can..." Yeah, that's the thought. Besides work, everything else is going really swell. The environment in our home is just pure excitement and anticipation: for family, for graduation, for vacation, and then for our little girl to be here! Countdowns galore if I've ever seen them. [22 days until family arrives, 24 days until BYUH graduation, 25 days until Kauai, and 83 days until our due date] And okay, 83 days may not sound like a short amount of time but when you consider that an entire pregnancy is around 266 days..it is coming fast! Jeepers creepers. 

Other recent developments: I learned that my wonderful mother has now discovered the power of blogs via instagram (which I introduced her to) and has been reading my updates! Hi Mom! 

How far along: 28 weeks!

Due date: June 10, 2014

Sleep: I feel like the fatigue is starting to set in again; so sleep never seems sufficient enough, especially with my early-morning work schedule and fairly long school days. Only three more weeks of this...

Best moment of this week: Reaching the third trimester! She will be here so soon!

Miss anything: I miss being able to tie my shoes like a normal person. I can't bend over well anymore so trying to put on and tie sneakers has become an interesting challenge and somewhat of a balancing act. Sometimes I just have Daniel do it for me.

Movement: Sometimes I feel like she is grabbing my organs and just rolling around town like its a party. Too graphic for you? Well, try being the one with a living person in your belly! Its really cool, actually. 

Food cravings: String cheese, yum!

Anything making you queasy or nauseous: No, I only feel sick when I miss meals, but who doesn't?

Labor signs: Nope nope nope. Speaking of, one of our best friend couples Graham and Cinthya are due in the upcoming week/weeks! Tell me how it is!

Belly button in or out: Flaaaat

Wedding ring on or off: On

Happy or moody most of the time: Fiesty, rawr. But no, happy!

OH! And my super thoughtful mother and father sent me a surprise package with some new maternity clothes! So, naturally I had to roll around in them and photograph it. Thanks Mom and Dad!

And the picture below is just beautiful, so love it as much as I do:

Week 27

This is the last week of my second trimester! Can you believe that? Our sweet little baby girl will be here in as little as three months and we are ecstatic! Two days ago (on March 10), it was so neat to be able to say, "three months from today!" I feel like things are getting more real, not that it hasn't been real for the last 7 months, but things just seem positive and exciting right now. If you noticed from last week, I was definitely undergoing some doubts and insecurities which accumulated from school, work, and this pregnancy all at once. But I had some realizations over the weekend that gave me the reassurance that I was looking for. I know that I am not in this alone. I know that I have the greatest support from my husband, my family and friends, and most of all, I have the greatest support from my Heavenly Father. I can do this, and things will roll on and work themselves out. This year is going to be one of the most exciting years of our lives. I also want to just brag a little bit about how great Daniel is and want to clarify that the past insecurities and doubts in no way stemmed from him. Everything I have been feeling has come from my own, selfish, crazy mind. My husband is truly one of the greatest blessings I have ever received. It astonishes me, on a daily basis, that HE is the one that I get to spend my eternity with. We have been married for two and a half years and I still get butterflies and gitty emotions on a regular basis, and the greatest thing is that I cannot see those feelings and butterflies ever leaving. And on an additional note, he looks daaang good wearing our baby carrier. Everything about him becoming a father soon makes my heart melt. He is the most beautiful man, inside and out, that I have ever met and he will be the greatest father to our children. 


Oh and here's the stats (which I might start eliminating soon; they are becoming monotonous):

How far along: 27 weeks!

Due date: June 10, 2014

Total weight gain: Blah Blah Blah

Maternity clothes: Yes, I need more variety though. I feel like I'm wearing the same thing over and over!

Stretch marks: Nope.

Sleep: The magic pillow is seriously the best. The only thing cramping my sleeping style now are the constant bathroom runs.

Best moment of this week: One of the highlights of the week have been becoming [more] comfortable in my pregnant body. Does that sound totally lame? But really, gaining weight at rapid speeds can kill a self-esteem,  but remembering that this is for the most beautiful and meaningful purpose makes it all worth it. Oh, and also another highlight was to agree that we have officially decided on her name!

Miss anything: I miss being able to have our Hawaiian adventures. We went to the beach yesterday with a bunch of friends, which was great and fun, but it's just not the same. I can't just rock the super cute Victoria's Secret swimsuit and frolic in the waves like a beach babe. Hawaii life is just..different now.

Movement: Back and forth, up and down. You betcha. 

Food cravings: Nothing new, same ole same ole. 

Anything making you queasy or nauseous: No.

Have you started to show yet: Check pictures.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: I want to say I've felt Braxton Hix, but heck I don't really know what those are supposed to feel like anyways!

Belly button in or out: Flat as a pancake.

Wedding ring on or off: On

Happy or moody most of the time: Neutral. I have had some really great ups and a few downs. 

And here are some updated belly pictures! Along with some Pinterest inspirations that have gotten me through the past couple of weeks:

Week 26

These past few weeks have probably been some of the most busy ones we've had in awhile. Not only do I work at 5 am, which is miserable enough, but school in general has been piling up and becoming very hectic, both for me and Daniel. The end is near though, and if we can just make it through these next few months, it'll all be worth it. I feel like I am losing track of time, in the sense that one second it is January, then it's all of a sudden February, and then oh hey what do ya know..March is here. And if you remember from my previous posts, April is when the ball starts rolling and time will fly even faster: graduation, Kauai, internship, research project, momma coming to town, then BAM..baby Barnes in June. And oh yeah, I have a birthday somewhere in there. It's amazing, though, to see the work and hand of the Lord in our lives during these times and I'm grateful to know that He is a source that I can turn to at any time for peace and reassurance. At this point, all I need is just reassurance that I can do this and that I am strong enough to finish what I have started. 

But on a progressive note, here's the stats:

How far along: 26 weeks!

Due date: June 10, 2014

Total weight gain: I don't really like this question anymore.

Maternity clothes: All day, every day. Well, not totally true. I can still wear "some" of my non-maternity shirts, but as far as pants go..its all maternity or leggings. Better yet..maternity leggings. They're magical.

Stretch marks: Nope, kinda concerned about this one in the end.

Sleep: I bought this fabulous little thing called a maternity pillow. It does wonders and makes all the difference. Only downside, no more snuggle time for Daniel. All I need is my pillow.

Best moment of this week: Everyone I pass at school looks at my face, then immediately looks at my belly. This has been proven to be the case 60% of the time, every time.

Miss anything: I miss not being so emotional. I watch various youtube clips or music videos and end up crying my eyeballs out; not because they're sad per-say, but because their...i don't know, beautiful? Darn my fragile heart.

Movement: like a firecracker.

Food cravings: Mint chocolate chip ice cream; this could possibly be contributing to why I don't like the weight gain question anymore.

Anything making you queasy or nauseous: Nope, nothing recently.

Have you started to show yet: There's no doubt to those passing by that I am pregnant; which is somewhat hilarious because people have been telling me I'm small, yet I feel like a beluga whale.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: No, but I'm entering the stage where they say to expect feeling contractions; not "labor contractions" but "lets start preparing for this baby" contractions.

Belly button in or out: Is flat an option? I've always had a fairly deep belly button, so the fact that there's really not a hole there anymore says some things. I can actually flip it inside out now to make it an outie...so that's fun.

Wedding ring on or off: On.

Happy or moody most of the time: One word--fragile. 

Week 20

HALF WAY! Can you even believe that?! Hitting this half way mark has definitely made me realize how quickly the next few months are going to fly by. And with everything expected to happen over that time span, it'll only go by even faster.

Here's a run down of what's going down for those who don't know:

• Walking for graduation (eeeek!) in April.
• Everytime I think about this, I just picture myself as this 8 month pregnant girl waddling across the stage to get her diploma. The image in my head is priceless.
• Last day of school at BYU-H June 06.
• Biggest fear: Going into labor while I'm in class or something.
• Baby arrives June 10.
• Funny story: My due date was June 10 too, but I came on May 28.
• We leave Hawaii and move back to the mainland on July 1.
• 2-3 months in California and then off to Georgia!

I may or may not have just given myself an anxiety attack writing that down and fully realizing how fast everything will be happening, back to back, boom boom boom. Please send prayers my way for peace of mind.
On a differnt note, we had our full-detailed anatomy scan last Friday! During the scan, it was reconfirmed that our baby is still, and is officially and confidentally, a little girl. Yay! She has ten fingers, ten toes, and everything is growing as it should. Our little girl was actually measuring a little bigger than normal, so at our next doctors appointment he will make the decision as to whether the due date needs to be adjusted or whether she is just expected to be a bigger baby. Daniel was huge and chubby and adorable, so she may just be like her daddy. During the scan, the ultrasound tech said that our little girl is going to come out doing yoga (haha), the entire time she was so active and curling herself up in all these crazy positions. Speaking of active, she has been moving and dancing like crazy too...and I can feel it! It is literally one of the coolest feelings in the world. For a while it threw me for a loop and I didnt know what exactly I was feeling, but the movement has become strong enough lately that Daniel has actually been able to feel it from the outside too!

 

How far along: 20 weeks

Due date: June 10, 2014

 

Total weight gain: 12 pounds

Maternity clothes: As far as pants go, I don't wear anything but my maternity's or sweats.

Stretch marks: No, fingers crossed.

 

Sleep: I sleep, enough. My work shifts this semester start at 5 am so thats a problem all of its own outside of the pregnancy.

 

Best moment of this week: All of her movement, it's an all day occurance.

 

Miss anything: This week has brought on so many issues of insecurity. So I guess the thing I miss most is not feeling insecure about the weight gain, etc.

 

Movement: Yep! All day, everyday :)

Food cravings: Nope, nothing in particular.

Anything making you queasy or nauseous: Still the motion sickness, but the doctor represcribed me those nausea pills that got me through the first trimester.

 

Have you started to show yet: Yes, oh yes. (Picture included this time!)

 

Gender: Little girl

Labor signs: No, but we did start childbirthing classes with our best friends, so I'm almost an expert at what to expect, haha.

 

Belly button in or out: In.

 

Wedding ring on or off: On.

 

Happy or moody most of the time: Emotional; moody. And it really all boils down to the insecurity issue I mentioned above. The tiniest things get me, and then I cry, and it's a big mess. Poor Daniel, I really do feel bad that he has to deal with it, but when it's happening I honestly feel like I can't control it.

And here's the picture I promised about 3 weeks ago, oops. Excuse the lame bathroom selfie, but Daniel wasn't around to take the picture for me. Better pictures to come in the future! 

Week 22

Yay for week 22! Every week is exciting because it is one more week closer to meeting our little girl. I do have to admit though that anticipating the chaos that school will bring over the next few months really begins to stress me out, and then moving back to the mainland shortly after on top of that. I cannot even express how grateful I am and how calming it is to know that my mom will be here when I will need it most. I've definitely noticed that I am an "over-thinker" when it comes to future planning. I can't stand the thought of just playing things by ear and not knowing what is going to happen. As such, and with my extra hormones racing, this past week of over-thinking has taken a toll on my sanity.

On a seperate note, I am also extremely grateful to be going through this entire experience with the greatest group of friends. So far we are expecting three girls and one boy, all within weeks of each other. How cool!
Another development of the week is that I'm slowly but surely passing the "you just look fat" stage! TWICE this week I was asked how far along I am; both by people who come into the gym and I see regularly, but STILL. They were able to tell that I'm not just fat...and that something is actually going on.
Ps: Still stuck with baby names, so help a sister out.

 

 

How far along: 22 weeks

Due date: June 10, 2014

Total weight gain: ~15 pounds

Maternity clothes: Love my maternity pants; and leggings. Those are always comfortable, too.

Stretch marks: Nope!

 

Sleep: Eh, with a 5 am work schedule and school right after, I never feel like I get enough sleep. My dreams have also become very vivid, and usually in a nightmare-ish way.

 

Best moment of this week: We had a doctors appointment this week! As usual, it was great, and everything with our little girl is going smoothly. I also got about 5,012 questions answered, so that was a plus.

 

Miss anything: I miss being able to go to the beach. I no longer have any swimsuits that fit and I can't convince myself to buy another swimsuit that will only last a couple more months.

Movement: She's moving around so much! And her kicks are becoming harder.

Food cravings: Mint Chocolate Chip Icecream...the white kind.

Anything making you queasy or nauseous: Not so much. We haven't driven in awhile so I'm not sure if the motion sickness bizz is still in full swing or not.

 

Have you started to show yet: Yes, and I actually got the "Are you pregnant?/How far along are you?" question TWICE this week, for the first time.

 

Gender: Little girl

Labor signs: Noooo. 17 weeks to go!

Belly button in or out: In.

 

Wedding ring on or off: On.

 

Happy or moody most of the time: Mixed. Not really moody, but overwhelmingly stressed; about a lot of things.

 

Oh and I've also had a crazy weird obsession with The Emperor's New Groove and Kronk's New Groove; I think I've watched both about six times over the past week:

And here's some belly pictures to tickle your fancy: