Survey/Update

As of Last Thursday, our house has been painted...check! check! check! That was the biggest project on my to do list! The house looks great! I can't wait to take pictures once I have all the wall hangings up. We also painted the nursery. Right now it is really green! It was really overwhelming when I first walked in. The room has really high ceilings, so there is a lot of wall space. Once we get furniture and decorations in there it will look more like an accent color...I HOPE! Stephen loves it, and he assures me it matches the bedding perfectly and is not too bright. I really can't wait to see it all put together. As for little Emma, she is moving and shaking, and I LOVE IT!!! More on this in the survey....

How far along? 25 weeks 5 days
Maternity clothes? Since the weather is warming up, I have had to go buy a few spring tops and dresses. Even new maternity clothes can make you feel better just a little more attractive.

Stretch marks? None really, and I keep saying YET because I feel like they will appear as soon as I say I don't have any. I am using stretch mark lotion religiously, but I know this means nothing when it comes to genetics, which tell me I will get stretch marks eventually.

Sleep? For some reason, it is taking me quite some time to fall asleep each  night. I could be uttterly exhausted but as soon as my body hits the bed I just can't fall right asleep. This makes for very difficult mornings when the alarm goes off. The good this is, once I finally fall asleep, I have zero trouble staying asleep. I know as soon as I say this it will probably change!
Best moment this month? Seeing Emma move from the outside. I can see it from the outside when I am sitting in the bath tub, and it gets me excited every time! My brother and sister-in-law also saw Emma kick from across the room when I was at my parent's house. I think she was super excited about being near her expectant cousin Shelby Claire. One of the girls in my class also felt Emma move while she was sitting next to me. I told her Emma was really kicking, and she asked if she could feel it. She was so excited and could not stop talking about it. It was so sweet! Of course getting the nursery painted as well as the entire house.

Movement? TONS! This little girl loves to go to town! She really kicks the most at night when I am in bed which may have something to do with my inability to sleep. I don't think I will ever be able to get over this feeling of life inside of me. I told my mom the other day that I totally understood what women meant when they said they would miss the wonders of being pregnant. I know I willbe thrilled when Emma arrives, but there is nothing like feeling her move inside of me. A girl in our youth group asked me if it freaked me out (in a good way) that there was a little human inside my body. I told her YES, and I cannot get over it sometimes.

Food cravings: This can change from week to week. Right now I am loving yogurt and granola. I could eat it for every meal. I also am in love with sandwiches. This craving has been the most consistent throughout my pregnancy. I still can't fathom super huge hearty meals. I blame this on heartburn. The one thing I thought I would want when I got pregnant, I do NOT want at all. That is Restaurant Mexican. I loved it so much before, but the thought just grosses me out. All I smell is grease when I think about it. I do still love a good homeade taco. I know this seems ironic, but it's one of those things I can't explain. There is a difference in the two!

Gender: GIRL!

Labor Signs: I am pretty sure I have had two braxton hicks.I didn't realize until I read my book that you could get them this early. They were both at completely random times (about a week apart) and lasted for just a few seconds. My tummy got unbelievably rock hard, but they did not hurt at all. I don't even want to think about the pain from real contractions. I did have a scare at work a few Fridays ago. I began to have severe, sharp shooting, back pain. It was coming around my side. It really scared me because I did not know what it was. I called my triage nurse, and she assured me it was just round ligament pain or my sciatic nerve. She told me to go home and put my feet up. I wasn't having contractions, so she told me not to worry. The pain lasted all day, but went away by Saturday.
Belly Button in or out? Still in but barely! Apparently, my belly button was more deep than I realized.

Wedding rings on or off? On cool days, ny ring still slips off super easy. Today the weather was in the 70s. It was incredibly humid in my classroom, and I had to seriously wiggle my ring off. Oh Spring and Summer, you will probably blow me up like a ballon!

What I miss? Being able to flip over swiftly in the middle of the night. I used to be a violent sleeper, and I would just flip over whenever. Now I have to do it methodically because of my growing belly and aching back. This may seem silly, but it's the small things.

What I am looking forward to? Stephen and I are going on vacation with my family over Spring Break: 10 more days til we leave!!!! WOOHOO!!!  It will be our last vacation/getaway without a little one. I seriously need a break from school and cannot wait to spend some quality time with my Hubby. I also have a baby shower at the beginning of May. My wonderful SIL is throwing it for me, and I can't wait to see my family and friends. We will also be ordering the furniture and bedding this weekend. I cannot wait until that arrives along with my nursery decor order from esty.

Dear Emma,

     I seriously cannot get over how much I already love you. I think about you and pray for you all the time. I know you will bring such happiness to your parent's lives. Even when my back aches and my throat burns from heartburn, I am feeled with such joy knowing you will join our family this summer. It will ALL be worth it! Please continue to stay cozy inside Mommy and grow like you are supposed to. Know you are loved by your creator because he is forming you inside of my womb! We can't wait to see you and hold you dear little girl!

Love,
Mommy