Things continue to be busy this week and I have a feeling they’ll stay this way until our bambino arrives.  Dusty’s trying to work as much as possible so he can feel caught up and a little less stressed when the baby comes, and that leaves me getting the house prepared.  I spent the week working from home, teaching, cleaning, and watching my nieces.

This week our bambino is the size of a durian (does anyone really know what that is) or a pineapple (again).  She’s about 17 inches in length and over 4 pounds now.  This week I worked a lot on the nursery, moving things around and getting rid of a lot of unnecessary things we’ve (really, I’ve) been holding on to for way too long.  Our trip to Minneapolis was a success so there were also a few things we bought for the nursery that needed to be put together.  The nursery is looking really good but there are piles of stuff sitting all over our place that need to either go in storage, go back to their original owner or need to find a new home.

Weight Gain: I gained about 1.5 pounds these past two weeks.  Don’t ask me how I did that because I was sure I would be up at least 4 pounds in the past two weeks.

Maternity Clothes: It’s getting hotter!  The weather is in the 90s and I’m feeling it.  When I’m at home I wear t-shirts and shorts and when I leave the apartment I wear one of the black cotton maternity dresses I own or wear one of my more colorful maternity dresses when I’m doing something a little more special (like when I plan on seeing someone I know).

Sleep: This tells you it all, I have bags under my eyes and I just don’t think they’re going away anytime soon.  It’s hard to find a comfortable position and I’m waking up quite a bit in the middle of the night because I feel uncomfortable, am hot, have to use the restroom or just start thinking about something I need to put on my to-do list.

Food: Lots of ice cream this week!  I’m a fan of chocolate!

Movement:  Still love those pokes and jabs she makes.  We’re starting to be able to tell how she’s laying.  Last week her little rear end was up against my right side but she’s moved a little and she must be facing out to the world with her feet near my ribs (so she’s upside down).

Belly Button:  No going back, it’s an outie.

Mood: I’m feeling really good about getting so much accomplished.  My to-do list that needs to be accomplished before our bambino arrives is still long but I’ve been crossing a lot off my list.

Best Moment(s) This Week: Best moment(s) this week were going to the pool with my nieces, co-hosting another sewing partying at my place and attending my family baby shower.  So many exciting things happened this week.  I went swimming while I was in Minneapolis last weekend and loved it!!!  I thought that swimming almost 8 months pregnant wouldn’t be my thing but it’s actually really relaxing so I went out and bought a maternity swimsuit and asked my nieces if they wanted to go to the pool (they were a great excuse to go).

Saturday I co-hosted a sewing party with my friend Beth and we made ironing board covers.  There were five of us and we had a blast.  I’ll post something about it soon.  It was nice to relax and forget about my to-do list for a few hours.

Sunday my sister and sister-in-law threw me a beautiful baby shower!!!  It was so overwhelming to have so many family and close friends together, celebrating our little bambino.  She’s a lucky little girl and so are Dusty and I.  We had three soon-to-be great-grandmas there, which was so amazing.  And I can’t forget to thank all those other people who helped with the party as well.

Missing Anything: This week I’ve been missing sleep!  And of course, this is something that I’m not getting it back anytime soon.  It’s only going to get worse so I’m trying to be thankful for the sleep and naps I do get.

Looking Forward To: I’m still looking forward to our doctor’s appointment next week (I thought it was last week but it’s not until Monday)!  I’m also looking forward to our maternity photo shoot (but a little anxious about finding a cute outfit)!

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken at my Mother-in-law’s house after our family baby shower.  She has beautiful flowers all around the house and I thought it would be an excellent backdrop to the pictures this week.  The dress is maternity from Gap.

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***

This post is coming a little late.  I can’t believe how fast the days are going and how little I feel like I’ve accomplished since we’ve gotten home from Paris.  I know we are getting a lot done to prepare for the bambino but the to-do list keeps getting longer.

This week our bambino is the size of a large jicama or squash and is about 16 1/2 inches in length and about 4 pounds.  This week was spent teaching my summer classes (mostly from home and then in class on Friday), catching up with friends, and going to Minneapolis for a last visit before our little one arrives.  The weekly emails we get say that this is the time to start connecting with our bambino, making sure to sing to her and when she is pushing or kicking in one spot, rub or push back gently.

Weight Gain: I’m going to the doctor’s every two weeks now so I decided to just wait until I visit next week before weighting myself.  That means I can worry about it later.

Maternity Clothes: This week was it cooled down a little in Omaha.  There were a few days in the mid 80s and then the rest of the week of in the 90s.  I have three black cotton maternity dresses from Target and I’ve been wearing those nonstop.

Sleep: I’ve officially adjusted to the time difference but this week has also signaled a change in my sleeping.  I’m waking up early, no matter what time I go to bed.  I work from home most days and could sleep in as late as I wanted but instead, I’m getting up at 7am.  And still getting up in the middle of the night.  It’s getting more and more difficult to get comfortable.  I’m using 4 pillows to prop me up on all sides.

Food: We’ve been getting into a routine of eating at home but it seems like so much more work to make dinner than it was a couple of weeks ago.  I’m making a lot of simple meals so I don’t have to dirty a lot of dishes and go to the grocery store all of the time.

Movement:  Lots of movement from our little bambino these days.  Dusty describes it as an alien in my belly, and often times that’s what it feels like.

Belly Button:  No going back, it’s an outie.

Mood: Overall, it’s been another great week.  I think that pregnancy has made me in a really happy mood (for the most part).  These past few months I’ve laughed at Dusty’s stories and jokes more than I ever have before.  I’ve always thought Dusty was funny and told some of the most entertaining stories but I can’t tell if he’s getting funnier or if it’s just the pregnancy that makes me laugh at everything he says (even when he’s making fun of me).

I’m still feeling more sentimental and emotional these days but it’s always because of the wonderful things happening!  I find myself thinking about Dusty being a dad or us being a family of three or how much our parents are doing for us and start getting tears in my eyes.

Best Moment(s) This Week: Best moment(s) this week were catching up with friends and family and going to Minneapolis to visit some of Dusty’s family and do a little shopping for the nursery in the big city.

Missing Anything: I’m missing my old body.  My back is starting to ache a lot more and it’s not only difficult to get out of bed but it’s also a little painful.  I’m glad this hasn’t gone on for the entire 9 months I was pregnant!  It’s a lot more difficult to stay in one position for a long period of time.

Looking Forward To: I’m looking forward to our doctor’s appointment next week and the family baby shower!  I’m also looking forward to cleaning out the spare bedroom that will become the nursery.  My mom is coming over to help clean out the closet and organize everything and my Mother-in-law is going to paint for us! We have some wonderful Moms!

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken by our apartment in the Old Market.  The dress is maternity from Target.

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***

This week our bambino is the size of a pineapple and is approximately 15-16 inches in length and weighs 3-4 pounds.  The first part of the week we spent doing lots of nostalgic Paris things like going to the Eiffel Tower for lunch and then going at night to see all of the sparkles, and of course, eating crepes.  The later part of the week was spent traveling home and then attending two baby showers as well as seeing family and friends.

Weight Gain: I went in for a check-up Friday and was happy to hear that I only gained 5 pounds over the past 5 weeks! I was quite sure the nurse was going to tell me I had doubled my weight and that I was going to have to really be careful these last few weeks.  That means a total weight gain of 15 pounds.  I guess all that walking around Paris really paid off.

Maternity Clothes: This week was a little cooler and rainy while in Paris so I’ve been wearing maxi dresses and then when we got back to Omaha it was a bit warmer, 80s and so I wore lots of cotton maternity dresses.  It’s so different adjusting to these warmer temperatures.  I’m spending a lot more time in doors with the air conditioning on.

Sleep: With the time shift of returning from Paris, in addition to the wake up calls of pregnancy, I had a bit of trouble sleeping the second half of the week.  I’m going to bed early and then waking up very early in the morning.  By Sunday, I was completely exhausted.

Food: Now that I’m back in the states I really do love Kit Kat bars.  Not sure what it is about them but they’re lovely!  Otherwise, I’m just trying to get back in the habit of grocery shopping and not going to the open market right out my front door twice a week.

Movement:  She still loves wiggling her little butt and moving around.  We had a quick ultra sound during our check-up and it was great to find out what little parts were moving where.  Her cute little rear end is right up against my right side and I feel a lot of pushing on that side. We feel her hiccups on occasion as well.

Belly Button:  No going back, it’s an outie.

Mood:  The bambino and I had another good week.  I was most definitely tired by the end of the week, with all of our traveling and then baby showers, but it was all worth it.  It was so good to see our family and friends.  Those hormones have most definitely started kicking into gear again.  I found myself waking up crying a little Sunday morning, thinking about how lucky we are to have such wonderful friends and family around that care so much about us.

Best Moment(s) This Week: Best moment(s) this week were spending our last few days in Paris together.  The day after our anniversary we went for a picnic at the Eiffel Tower, the same exact thing we were doing 7 years ago when Dusty proposed.  The other great moments this week were seeing friends and family at the baby showers our friends threw for us. And finally, seeing our little bambino during the ultra sound and hearing her heartbeat.  It’s so reassuring to hear she’s growing faster than ever and doing really good.

Missing Anything: I’m missing being able to travel easily and sleep on airplanes! Although everyone was very nice through the entire process, it was not the most comfortable and I was very glad to be home after almost 24 hours of traveling.

Looking Forward To: I’m looking forward to preparing for our little bambino and putting the nursery together. The stroller, car seat and crib are on the way!

Weekly Picture: This week’s picture was taken by our apartment in the Old Market after one of the baby showers.  The dress is from Target.

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***

This week our bambino is the size of a cucumber (I’m assuming that’s height) or the size of a large cabbage (that’s more like it).  The later part of the week was spent rushing around Paris doing all of the things we wanted to do but hadn’t done yet.  Dusty still worked a lot but we did find a few days to go out to lunch or dinner and see a few of the sights.  We also celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary (and last one before we’re a family of three).

Maternity Clothes: This week was a little cooler and rainy with most of the week in the 60s so I’ve been wearing maternity jeans and t-shirts or long maxi dresses.

Sleep: I’m most definitely starting to feel the symptoms of being 30 weeks pregnant.  I’m waking up more often in the middle of the night and finding it a little more difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position.  I’m still able to go back to sleep easily when I do wake up and am feeling refreshed in the morning.

Food: It’s crazy to see how much food I could consume if I wanted.  I can most definitely eat just as much as Dusty and sometimes more if I wanted.

Movement:  She loves to move around.  She especially loves kicking and punching (sounds so violent but it’s really not or at least not yet) on my right side, she must be really comfortable over there.  You can still find me beckoning Dusty to put his hand on my stomach to feel her move.  I still can’t get over how much she moves.

Belly Button:  It’s officially an outie.  As you can see in this week’s photo, it’s poking out just a bit (click on the image if you’d like to see it larger)!

Mood: This week was great!  I’m feeling really good and have actually enjoyed the cooler weather.  It’s so nice to have the windows of our place open and enjoy the cool breeze (I know it’s not going to be like that when we get home to the 90s).

Best Moment(s) This Week: Best moment(s) this week was celebrating our anniversary on Sunday.

Missing Anything: Being it’s our last full week in Paris I was missing all of the wonderful things I would normally be eating and drinking in Paris including those lovely cheeses and wine.

Looking Forward To: Although I love our time in Paris, I’m looking forward to being at home and getting ready for our little girl to arrive!  We were so busy before we left that we haven’t bought anything (except a dresser) or done anything for the nursery.

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken at the Parc du Champ de Mars.  The Champ de Mars is a long stretch of grass right at the base of the Eiffel Tower giving you a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower.  We were actually a good half mile away from the Eiffel Tower on the grass and it gave us a perfect view of the tower.  This week I’m wearing a black maxi skirt that I made and a Target maternity top.  The scarf is my newest souvenir from Paris.

Weekly picture of me with the Eiffel Tower behind.

This week our bambino is the size of a butternut squash.  We spent another great week in Paris.  Dusty worked a lot again.  I enjoyed a couple of afternoons at the park and started prepping for my summer classes.  Dusty did find some time to leave the apartment this weekend and Friday we went for a great lunch at Verjus.  Then on Saturday went for a long walk around the city, ending with some great steak frites at Le Relais de l’Entrecôte.  Sunday was Father’s day and we took some time to relax together at the park.

When I’m out and about I spend a lot of time watching parents with their children (and looking at strollers–I love all of the European style strollers).  Dusty and I talk often about what it will be like to come to Paris with our little bambino.  We’re not sure when that will happen but we do know it will happen!

Gender & Name: We have a name picked our for our little bambino but we’re not making it official until we meet her.

Weight Gain:  No scale in Paris! I’ve been eating a lot of fruits and vegetables but I’m also in love with nutella so I’m not sure what that means for my weight gain.

Maternity Clothes: The week was split between the high 70s and lower 60s so I’ve been wearing cotton dresses when it’s warmer and maternity jeans and t-shirts when it’s cooler.

Sleep: This week I’ve started waking up in the middle of the night a little more than usual.  My belly is most definitely getting bigger and it’s getting more difficult to stay comfortable so I wake up every few hours to switch from laying on one side to the other.  No complaining though, I go back to sleep very easily and wake up feeling refreshed.

Food: I’m trying to get all of the nutrients I need to keep our bambino healthy so I’ve been trying to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and grains.  Specifically, lots of bananas, raspberries, peaches, oranges, avocados, green beans, and lentils.  And yes, I’m still craving sweets!

Movement:  She’s still a mover and a shaker and we love it.  It’s so much fun to feel her move around all of the time.  I haven’t felt any braxton hicks which my weekly emails say can start at anytime.

Belly Button:  It’s still half in, half out.

Mood: Bambino and I have been in a great mood this week.  Like I said a few weeks ago, who wouldn’t be in a good mood spending a month in Paris.

Best Moment(s) This Week: Best thing this week was spending quality time with Dusty.  I’m cherishing every moment we have together while I can.  I can’t put into words how much I’ve loved going through this pregnancy with Dusty and being able to share it with him.  He’s been such a supportive husband and couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

Missing Anything: This week I’ve really missed lying on my stomach.  I really missed lying on my stomach when I went to the park and just wanted to sprawl out on my blanket (most definitely can’t do that) and then during the night when it gets difficult to sleep.

Looking Forward To: Looking forward to our last week in Paris!  During the last week we’re always trying to fit in as many fun things as we can before we leave.

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken outside our apartment at the Bastille.  This time around you can actually see the monument in the background.  I’m wearing a sleeveless striped black maternity dress from H&M (different then the one I wore a couple weeks ago) and a pink scarf I bought on a vacation many years ago.

Welcome to the third trimester! This week our bambino is the size of an eggplant.  My weekly baby email updates say that our little girl weighs around 2.5 pounds and measures about 14 inches long.

I spent this week lounging around the apartment, updating our blog, and spending some quality time with Dusty.

Gender & Name: We still like the name we’ve picked out and are trying to think of a backup just in case we decide it doesn’t work when we actually meet her.

Weight Gain:  No scale in Paris means I don’t need to feel guilty for eating all of the delicious food.  In all seriousness though, I’ve actually been eating pretty darn healthy, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables since we go the market twice a week.

Maternity Clothes: Paris has had beautiful weather this week.  It’s been in the high 70s and low 80s for most f the week.  This weekend has cooled down a little and is back in the high 60s/low 70s, which is perfect weather!  I’ve been wearing cotton maternity dresses like the one in my picture this week or a t-shirt and gym shorts when I’m around the apartment.

Sleep: Paris is at the same latitude as the Canadian border and because it’s further north, stays lighter later into the evening.  With this and then with Dusty working late because of the time difference, I’ve been staying up later and getting up later in the morning as well.  I’ve had a few nights that have been a little more difficult to sleep but overall, I’m sleeping comfortably.

Food: No specific cravings but I’ve really enjoyed all of the fresh fruits at the market.  I’m eating a lot of peaches, strawberries and avocados.  And of course, I’m in love with nutella with baguettes.

Movement:  This week has marked the beginning of a huge change.  I can see how the third-trimester can seem long and tiring.  Our bambino is moving around more vigorously and I can feel her jabs and kicks regularly.  Dusty’s able to feel her movements and sometimes see her movements as well.  At least once during the day I’m beaconing Dusty over to feel her violent moves.  Needless to say, I know it’s only going to get worse as she gets bigger and stronger and has less room to move around.

Belly Button:  My belly button is officially half in, half out most of the time.

Mood: Overall, I’ve been in an excellent mood this week.  I have been a little more emotional this past week and getting sentimental at times, looking at the other little bambinos on the sidewalk and thinking about what life’s going to be like when we’re a party of three.

Best Moment(s) This Week: Best moments this week: 1) The beautiful Paris weather and 2) Going on an adventure with Dusty.  We first went to ‪Galeries Lafayette, a huge upscale department store (can you believe Dusty suggested we go).  They have shops like Versace, Valentino, Gucci, and Prada.  They have the world’s largest shoe department, which I’m sad to say, I didn’t get to see because the place was a complete zoo and the size of several city blocks.  In fact, we did no traditional shopping.  I would not suggest going on a Saturday afternoon (although I’m sure it’s busy every day of the week).  Our sole desire was to go to the grocery department (and yes, this is why Dusty suggested we go), which was like a gourmet supermarket with kiosks of some of the highest end products you’ll ever see.  After Galeries Lafayette we strolled around the Eiffel Tower and went to dinner at a restaurant we’ve wanted to try out.

Missing Anything: Not missing anything at all!

Looking Forward To: I am a bit excited to go home in a couple of weeks and start on the nursery but for right now I’m enjoying this quality time with Dusty (in between his work).

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken outside the Louvre when we went on adventure.  I’m wearing a black maternity dress from Target and a handmade necklace.

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***

This week is the end of my second trimester and our bambino is the size of a rutabaga.  My weekly baby email updates say that our little girl is breathing and even showing brain activity.

I spent this week sightseeing around Paris with my friend Allison, who was visiting for the week, and eating a lot of delicious Parisian food.  Dusty spent most of the week working but did find some time to sightsee and be our food tour guide.

Gender & Name: It’s a girl of course and I think we might have picked a name.  We’re not shouting it out to the world quite yet and will probably wait until she’s born before doing so but we’re pretty happy with this very hard decision (at the moment).

Weight Gain:  Like I said last week, there’s no scale in our Paris apartment but I’m assuming I’ve gained a few pounds.  Although I’ve been doing a lot of walking this week I’ve also done a lot of eating!  Paris has such delicious pastries!!

Maternity Clothes: It’s quite cold at the moment in Paris (50s and low 60s with quite a bit of rain) so this week I’ve been wearing maternity jeans and t-shirts with a cardigan or jacket.  Saturday and Sunday have gotten much nicer and so I was able to wear a dress on Saturday with tights and Sunday I lounged around in shorts.

Sleep: The bambino and I have adjusted to the time difference and are sleeping quite comfortably.  I’m only waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and fall back asleep right away.  I most definitely roll out of bed these days and no longer pop up with any pizzazz.

Food: I’m still craving anything sweet and have enjoyed quite a few éclairs and other tasty pastries!

Movement:  She most definitely adjusted to the time change this week and is back to her regular self.  Not only was she still adjusting to the time difference these first few days but I was doing so much walking that I think I was lulling her asleep quite a bit during the day.

I just told Dusty today that weeks ago I was so amazed at how she moved and how I could feel the little flutters happening, and those movements were nothing compared to what I’m feeling now.  I’m definitely not tired of her pokes, jabs, and stretching, and love every moment I can feel her movin’ and grovin’.

Belly Button: My belly button is pretty much flush but sometimes it’s kind of half in, half out.  The top is popping out, but the bottom is still in a little bit (especially after I’ve eaten a big dinner).

Mood: I was in a great mood this week, how can anyone not be in a good mood while in Paris!!!   Overall, I’m feeling really good and feeling very lucky that I haven’t had any major pregnancy symptoms (other than my belly getting bigger).  What’s hard is deciding what’s happening to my body because of the pregnancy and what is happening because of the walking around I’ve done with week.  It feels really good to be moving around though and I’ve made sure not to do too much!

Best Moment(s) This Week: Best moments this week were sightseeing around Paris and having such a great time with Allison while she was here as well as going to the French Open with Dusty.

Missing Anything: Being in Paris makes me really miss wine and all of the lovely things I’m not supposed to eat.

Looking Forward To: Spending lots of quality time with Dusty while we’re in Paris and enjoying some nice Paris weather next week (the weather is forecasted to be in the high 60s and low 70s).

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken outside our Paris apartment and across the street from the Bastille monument (the opposite side from last week’s picture).  Behind me is Canal Saint-Martin that connects to the Seine.  I’m wearing a stripped cotton H&M dress I got last week when our luggage was lost.

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***

This week our bambino is the size of an eggplant or a head of lettuce.  She’s getting her immune system ready for life outside by soaking up my antibodies.  She’s also growing eyelashes this week.

The first half of the week I spent preparing for our Paris trip with lots of packing, cleaning and seeing a few friends and family while Dusty spent the time squaring away last minute stuff at work.

The second half of the week was spent traveling (and settling into our apartment once we arrived).  I’ll have a separate post on our travels later.

Weight Gain: I went to the doctor’s on Wednesday and I’ve officially gained 11 pounds.  There’s no scale in our Paris apartment though so I won’t be able to weight myself again for a while.

Maternity Clothes: This week I wore leggings and stretchy shirts while in Omaha since it was so warm out and I was trying to save my good outfits for our trip.  The very last part of this week I wore maternity jeans with maternity t-shirts and sweaters because it’s quite a bit colder in Paris.  We lost our luggage for a few days so I promptly went to H&M maternity and bought a pair of jeans, t-shirts and a dress.  Wish I had been to an H&M maternity months ago!!! It is fabulous!

Sleep: I got lots of sleep the first part of the week while in Omaha but things most definitely got a little dicey the last couple of days this week.  Sleeping on an airplane while you’re pregnant is very difficult (at least for me) and I only got a couple of hours of sleep when normally I’m close to narcoleptic when in cars and planes.

Not completely related to sleep but added to the lack of it I’m sure was me being a little worried about a decrease in air pressure during the flight that can reduce the amount of oxygen in your blood, but as my doctor said, it doesn’t pose a risk if you’re healthy and to promote circulation I should occasionally walk up and down the aisle and drink plenty of water.

And since we’ve arrived in Paris I’ve had difficulty with sleeping because there’s a seven hour time difference.

Food: I’m craving anything sweet this week and can’t wait for a nutella crepe!

Movement:  More and more movement everyday, or at least it’s more and more pronounced.  Dusty’s now able to feel her at some point each day when she’s really moving around.  She’s on a pretty regular schedule of when she’s awake and when she’s asleep.  Being in Paris has thrown her off a bit and I’m hoping she’ll acclimate to the time change soon.

Belly Button: My belly button is completely flat and will soon be an outie before I know it.

Mood: Overall, I was in a good mood this week, getting excited about our trip and feeling positive about a final doctor’s appointment, giving me a thumbs up before we left.

Best Moment(s) This Week:  I had a few great moments this week.  First was seeing my stepmom while she was in town and visiting about the baby.  She gave me some really cute gifts for our bambino.  Second was leaving for our trip and then finally arriving in Paris after a few delays (and only 7 hours later than originally planned). My third favorite moment was getting our luggage after it being lost for 48 hours!!

Looking Forward To: Sightseeing in Paris with a girlfriend of mine, Allison, who’s in town for the first week we’re here.

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken outside our Paris apartment and across the street from the Bastille monument.  Behind me is the where the marche de Bastille is held.  I’m wearing a Gap maternity sweater and H&M maternity jeans.

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***

Our bambino is the size of a cauliflower this week!  She is enjoying her new sense of equilibrium and now knows which way is up and which is down.  She’s growing more fat and more hair too!

This week we celebrated Mother’s day which was really spent taking care of Dusty who had the stomach flu.  I guess this was a little preview into my future as a mother, who, no matter what day it is, will be taking care of her family.  I did feel really bad for Dusty because he never gets sick and this one really put him down for a solid 48 hours.

We spent the rest of the week recuperating from Big Omaha as well as preparing to be gone for 5-weeks.  Preparing doesn’t mean that we’ve packed yet but really means that Dusty’s just been working nonstop, trying to get in all of his necessary meetings before we leave and I’ve just been trying to get logistical things done like purchasing euros from the bank, getting renters insurance for the apartment we’ll be staying in, and coordinating with the rental agency so there will be someone waiting with keys when we arrive.

Maternity Clothes: I bought a few more maternity items this week to prepare for our trip including a few shirts, a dress, tank top and leggings.  It suddenly got really hot this week, in the 90s, and so I wore lots of cotton dresses and maxi skirts.

Sleep: I still feel as though I’m getting plenty of sleep but I can most definitely tell I’m waking up more and more during the middle of the night.  Warning to myself, drink more water at the beginning of the day and less right before bed!

Food: Still no specific food cravings but I sure do love desserts!

Missing Anything: This week I noticed how difficult it’s starting to get to do things, simple things, like bending over and picking something up or carrying things up our stairs to the apartment.  I miss my strength, flexibility, and general ability to bend over and pick something up without thinking about it.

Movement:  Still lots of movement from our bambino!  It’s getting a little easier for Dusty to feel her when she gives me a really strong kick but most of the time I’m the only one that gets to feel her move.

Mood: I’m in a great mood this week.  I feel very lucky that I’ve had few negative pregnancy symptoms along the way.  I’ve started feeling a few extra aches and pains that weren’t there before but nothing major.  I am trying to regularly do yoga and exercise so that I can stay in shape and stretch those sore muscles.

Best Moment(s) This Week: My favorite moments this week were celebrating Mother’s day with our families and getting a new sewing machine for my Mother’s day gift.  My other favorite moments were getting some coral yarn in the mail for a baby blanket I’m making for the bambino and co-hosting a sewing party for some friends at our place.  Look for separate posts for more details on both!

Looking Forward To: I’m looking forward to packing for our trip and getting everything checked off my to-do list before we leave next week!

Weekly Picture:  This week’s picture was taken outside the Joslyn Museum before we went on the Omaha Young Arts Patron Art Crawl.  My dress is a Liz Lange Maternity Woven Maxi Dress in Plum from Target. I’d also like to note that it was windy and so the side view of me from above makes it look as though my backside has grown just as much as my belly, this is not accurate.  Here’s a better picture to show I’m not growing in both directions!

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***

Our bambino is the size of a small cantaloupe this week!  She’s growing quite fast in my opinion.  I remember the days when Dusty and I were comparing her to fruits like bananas or oranges.  It’s hard to believe I have something the size of a cantaloupe in my stomach.

This week Dusty spent the entire week focused on Big Omaha while I spent most of the week trying to finish baby quilts for friends and finishing some things at work.

I don’t have any really big pregnancy or bambino updates that’s happened over the past week but wanted to share how I’ve been feeling this week as well as two of my favorite moments from this week.

Food: I’m in love with Kit-Kat candy bars!  They had mini Kit-Kats at the Big Kansas City conference in March and ever since I’ve become quite in love.  I haven’t actually bought any (which I’m very proud of because I’ve been tempted) but every time I go to Dusty’s office they have some left over from the event and then take a few home with me.  They had them at Big Omaha this week and I ate a small mountain worth of them.

Mood: This week was great!  Mentally and physically I’m feeling really good.  All of the pregnancy websites say some of the pregnancy symptoms at this time are swollen ankles and feet, leg cramps, back aches and stretch marks but those haven’t quite come yet.  I’m sure they’ll be here before I know it but I’m cherishing the good times while I still have them.

Best Moment(s) This Week: My favorite moments this week were going to the doctor’s for my 24 week check-up and attending Big Omaha.  My belly is measuring like it should, which means the baby is growing, and her heartbeat sounds strong and steady!  I go back in for another check-up in 2 weeks for one of those pesky gestational diabetes screenings and to check-in with the doctor before we leave for our trip.

Big Omaha this year was another huge success! Every year I write a post about Big Omaha and how awesome it is getting to be a part of this amazing event.  You can’t believe how much work goes into this three-day event but it’s so worth the effort because such wonderful things happen!  Going is so special to me because it really showcases the reasons why Dusty, and so many others, do what they do.  I don’t think everyone understands or gets why Dusty works as hard as he does, why he works so many long hours, or why he started his own company but attending Big Omaha and seeing all of the success so many have had or will have and what they are trying to create, including Dusty, makes me so supportive of him being an entrepreneur.

Looking Forward To: Looking forward to packing for our trip.  We leave in less than 2 weeks!

***My weekly posts are written during the week and then posted the following week, after I’ve taken my weekly picture and I’ve had time to edit them.***