Well hello there, Third Trimester!

28 weeks and officially into the third trimester! I cannot believe how quickly time is flying by!

Elizabeth is supposedly weighing in around two pounds and around 14 inches in length (we're expecting a long baby). She's reached what they call 'sustainability' at this point, which means that if she were born tomorrow her lungs are developed enough for survival. This is of course encouraging, though I have zero signs of her arriving anytime soon. Studies have also shown that she can recognize voices and even distinguish between Steve and I's. She obviously doesn't know it's her mom and dad's voices yet but knows the difference. Her mom and dad are doing plenty of talking to her :)

Everything I read says that I'm likely experiencing aches and pains and lack of sleep but so far have been fortunate enough to avoid these........for now. I keep telling Steve that I expect to wake up one morning miserable, though it will more likely be waking up in the middle of the night that way! I am experiencing plenty of the weird pregnancy dreams---most of which involve someone attacking me and hiding in the back of my car. It's not fun.

My running is also not so good. I had all hope when getting pregnant to continue running and even got the okay from the doctor---'Keep at it! Just don't do anymore than you did before you were pregnant.' I was so encouraged that I thought it was a good idea to sign up for a relay with a couple girlfriends to keep myself motivated. I clearly didn't think that through! The race is at the end of March and each of us is supposed to run four miles each. Lately, I'm topping out at one mile, ugh. That extra weight sure isn't helping!
Instead, I've been swimming a lot! My friend Bryan has been good accountability and company while we swim. We started out slowly and only doing a half mile when still in my first trimester. Last week, Bryan was busy and I had some extra time in the pool and swam the furthest I ever have---one and one half miles! While discouraged from my running, I'm hoping to keep at it with swimming! I feel better than ever in the pool! Entering my third trimester, I did finally switch to the maternity swimsuit to stop torturing Bryan with seeing my big belly in the bikini, ha.

My biggest adjustment lately has been her crowding my lung capacity! I randomly can't catch my breath as our little girl stretches out in search of more space. Speaking of her stretching for space, this last week we've started to feel her pushing against me. Steve was feeling her kick the other day and asked with a little hesitation, 'What's that lump right here?!' Her foot! It's actually really cool to know and feel her tiny feet as she grows. As she gets bigger and her space runs slimmer, I suspect the lung capacity will shrink even more and pressure from her jabs and kicks will increase :)

My latest craving---Pepsi. It's very odd for me. I've never been a big soda drinker, always opting for Sprite when I did want it. Now, for some odd reason, I get random cravings for fountain Pepsi!

More health updates on my front----I had my glucose test performed mid-month. Funny story---I figured the test was self-explanatory. You drink the sugary drink one hour before the blood testing---easy enough, so I didn't read the one-page directions. Steve decided to read it the night before in case I may have missed something and calls me over to the table. "Honey, this says to avoid all high-sugar foods and carbohydrates for 48 hours before the test." Sure enough, I'd had a random craving for a donut that day followed by Mexican for dinner; not to mention, I was eating a Twizzler as Steve's telling me this....oops! Too late at that point! I figure the point of the test is to be sure your body processes the glucose properly or not so we'll get some real results! If your levels are 130 or above you have to go in for a three-hour follow-up glucose test. Mine came in at 124! Passed by a few tortilla chips!
From the same test, they determined that my iron levels are low. No surprise there. I've always been borderline anemic but at the beginning the prenatal had evened me out. Apparently now that Ellie is growing my imbalance is back so I'll be starting an extra iron supplement to help.
Other than that, our 7 month doctor visit went really well---healthy mom and baby! We go back 2 weeks from now and will then proceed with bimonthly appointments.

Sorry for the long post today. I may have to start posting more regularly. It seems that too much happens over the month's time! Next week is our second baby shower though so you'll be hearing from me again soon...

How far along: 28 weeks

Baby size: eggplant

Current Weight: 148 lbs (23 lbs gain)

Maternity clothes? - sometimes but still wearing regular shirts and my skinny jeans unbuttoned

Sleep? - off and on---still up a couple times for potty breaks

Best moment: baby shower---goodness, our baby is loved!

Miss anything: wine----vinaigrette-based caesar dressing had fulfilled that craving!

Movement? very active; she's started to put pressure on me too we can feel her foot pushing 

Anything makes you queasy or sick: nope

Showing yet? - yes!

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: excited

Looking forward to: our second baby shower next weekend

First Baby Shower!!!

Little late on this post but what a wonderful weekend in Charleston two weeks ago! It was our first baby shower given by the lovely Gorham ladies. Ellie and I were able to share the celebration with her Aunt Stephanie and cousin Jaxson. It's not only been fun to be pregnant with my sister-in-law so we can share stories, complaints and joy but having our baby shower together made it even more special! I can't wait for our little ones to grow up together so close in age.

At the shower, there was a onesie-making station set-up for everyone to make cute onesies and socks for baby Ellie and Jax. The thought and creativity put into them was just an added bonus we brought home with us! The babies have some adorable homemade clothes now! I will say that Steve's favorite was made by his cousin Leslie who painted a 'Super Z' onesie with plans for me to sew on a pink cape. He can't wait for Ellie to wear it----even requested one for himself, haha.

Steph and I joined in the fun to make our own onesies....

...and the finished onsies made by the mommas!

After the shower, we had a girls' night at the beautiful B & B where the shower took place. The B & B was gorgeous and the time with the Gorham ladies made it even better! We snacked on junk food (the babies were craving it of course!), played cups (which Steve's cousins kicked our butts in!) and played board games---a perfect girls' night!

Proud of the newly-developing bump! I think it gets bigger each week...

Among the many generous gifts we received from family and friends that day, I must admit to a few favorites....

My mom gave me some very special items from my own childhood. She had saved a few pair of shoes and socks---with my big feet it's hard to imagine them ever fitting me! She had also saved the bonnet I came home from the hospital in, which Elizabeth will now be able to wear when she comes home from the hospital as well. The condition of them is impeccable. It's hard to believe that after 27 years something so tiny could mean so much. My own thoughtful mom wanted to save something special to her and pass it along for her granddaughter. Words cannot describe what a precious gift she's given us. Maybe one day Elizabeth will be able to do the same with her own daughter.

We were so thankful for everyone that came to the shower, both near and far, and the time we were able to spend with them all! Each day I am reminded of the loving individuals we are blessed to have in our life and anxious for them all to meet our beautiful little girl.

Hellooo bump!

We're officially six months pregnant and officially have a baby bump! I'm loving actually looking pregnant now (though I'm sure I'll regret saying so in a couple months when I'm miserable huge)! Steve teased me this morning when I got ready for church and put a skinny belt above my bump. He asked, "Are you wearing that just so your stomach is more obvious?" Well, duh! :)

We picked up our crib and dresser yesterday, which is very exciting, even though we're still not sure where we'll be setting it up. Either way, it's a huge step in preparing our little girl's nursery.

I saw the nurse practitioner last week and she says everything still is going great! Elizabeth has a healthy heart-rate---she was moving around some during the doppler check and it was really neat to hear her do so. She's an active girl! I was finally up a substantial amount of weight, which surprised the doc but she was happy with it---even increased my desired weight gain! If they only knew that all that weight was over a two week time and not the entire month! That weight and this hunger came out of nowhere!

Steve says Ellie is coming out grounded and in debt. She still is pretty stubborn about him feeling her kick. I'll put his hand where she kicks and he leaves it there for several minutes without any movement. Typically the moment he moves his hand away, she kicks again. I find it entertaining. Steve, not so much. Someone told him recently that she may be comforted by his hand on my stomach and that's why she's calm. I think it made him feel a little better :)

Next weekend I have my glucose tolerance test. I'm told it's not fun and the drink it gross. Either way, to me, it just means more blood being drawn---not my favorite activity. So far the blood testing has gone well but since I typically pass out giving blood, Steve gets to take me. It's really sweet how protective he has become of me in the last several months.

In about two weeks we have our first baby shower in Charleston and I'm very excited to share such an exciting day with my sister-in-law Stephanie!

How far along: 24 weeks

Baby size: cantaloupe

Current Weight: 140 lbs (17 lbs gain)

Maternity clothes? - officially can't button them so started with the 'belly band' and liking it

Sleep? - off and on---still up a couple times for potty breaks

Best moment: picking up our furniture

Miss anything: caesar salad still and wine

Movement? active girl! LOVE feeling her kick! 

Anything makes you queasy or sick: nope

Showing yet? - yes!

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: excited

Looking forward to: Charleston baby shower next weekend

Our little kicker!

The last few weeks have been such a joy! I started to feel little Elizabeth kicking between weeks 17-18 but these last couple weeks, she's been very active! Last week was a very big moment when Steve got to feel his baby girl kick for the first time :)  She's quite the stubborn little gal so it took some time! When we lay down to bed each night I can feel her. I would put Steve's hand where she's kicking and of course, she'd stop. He'd leave it there for a few minutes then give up and move his hand away---which of course is when she'd kick again. Sounds like we have some stubbornness genes being passed along! Either way, she finally gave in and let her daddy feel her and it was very exciting for us. 
We were back in Charleston for Steve's alumni basketball game over the weekend and she was kicking like crazy! We (as well as her basketball-loving Uncle Caleb and Grandpa Chism) like to think that means she enjoys the sound of the court and will be a basketball player!
A rather crazy but neat moment with our little kicker occurred last night. Steve was reading 'The Places You Will Go' to our little one and out of the corner of his eye, caught my belly move she kicked so hard! It happened a few times and as weird as it was to see, it was probably one of the coolest things---certainly something to remember!

Big expense of the week---nursery furniture! My sister-in-law Lauren has been saving Babies R'Us coupons for us to use toward our furniture which we're very thankful for! We absolutely LOVE the crib we have picked out....

Once we figure out where we'll be living (stress factor of the new year), it will be beautiful in her nursery! The best part of the crib is that it's a convertible one. For anyone looking at them, don't waste your money on anything but this type! The convertible can be converted into a toddler then full-size bed later down the road, saving in the long run. It was recommended to me and I'm so grateful it was---all about saving :)

I've also been looking around for a glider and finally found one! I was really hoping to find a piece that we'd be able to use in Ellie's room as she grows or even elsewhere throughout the house---matching both her nursery and being neutral for later on. Here's the glider I've fallen for...

We'll do without the ottoman but I can't wait to pull in her nursery colors with an adorable gray/pink/white chevron pillow I'm oogling over on etsy and a pink throw over the back. 

Speaking of, for anyone who hasn't discovered etsy yet, prepare yourself to get addicted (not nearly as badly as Facebook or Pinterest but pretty close). You will find all sorts of personalized and handmade items (like the pillow I posted above) by tons of talented sellers. I've had a ball searching for items for Ellie and our nephews!

As you can see, I'm getting very excited about Elizabeth's activity and nursery! More pictures are likely to follow :)

22 weeks tomorrow and still feeling great!

Halfway!

20 weeks and halfway to meeting our baby girl! I've been feeling really great this month with lots of energy and a crazy hunger that developed this last week. It took 19 weeks of dairy and red meat making me sick before I finally craved a cheeseburger. The doctor said my body would mostly crave what it needed so we gave it a shot and yummm! This last week I've been wanting to eat basically all the time. This probably contributes to the bump I finally have to show off! Slowly but surely, Ellie is making her presence known.

We've only known that we'd be having a girl for about a week and already it's a whirlwind of excitement---nursery colors, clothes, crib, etc. We figured we'd go ahead and get registered for little Elizabeth and boy was it fun! It felt like we were getting married all over again---picking out towels and bedding and cute decorations. Since Steve is still adjusting to bows and frills and neither of us know much about what kind of anything is best for a little one, I decided to take my sister-in-law Lauren with me to register. Her son, our beautiful nephew, is only 9 months old so she just went through all of it and was a HUGE help! For anyone needing to make a baby registry, I highly recommend the advice or accompaniment of a recent new mom to help you! After getting the registry mostly complete, Steve and I made a trip to the store to pick out the biggies---crib, stroller, car seat, swing, high chair---and I of course had to show him all the adorable items I'd picked out for our little girl. He asked lots of questions, actually looked at the different swaddlers I'd picked and gave the stroller a test-drive. He's going to be such a great dad (and wrapped around Elizabeth's tiny finger).

With so much adorable baby gear, we couldn't resist buying our little girl her first gifts (since finding out) from her mom and dad!

Mom wanted her to have some of the most precious boots ever!

And her dad wanted to get her something to wear right away!

Growing up, my own dad has always called me his little princess so hearing Steve's excitement for his own little princess to be born naturally melts my heart. 

I can't wait to see what the coming months have in store for us :)

How far along: 20 weeks

Baby size: banana

Current Weight: 133 lbs (9 lbs gain)

Maternity clothes? - still buttoning my jeans but feel that it's short-lived

Sleep? - less anxious but not great

Best moment: finding out we're having a baby GIRL!

Miss anything: caesar salad

Movement? yes! such an amazing reminder there's a baby growing and moving

Anything makes you queasy or sick: only took 19 weeks to eat red meat and dairy without being sick

Showing yet? - five months later, I officially have a bump!

Gender: GIRL

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: super excited about our baby girl

Looking forward to: shopping now that we know the gender

BOY OR GIRL???

Finally that time! We had our monthly appointment (19 weeks) on Friday---healthy heart-rate and everything looking great. We followed it with our halfway ultrasound to determine if Baby Z is a boy or girl! I cannot tell you how anxious we were to find out. We didn't have a preference one way or another but just a 'feeling'. The weeks leading up the the appointment were filled with guessing from family and friends. I had always loved the idea of a gender reveal with family and friends so we decided to take those guesses and have some fun with it!

We decided on the cake reveal for our family and closest friends. If the inside of the cake was pink- girl, blue- boy. Our intention was to be surprised with everyone at the party. As soon as the ultrasound tech asked 'Do you want to know?', I quickly responded that we did! We were too excited to wait! let me tell you...it was the longest 24 hours until we revealed and painful to deny that we did in fact know from those who know us best (especially since I'm a terrible liar!). The party was simple---cake, cookies and punch---all in pink and blue of course!

Steve wanted to add a little extra fun to the growing anticipation, so he cut the bottom layer first, revealing.......white cake! We would be having a white baby! Then came the good stuff; the real deal; the big reveal! We sliced the top layer and revealed a baby pink colored cake sharing with our family and friends that we'd be expecting a baby GIRL!!!

As if the day wasn't exciting enough, we also revealed another surprise---that we'd decided on a name for our little girl. For months, we'd been asked and hadn't yet decided so no one expected us to have one at the party, making it more exciting to share! Elizabeth Leigh Ziebka- Ellie for short- will be joining us in May!

The name we chose comes with a very great story as well---we had finally decided on it only a week or two ago but had chosen not to share just yet. When the ultrasound tech asked if we'd chosen a name, I only replied that we had a few in mind. She decided to name the little baby on the screen herself based on what struck her about 'the adorable little one'. She happened to think our little girl looked like an Elizabeth. I was shocked and had to have her repeat what she'd said! I looked at Steve and just said 'It's a sign. That's our baby's name.' Meant to be!

We're overjoyed about our baby Ellie and so thankful for our family and friends that joined us at the reveal! Ellie is so loved!

On a different note, Ellie (so nice to stop saying 'it' or 'the baby' or 'baby z') started kicking a little over two weeks ago! It was very subtle at first and I barely noticed but over the last week, she's been more active or the kicks get stronger all the time! I kept hearing that her kicks would feel like gas bubbles or butterflies but of course, I'd compare it to a workout---when I have an intense workout and my heart feels like it will beat out of my chest; the kicks to me feel like one strong intense heart-beat, in my stomach of course. She's either more active when I'm lying down/resting or that's just when I notice so far. Hopefully in the next few weeks, she'll get more active and stronger so her daddy can feel her moving!

Finally, I'll share two really great pictures from our ultrasound...

the first is a great picture of our baby's full body. All measurements came in close to 20 weeks (a week ahead) so we're told she's developing well and the tech said she looks strong and healthy!

Daddy's little girl---the second is Steve's favorite! Little Ellie flexed her muscles for us!

Just about halfway there and the excitement of Ellie is just beginning....

Bloated.

16 weeks and counting! We had another great doctor's appointment for four months---healthy heart-rate and everything looking good. Good news this month too---up to 5 lbs weight gain! After being told I 'need to gain more weight' I was happy to have an appointment following Thanksgiving. Of course now I'm just feeling bloated and not so pregnant:

My appetite is back and the nausea has gone from all day, everyday to only when I'm hungry. Eating snacks every few hours has helped with that. This baby is still a health nut though, wanting mostly salads, fruits and veggies and making me feel pretty crummy after too much sugar. I'd love to enjoy some ice cream but the baby has removed that craving altogether! Steve has begun to have his own 'pregnancy symptoms' whilst craving pasta constantly and complaining of sore muscles and troubled sleep. Who's pregnant here :)

Absolutely exciting moment of this week---scheduled our 5 month ultrasound to find out the gender of Baby Z! We have an ultrasound scheduled for the 28th this month and planning to reveal to family and friends on the 29th! We're undecided on when/if Steve and I will find out before or wait until the cake reveal with everyone else. (Before we were even pregnant I loved the idea of cutting a cake to reveal a pink or blue interior as a reveal to family and friends.) We're both very anxious to find out but both know I'll struggle to keep my mouth shut. We're not leaning one way or another, by preference or intuition, but will be thrilled with a healthy baby of either gender. One thing's for sure though---either a Bears jersey or cheerleading uniform :)

How far along: 16 weeks

Baby size: avocado

Current Weight: 129 lbs

Maternity clothes? - not yet but leggings are definitely more comfortable :)

Sleep? - restless

Best moment: everytime we hear the heartbeat, it's amazing!

Miss anything: caesar salad

Movement? not yet but I'm told it should be soon

Anything makes you queasy or sick: red meat still but craving a burger

Showing yet? - looking bloated

Gender: ultrasound scheduled for the 28th!

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: loving being pregnant

Looking forward to: finding out if Baby Z with be our daughter or son J

Baby Z received its first Christmas presents this week:

Buddy the Elf onesie from Eileen---which will go nicely with Steve and I's Christmas tradition each year----the day after Thanksgiving we put up the tree and Christmas decorations while watching Elf!

Sophie the Giraffe came from Shane and Allie---said to be the best teether out there so hopeful to ease some crabbiness later!

Baby Z is already so loved by many! We're blessed to have so many incredible family and friends supporting us now. Knowing our baby will be surrounded with that same love and support means the world to us!