22 Weeks

22 weeks... 22 weeks?!?! I have been counting up to 40 weeks until recently. After we found out that our baby was a boy, I really just enjoyed it for a week or two. Browsed the stores, got some nursery ideas, etc. Then suddenly, panic set in. I have this fear of going into labor early and his nursery not being ready. For those of you who know me well, I'm sure this is funny and extremely predictable. I am a type A/worrier/perfectionist/planner. All of a sudden I began counting down instead of counting up. SO, 18 weeks to go! And that is if I make it to 40 weeks! EEKK!!! I will be a mom in 18 weeks?!?! I can't believe this is real! He is due April 2nd, and I would really like to have his nursery finished by the end of February. I really think by March I will be too big/tired to do all of that kind of stuff.

Momma's Belly:

"Wow! I can't believe how much you are already showing!" This (or some variation of this) is what I tend to hear these days from people that don't see me on a regular basis. I'm not sure what this means. Do I look fat? Am I like the biggest 22 weeks pregnant person you have ever seen? Freakishly big? I didn't really think I was that big...I try not to over think it. Some clothes make me look bigger than others but at this point, beggars can't be choosers - my regular shirts are getting smaller/shorter and I am about to have to splurge on some maternity tops. I am happy to have my belly, but I'm afraid at 40 weeks I will look more like I swallowed a watermelon instead of a soccer ball. Oh well. As long as Hudson is happy and healthy, I am perfectly content.

Kicking:

Hudson is kicking all the time and I just can't get enough of it! At the beginning, the little flutters were so sweet, but I could barely feel them. Now, he is playing soccer in my tummy! He is kicking so hard that Rusty finally got to feel it! I wished I would have had my camera handy! It was so awesome to see Rusty's face the first time he ever felt his baby kick. Every time I feel him kick I can't help but smile. It is usually on the right side of my stomach. I am so happy that he is healthy and moving! I will definitely enjoy these sweet kicks... I've heard how uncomfortable they can be towards the end when they are kicking your ribs.

22 Weeks:

According to www.babycenter.com, Hudson is about 11 inches long (size of a spaghetti squash), and weighs (average) 12-20 ounces (well, we know he weighs at least 14 oz or more!). Mommy can expect to see the following soon: shortness of breath (check), rapidly growing hair and nails (check), skin discoloration, and an outtie belly button! I do have to say I have watched my belly button get tighter these last few weeks. I don't think it will pop out any time soon, but I definitely think it will by the third trimester.

Maternity Clothes:

Still in most of my normal shirts/sweaters. I am wearing maternity layering tops, pants, and tights.

Sleep:

Sleep has not been terrible, but it has not been normal. I wake up once or twice a night a few times a week, for no apparent reason. Sometimes I am hot, or restless, or just can't get comfortable, but I usually go back to sleep pretty easily. Trust me, I am not complaining. I normally sleep like a rock... a talking rock according to Rusty.

Cravings/Aversions:

Let's just say I wasn't a picky eater at any of the three Thanksgiving meals we attended. I could have lapsed into a Peanut Butter Fudge coma. o.m.g. That stuff is AMAAAAAZING.

Random:

We have started our diaper and wipes stockpile. I am currently buying Pampers Swaddlers newborn, 1, or 2 and Pampers Sensitive wipes. I have heard SO many opinions on diapers and wipes. Anyone with recent baby boy experience have any advice?

Also, we are looking at getting nursery bedding made. Can anyone recommend someone? I have looked at Polka Tot Designs and Becker's Bedding so far.

Our next appointment is next Thursday. I have also registered us for the Preparing for Parenthood Class and the extra breastfeeding class in February. February is going to be a VERY busy month for us I think!


Rusty M. Ashworth, MBA

Tonight Rusty had his VERY LAST college class!! Rusty will graduate in 2 weeks from the UAB School of Business with a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Information Technology Management. He finished in 2 years while working full time, changing jobs/companies halfway through, and has made all As! We are SOOO very proud of him!

20 weeks: It's a ...........

BOY!!!

This precious angel that has been growing inside me is a healthy, perfect, baby boy.

20 week appointment

Rusty and I have been anxiously awaiting this day for what seems like an eternity. I made the appointment for Veterans Day because I would be off work and would be able to really enjoy the day. I also made the appointment for 8:00am - I didn't want to wait any longer!! Luckily, everything went really smoothly and we were in and out before I knew it. The US tech took lots of pictures and measurements of all of the important things - brain, spinal cord, heart, vessels, etc. Then FINALLY she zoomed out, moved down towards our baby's "danger zone" and it was plain as day. There was our little man in all his glory. It was just like everyone described it - "If you see a snapping turtle, you'll know!" Well there was no denying it. Peanut definitely had a little snapping turtle between his legs! I won't share the pics, but you can use your imagination. Despite mommy chugging a Mtn Dew, Peanut was super chill... nice and comfy in his temporary home. He was not budging for us to get any good pictures. She was able to tell us that he weighed 14 ounces. That seems really tiny I know, but average for 19 1/2 weeks is 10 ounces! We have a little lineman on our hands! The doctor said there was no reason this early in the game to change the due date, but that we would watch baby and mommy's progress.

No more Peanut

Rusty and I have really enjoyed calling our baby Peanut, but we now call him by name -Hudson. His full name is Hudson Michael Ashworth. Michael is a family name - my dad's name is Micheal, Rusty and his dad's middle names are Michael, so Michael was always the middle name for a boy. We tossed around A LOT of names. We did a lot of internet searching, baby name generators (yes, they have them - google it people), and we always enjoyed looking at strangers' birth announcements in the doctor's office. Hudson has no sentimental meaning, but we felt that it was fun, strong, and timeless all in one. We now talk about Hudson all the time! I feel like now that I know who is in there, the house almost feels empty without him actually being here!

Gender Reveal Party

I made big plans to do a Gender Reveal Party. I made chili and cupcakes and we had our family and friends over for the reveal. Only Rusty and I knew what the baby was at that point (and Aunt Adrianne since she was missing out while in Toronto). Well, having my first flu shot that morning, everyone being late/lost on detours due to wrecks everywhere, and me trying to keep my mouth shut so that I didn't ruin the surprise made me a little stressed/under the weather. My face felt like it was on fire and I just couldn't get cooled off. I really think most of it was the flu shot, which I am still not sure about, but that is a whole other topic. Anyway, the party was lots of fun! Here are just a FEW pictures from the party.

Mommy and Daddy!

Team Girl

Team Boy

The Proud Grandparents!

It's a BOY!!!

Great friends at the end of a loooooong day... can you tell by my face?

Couldn't live without these two!!!

The Great-Grandmothers

Hudson at 20 weeks: (Disclaimer: Hudson is obviously bigger than this, but here are the "average" stats for a baby at 20 weeks)

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel, or about the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

Maternity Clothes:

Still wearing maternity pants with most of my regular tops. All of my shirts still fit, but they are getting short in the front.

Sleep:

This is seriously the best thing ever invented for preggers sleeping.

We went to the Bama vs LSU game and spent the night in Tuscaloosa with Bradley and Mary Lane. This was the first time since September that I have sleep without it and wow could I tell a difference. I even get my Boppy pillow when I am going to chill on the couch. The fluffy parts for the head and between the knees while being cut out in the middle for your tummy - genius.

Cravings:
I'm not really craving anything, but I am really enjoying having my normal sense of taste back. I also tend to want a big lunch and a smaller dinner.

Aversions:
Smelly food... I leaned over to give Rusty a hug and the smell of his vinaigrette dressing almost knocked me out. Greasy food is still not a good idea, which is probably a good thing. No need to pack on any extra pounds!


20 week Belly Pic

18 Weeks: Flutters and a Yard Sale

18 weeks - It doesn't seem like that long, but somehow time has flown and I am stunned to realize I am almost halfway through my pregnancy!

According to TheBump.com: At 18 weeks, your baby is the size of a sweet potato! That's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and he/she keeps on growing rapidly. (That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.) Kicking, hiccuping, yawning, sucking, twisting, and punching are just a few of baby's daily activities!

I guess Peanut is really having a ball in there because I FINALLY felt some movement! It was faint, but definitely movement. It was Thursday afternoon, October 27 - I was at work. We have been so busy after work the past few weeks that I haven't gotten to slow down and just "wait" to feel Peanut, but I have felt some movement a few times at night and when I am sitting really still. Hopefully the movements will become more noticeable soon.

Yard Sale

Rusty and I have never had a yard sale all on our own. I have really been wanting to have one, and I felt like the timing was right. We got rid of lots of junk, made some money, and made more room for Peanut! We were really pleased with the outcome, but I will say it was a lot of work. My back hurt for days and I slept almost all afternoon Saturday from going non-stop for the past 72 hours. We spent 2 whole nights until 10pm organizing, pricing, dragging stuff out of the attic, finding more stuff to get rid of, making signs, etc. Here are a few pics of our first yard sale adventure!


Maternity Clothes:

Well I really didn't think I would ever say this, but I am almost depressed about my state of fashion these days. It is super difficult to feel "trendy" when the rest of your body is about the same as it was, except you have this protruding belly. I'm not really big enough for real maternity tops and dresses yet, but lots of the fitted looks (in regular clothes) that I love are just not cute on my awkwardly shaped body. I always thought I would wear fitted clothes throughout by pregnancy, showing off my growing belly. But, I'm apparently not at that stage yet. However, if I wear something that isn't fitted, I just feel like a big blimp. Ok, enough harping. You get the picture. I guess that is just part of it! I am still wearing maternity pants, and most of my regular tops still fit.

Sleep:

Sleep is great, but the crazy preggers dreams are in full swing. I had a girl dream at the beginning of the pregnancy, but the past two months I've been convinced Peanut was a boy. Last night I had a VERY clear, somewhat realistic, yet strangely not realistic dream. I know that was confusing, but that is the only way I can describe it. Point being, I've been thinking Peanut is a girl this week and in my dream last night Peanut was clearly a girl and get this - she had on exactly what I have visualized I would put a precious, day old baby girl in - one of those sweet, soft, all white cotton gowns with pink piping and a sweet pink monogram - and IN THE DREAM - the initials monogrammed on the gown were the initials of the girl name we like! I mean wow, could it be any clearer? Watch Peanut turn out to be a boy - ha!

Cravings:

I've fallen in love with sweets again. Period.

Aversions:

Greasy food and strong smells

Other Preggers Symptoms:

I had my first experience with bleeding gums the past two weeks. It's not daily, though, and it's not really bothering me. My back/hip/nerve on my right side has been hurting a lot, especially when getting up from the sitting/reclining position. If you ask my husband, I'm sure he'd say I've been a little hormonal, too. ; )


EIGHT DAYS AND WE WILL KNOW IF PEANUT IS A BOY OR A GIRL!!!! Everyone is placing their bets on the sex of Peanut! I am SSSSSSOOOOOO ready!!!