24 Weeks

I know it has been a few weeks since my last post, but let me tell you. We have been busy! Preparing for a baby is time consuming and, at times, stressful. So many things to think about. I must say, however, that preparing for a baby is a lot more fun than wedding planning, in my opinion. Here are a few things we've been working on:
We started our Bradley class a few weeks ago. We got in a little late and were behind by about 3 classes, but our instructor openly welcomed us and got us caught us up over a few week night sessions. So far we are LOVING the class and learning so much. Alex has been absolutely by far the best, most wonderful coach and supporter thus far. He is learning so much and has been a great encourager for me! I love my husband ; )
We finally found a dresser/changing table on Craigslist. It is the perfect color. Now it's time to buy the crib to match it!
I found a nursery design on Pinterest awhile back and have since been hunting down what all I'll need to make it happen. Here's what we're going for:
The paint has been bought, and I just found a vinyl wall decal from Etsy that we will use for the letters on the wall. The dresser we got is a very dark brown, like the one here. Left on our furniture purchase list is: rocker/recliner, crib, rug and small storage cabinet (which we've already picked out from Target.) (Just waiting for it to go back on sale.) Unfortunately, the bedding pictured was discontinued in 2008, so I am currently searching for something similar. I just LOVE this room. I can't wait til it's finished!
You know how some people say they loved being pregnant? Well, I've decided that I am NOT one of those people. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's all worth it in the end...yada yada yada. Yes, I am super thrilled to be able to hold my little boy once this is all over. But I tell you what. I AM ready to feel like I have my own body back. No one can ever really prepare you for the changes that take place during pregnancy. Here are some recent changes/annoyances:
-Weight gain. As most of you know, I am a pretty healthy person. I like to exercise and I like to eat things that me feel good and strong. My doctor had originally told me that I could resume all exercise that I was doing pre-pregnancy, but couldn't get my heart rate about 140 bpm. Let's just say that ALL of my work outs involved my heart rate being WAYYYY over 140, so I had to cut down SIGNIFICANTLY. Well, to date I've gained 25 pounds. And when I told my dr that I was concerned about this, she proceeds to ask me "Have you been eating a lot of sweets?" I wanted to gauge her eyeballs out and cry. Then she tells me that gaining 35 pounds total (with four months left to go, mind you) would probably be ok. Are you kidding me?
However, after much research, I have found out that the heart rate recommendation is decades old. No guideline nowadays states that your heart rate needs to stay under 140 due to the fact that everyone mom is so different. So needless to say, I am working my way back up towards my previous activity level. Rest assured, I don't feel like I'm overdoing it, nor do I feel like I'm going to keel over throughout my workouts. But I DO feel happier and healthier by continuing my normal routine. It makes me more sane : )
-Lots and lots of baby kicks! Karate chops, hiccups, punches, you name it. Baby K is on the move!
-Achy feet at the end of the day
-Back aches. My muscles are feelin the burn back there.
-Tiredness is setting back in. I think it mostly has to do with the fact that it takes me an hour to get comfortable in bed at night, then I have to go pee and start the whole process over again. Last night Alex took me to Target to buy a body pillow. Last night I finally felt like I got to sleep. Night and day difference...why didn't I purchase this before?!
-Cravings: Lots of fruits and veggies. We just got a new juicer and I am loving it! Other staples: eggplant, blueberries, milk, cheese.
Anyway, I think I'll wrap it up for now. We'll keep you updated as Baby Koehn continues to bake!