35 Weeks

How far along? 35 Weeks and 3 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Coconut (how is this bigger than butternut squash?)
Maternity Clothes? No change-pants yes, shirts both.
Sleep: Pretty good for me. Not so great for Peter. ;) My nasal passages have been pretty tight for most of the pregnancy, and my attempt to breathe at night is keeping poor Peter up!
Best moment of the week: The holidays!! Since no airline would let me on a plane after this weekend, and Dr.'s orders included avoiding planes for the final 2 months, we were home bound for the holidays. Unfortunately this means our home in Virginia, not home to Seattle. My parents came out to join us for Christmas this year, and Hillary's mom Amy came out too. Best moment of the week would have to be on Christmas. I made some yummy monkey bread from scratch for breakfast, which unfortunately left some gooey topping on the bottom of the oven. Feeling a bit pooped after standing most of the morning, I left dinner preparations to Peter. This was his first attempt at being head chef, and he did an excellent job. However...the gooey cinnamon topping had other plans for him. Most of the meal cooked slow and low. However the final 30 minutes or so he was trying to roast some veggies at a higher temp. Hot oven plus spilled sugary topping makes for a lot of smoke! The smoke alarms started going off, the dogs started barking, and chaos ensued. Thankfully we were able to air most of the apartment out, and calm the puppies down. Lesson learned, don't forget about the spill in the oven before cooking. :)
Worst moment of the week: Still getting a bit beat up by this baby! I had a few more days of sharp pains in my upper right quadrant, kind of like a muscle being pulled out of my body. Thankfully that has gone away again.
Missing the most: Being in Seattle for the holidays. It was a strange year. I loved having my parents out here and having them meet Hillary's mom too, but I did miss some of the traditions of the northwest. Going downtown shopping with my mom, seeing more family at holiday meals, and spending time with Peter's parents to name a few.
Cravings: Milk, milk, and more MILK!
Wedding rings on or off? Old anniversary ring is staying on. Missing my normal rings. :(
Belly button in or out? Still very, very, very flat.
Looking forward to: Our 36 week appointment this week! I am excited to make sure she is still positioned correctly and see how things are going. My plans to get ready for baby didn't really pan out last week, so I will hopefully make some progress this week. Also looking forward to toasting to the new year. Happy New Year everyone!

34 Weeks

**Shout out to Swings! Anyone in Alexandria, VA should check this place out for some good coffee, and to say hi to Andy! Second, to save me from taking this pic in the cold, got an assist from Ben and he took this from behind the bar. Thanks Ben!

How far along? 34 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Butternut Squash
Maternity Clothes? No change-pants yes, shorts both.
Sleep: Pretty good for the most part. I wake up occasionally, and proceed to panic about my belly button status. :)
Best moment of the week: We had out 34 week check up. It has been a while since Peter has been able to come to an appointment with me, so it was pretty neat for him to see how much has changed. Heartbeat sounds great, and baby started wiggling as soon as the Doppler hit my belly. Also, good news is that baby appears to be occiput anterior! Keeping my fingers crossed she stays that way for the next few weeks!
Another great moment capped off the week-dress shopping with Hillary! We went to a few wedding dress boutiques in Georgetown, and she said yes to the dress!! Super exciting to get to share in this experience with her, and I know the dress will look stunning when the big day finally comes.
Worst moment of the week: Tuesday I woke up with a really sharp pain, and it continued most of the day. It felt like a massive bruise that kept getting stabbed every time the baby moved. No fun! Dr. said nothing to worry about, but it definitely cramped my style. In the words of my co-worker, I was not my "usual bubbly self." Baby Beeb is starting to get a bit rude towards me, throwing some punches so hard it makes me double over. Maybe she is anxious to see the outside world...
Missing the most: My memory has gotten worse! We dropped Lacey off at the groomer before my appointment this week. When we came home, I kept calling for her. Peter thought I was joking, until he saw how worried I was. Oops, she was still at the groomer. I am also missing being able to take my boots off. Touching my toes is no problem (thanks yoga!) but crossing over my body and down to pull off shoes has become a bit awkward. Sorry Peter, looks like you are stuck on shoe duty for the next 5 weeks. ;)
Cravings: Nothing out of the ordinary. Usual Holiday treats! My wonderful father in law makes the BEST cookies, and was sweet enough to send us a big box full of all the usual holidays treats we get at home.
Wedding rings on or off? Old anniversary ring is staying on. Missing my normal rings. :(
Belly button in or out? Currently very, very, very flat. Hanging on by a thread. Peter thinks it will pop any day now. On the bright side, the tenderness has subsided!
Looking forward to: Having most of the next two weeks off! I am ready for a break from work, and I am starting to nest a bit too. Realizing that we might not have 5 weeks left has put me into overdrive! All I hear about now are stories from women around me that gave birth 3 weeks early, unplanned. Like, their water just broke and it was go time. We are definitely not ready to bring home a baby today, so my goal is to make us a little more prepared over the next two weeks that I am home. Also, my parents are coming to visit for the holidays! It is strange to not be home in Seattle this week, but I am so excited to share the holidays with them here. Merry Christmas everyone!

33 Weeks

How far along? 33 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Durian (Who makes this stuff up??)
Maternity Clothes? Pants yes. Hanging on to the few regular blouses that have worked, but they will soon be staying in the closet for a while. Looks like I will be cycling through my few maternity sweaters each week. I am starting to kind of be "over it." With a week left in the office before the holidays, and planning on working from home towards the end, I don't think I will be investing in any more maternity clothes.
Sleep: Baby woke me up in the middle of the night this week acting like she was trying to claw her way out! Other than that, sleep is thankfully OK.
Best moment of the week: Nothing spectacular happened this week, but I am trying to appreciate all of the small things too. I can tell baby is getting pretty cramped in there, because she is moving and poking out all over the place! Its pretty neat to be able to identify where she is at by feeling discrete body parts. I am constantly in awe that I have a growing human inside of me! She had the hiccups this week, which has been pretty common for the last few months. Now, instead of little bubble feelings, her hiccups reverberate throughout my whole abdomen, and Peter could feel her little body parts thumping with each hiccup. So cute!
Worst moment of the week: Monday I had to work from home due to some last minute work needed on our water heater. What I should have put together was that this meant no water for the day, which means no bathroom. Thank goodness for the gym upstairs!
Missing the most: My memory. I guess this pregnancy brain thing really exists. I keep forgetting what level I parked on and have to triple check every time I leave to make sure I have my phone and wallet. I even forget why I walked in a room sometimes. Yikes! Also, not feeling breathless. I have started to get the lungs being squished sensation I had read so much about. I find myself frequently out of breath if I talk too much on a call at work, or slouch too much. My co-worker commented this week that every few breathes I sit up really straight and inhale deeply, like I was hypoxic.
Cravings: Nothing at the moment!
Wedding rings on or off? Old anniversary ring is staying on. Missing my normal rings. :(
Belly button in or out? According to Peter, this has become a hot topic in our household. Status is currently very flat and tender. I have never thought about a body part this much in my entire life. Sometimes Peter catches me staring off and he chuckles because he knows I am thinking about it! If I wake up in the middle of the night, the first thing I think about it "what is happening with my belly button!?" Before I sound too insane, it's not just the fact that on my body the belly button has always been meant to stay in, so this would be a strange change. The real issue is that my body's struggle to figure out if it's in or out has made it very tender and uncomfortable. I am curious to see what happens over the next few weeks!
Looking forward to: So many fun things this week! Peter will officially be done with finals after Sunday. Wrapping presents, celebrating the upcoming holidays, pampering myself (pre-natal massage, getting my hair did), and DRESS SHOPPING with Hillary on Saturday. We have not done a ton of wedding preparation for her yet, so I am super excited to share in this experience.

32 Weeks

How far along? 32 Weeks and 7 Days (so we missed by a day, close enough!)
Baby is the size of a(n): Squash
Maternity Clothes? Pants yes, shirts still a mix of both.
Sleep: OK
Best moment of the week: Technically this is in week 33, but since I am a bit late in writing I will count it in this post. The best moment would be finishing our birth class today. We did the Bradley Method, which has had it's pros and cons (consider Peter is in medical school, and Bradley focuses on natural birth). It was pretty neat to reflect on what we have learned about the birth process, and ourselves. Each Sunday for the last 10 weeks has been full of great discourse when we come home, whether it was agreeing with the material in class or being frustrated, it got us talking about what we really want. 10 weeks was a long time, but we are both so glad we had this experience and have a much better understanding as a couple of what we want out for our birth.
Worst moment of the week: Fortunately nothing to report here!
Missing the most: Getting ready to fly home. Usually this time of the year I am so excited to be getting on a plane in a week or so, and figuring out what gifts we can have shipped where so we don't have to travel with them. Kind of strange to not be going home this year, but we know in just a few weeks we will get the best gift of all!
Cravings: If you asked Peter, he would probably say milk. I consumed nearly a half gallon of milk in less than 24 hours this week! I attribute it more to the amount of goodies being consumed (oops!) but I do probably gulp down more than your average person. What can I say, it is so refreshing!
Wedding rings on or off? Sadly I made the switch this week. I have not have any real problems with swelling, but occasionally it was getting tight. I have heard too many horror stories about women needing to get their rings cut off after suddenly swelling up, so I am sticking with the anniversary ring that is a bit roomier.
Belly button in or out? I am starting to second guess my assessment of previous weeks being "flat." This is definitely flat now!
Looking forward to: Peter finishing the semester this week! It will be nice to have him home more over the holiday break. Especially since I seem to have started the nesting phase. I suddenly began hanging pictures that have not been up for the 7 months that we have lived here, and getting the urge to rearrange things. I have a long list of things to prep, and can't wait for Peter to share in the fun! :)

31 Weeks

How far along? 31 Weeks and 5 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Pineapple
Maternity Clothes? Pants yes, shirts still a mix of both.
Sleep: Pretty good this week!
Best moment of the week: Getting some time off on Wednesday and Thursday for Thanksgiving! Andy and Hillary came over and we had a nice little kick off to the holiday season. The Seahawks win was a nice way to cap off the day too. On Friday we walked Lacey down King Street and watched the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Old Town. I am starting to get excited for the Holidays!!
Worst moment of the week: I unfortunately experienced my first moments of super discomfort this week. My best guess is maybe SI joint pain? I was standing most of Wednesday evening baking and Thursday cooking, and had a terrible hip pain that I just couldn't shake. Thankfully it dissipated by the weekend, but wow was it uncomfortable. I keep reminding myself to be thankful the last 31 weeks have breezed by as easily as they have, but still keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't flare up again! Just about 8 weeks left to go!
Missing the most: Feeling like nothing can phase me. As much as I hate to admit, I think I am starting to slow down a bit. On our walk to the tree lighting I realized my energizer bunny pace is not so quick anymore!
Cravings: Nothing in particular.
Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band on. Engagement ring on occasionally. Switching in a ring Peter got me in Slovenia for our 3rd anniversary (which is a bit big) just in case my band starts to feel tight. ;)
Belly button in or out? VERY flat.
Looking forward to: Lots of preparations this week! We are doing a hospital tour on Tuesday and I have my 32 week check-up on Wednesday. I can't believe we are down to just 2 months to go!

30 Weeks

How far along? 30 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Cucumber
Maternity Clothes? Pants yes, shirts a mix of both.
Sleep: The struggle over who gets the Snoogle has continued with Lacey. I even find Peter lounging in it! Starting to get some hip pain during the night, which is a bit annoying. Overall though, nothing I can't handle!
Best moment of the week: It has been a great week! Tuesday I had my 30 week check-up, which isn't super exciting at this point, but always reassuring to hear things are right on track! Heartbeat is sounding perfect, measuring right on target, and confirmed no health concerns.

Thursday was my birthday. This marked the last birthday in my 20's, the last birthday before baby, and the end of the month long yoga challenge I was participating in. I met my goal of completing 30 classes over the last month, and got 3rd place in the challenge. Being 30 weeks pregnant, I was pretty darn proud of myself!

The BEST part of the week was getting to feel the love and support of our wonderful family and friends on Saturday. Some of our nearest and dearest, Hillary, Rachel and Aisha, planned a beautiful baby shower for us. It was the perfect way to cap off the week. The three of them made the evening so special; we are super lucky to be surrounded by such great people. A huge thank you to everyone that helped us celebrate! We love you all dearly!
Missing the most: Our wonderful friends that came to visit for the shower!
Cravings: Nothing in particular. I guess I have had a bit of a sweet tooth, and may or may not have eaten a spoonful of peanut butter with some chocolate chips at work, because that was all I had that resembled dessert. ;)
Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band on. Engagement ring on occasionally. :)
Belly button in or out? Pretty flat.
Looking forward to: Thanksgiving! Our office closes at noon on Wednesday and Thursday we will be preparing our hopefully much improved Thanksgiving meal. For the last 5 years we have hosted Thanksgiving dinner for some combination of Andy, Hillary and friends. Typically this begins with opening our first bottle of wine around 11, and things start to get off track from there. Obviously our plans are a bit different this year, which will hopefully produce a better quality meal. Happy Thanksgiving!

29 Weeks

How far along? 29 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Acorn Squash
Maternity Clothes? Still a mix of both. I have held out pretty well so far. It's tough to balance not wanting to invest in clothing you will only wear for a few weeks/months and wanting to feel "normal" in your clothes. I even went through the calendar, taking out days I will be working from home or on vacation to see how many days worth of work appropriate clothes I need to cycle through. Haha!
Sleep: Not so great this week. Lacey's obsession with the Snoogle has gotten out of hand! When she comes to bed with Peter, I wake up to find she has crawled onto my chest. She looks so darn cute, begging me with those big eyes to scoot over. If I give her even a few inches between me and the pillow, she immediately slides down into the space. This is adorable, until I am pushed out of bed by her in the middle of the night! Also, starting to get some hip pain at night, and with her taking over the supportive pillow, I seem to wake up all night. :(
Best moment of the week: Having Veteran's Day off! It has been a hectic few weeks at work, with auditors in the office, so it was refreshing to stay home and not have to deal with anything. I really did take the day for myself, getting a massage, catching up on some TV, and getting in some much needed relaxation.
Missing the most: A good night's sleep!
Cravings: I actually really wanted some chips and dip this week. Craving nailed!
Wedding rings on or off? On. In full disclosure, I have reduced to just my wedding band. I can still wear both, but the two bands together is starting to get a bit tight. One is much more comfy. :)
Belly button in or out? Pretty flat.
Looking forward to: Celebrating Baby Mullins with good friends next weekend. Also, celebrating my birthday. It will be the last one of my 20's and the last one before baby! Looking forward to so many good things this week, I can't wait!

28 Weeks

How far along? 28 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Eggplant
Maternity Clothes? Still a mix of both. Hoping to find a good winter jacket to take me through to January. The weather has been all over the place lately-70 degrees one day 40 the next. I know the days will start to get much colder here, so time to bundle up!
Sleep: Ok this week. Snoogle update: it now belongs to Lacey. She has decided that we purchased this pillow for her. I have to admit it is pretty adorable. When I get up in the morning I come back to find she has crawled up into the top curve, resting her head on the pillow. So cute!
Best moment of the week: Having our 28 week check up. It is always reassuring to hear things are looking perfectly normal. Baby's heartbeat is strong and I am feeling pretty good still!
Missing the most: Having a normal schedule. Work is super busy right now, which means no more leaving at 4. :( I feel pretty bad for puppy too. The next few weeks she spends more time alone than usual, which makes me so sad! Looking forward to things slowing down so we can get some good afternoon walks back in the schedule.
Cravings: Still nothing standing out.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? Still hanging onto being an "innie." Getting closer to flat. If I stretch back and my belly pushes out, it flattens even more! So weird!
Looking forward to: Having a four day week! I am so glad we get Veteran's day off. I will finally have some free time to get some things done. Best of all, I am getting a prenatal massage! Also pretty excited to have the first batch of auditors leave on Friday. :)

27 Weeks

How far along? 27 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Rutabaga
Maternity Clothes? Still a mix of both. On the hunt for some quality maternity yoga pants!
Sleep: Ok this week. I have started waking up a bit, but nothing too disruptive yet. :) My snoogle came this week, and it has taken a few nights to figure out how to reign in my wild sleeping antics.
Best moment of the week: Kicking butt in the yoga challenge! I have been going strong, attending a class each day. Also a highlight is having my father-in-law here to visit. It is always nice to have family around, and he has been super helpful this weekend building things (like the co-sleeper our little angel will sleep in) and fixing some things around the house!
Missing the most: Cookie-dough. I love baking, especially around this time of the year. Not only do I get excited for the holidays to roll in, but I bribe my co-workers with goodies during our audit season. I think it is is only responsible to taste batter and dough, to make sure it tastes OK of course. :) I guess raw egg is a no-no for preggers, so unfortunately I have to forgo the taste tests this year.
Cravings: Nothing too out of the ordinary or strong.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? Still hanging onto being an "innie."
Looking forward to: Officially being in the third and final trimester! I have seen some say the third trimester begins at 26.3 weeks, 27 weeks, and 28 weeks. No matter how you calculate it, 28 weeks is definitely in the final stretch. I also am looking forward to my 28 week check up on Friday, and hearing little baby heartbeats more!
Not Looking forward to: Getting blood drawn at my appointment this week-I HATE needles. :/ Also, auditors come on Monday, and I will be dealing with a few different groups over the next month or so. This equals longer hours, more stress, and more baking-with no batter tastes. :(

26 Weeks

How far along? 26 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Head of Lettuce
Maternity Clothes? Still a mix of both. My yoga pants are starting to get a bit uncomfortable, but I think I could even just go a size up and feel better in them. I was talking to someone at Prenatal Barre class, and she said workout clothes were fine until about 8 months. Lets see how the next month goes!
Sleep: Still struggling to stay off my back. :( Waking up a bit in the middle of the night, and starting to have some strange dreams!
Best moment of the week: I had many good moments this week, and am feeling grateful for being able to stay so active. This week I started a 30 day challenge at Refresh, the yoga studio Hillary manages. I have kept up with regular vinyasa classes throughout my pregnancy, but I have cut back a bit on the number of classes I make time for each week. I find the more active I am the better I feel, so why not try to make it 30 days in a row? We are now a week into the challenge and I have successfully gone to class each day. Also pretty neat, baby seems to like savasana. I have come to think of it like our special time together. She moves around a lot! It could be my imagination, but I poke back at her and she seems to move more, kind of like we are having a conversation!
Missing the most: I crave sleeping on my back now. I can't tell if it is really the most comfortable, or if I just want to because I know I shouldn't. SO frustrating!
Cravings: Nothing in particular. I m often hungry and nothing sounds good. I wish I had some stronger cravings, because it would make planning dinner so much easier.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? Still hanging onto being an "innie." Though it is becoming closer to just being flat.
Looking forward to: Excited to see my amazing father-in-law, Mark, this week. He is coming to DC for work, and arriving a bit early to spend some time with us "kids." Yikes! In about 3 months I guess we won't be the kids anymore!

Week 24/25

How far along? 25 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Week 24 (not pictured): Cantaloupe. Week 25: Cauliflower
Maternity Clothes? I seem to have grown overnight between weeks 24 and 25. I am exclusively in maternity pants or yoga pants. Tops I can still wear in a larger size. As the fall starts to settle in, I am starting to worry about my jackets! I will probably need to get something that I can zip up as it gets colder.
Sleep: Week 24 was pretty good. This past week though, I have had quite a bit of trouble sleeping. Partly because I am woken up in the middle of the night by Peter urging me to roll over. I still have not invested in a maternity pillow, and my little fort of pillows I pile up around me are not holding me in! I inevitably end up on my back. Peter has now taken to feeling my belly when he finds me sleeping on my back, and gets very upset when he can feel baby beeb going crazy! This concerned father is afraid she is trying to tell me I am hurting her. :/
Best moment of the week: It has been a very busy few weeks. I had hoped to get a picture and post update completed last week, but I was in San Francisco for work all week and time just flew by. This was my second time in two weeks getting on a 6 hour plane ride. The trip out was OK. The trip back, however, was kind of uncomfortable. Obama flew out at the same time, and closed the runway for an hour or so, which meant our already boarded plane got to sit on the jetway for a long time. :( While in SF, I spent some time in the office visiting my boss, and a few days in a leadership training class. My parents flew down for my last few nights, which was really nice. The timing, however, could have been better for Peter. He had finals for his first block in med school. I wish I could have been home to cheer him on.

Since I was gone during week 24, I had my check-up during week 25. Peter had class, so Doula Hillary came along! Pretty uneventful appointment, but good to hear the heartbeat and get reassurance that she is still thriving in there! We also went to visit a Pediatrician this week. There are so many decisions to make in the next few months!
Missing the most: Week 24 definitely missed Peter and Lacey the most! During week 25, I started to finally "feel" pregnant. So far I have kept up my normal work out routine, taking regular yoga classes and such, only modifying where completely necessary. With the sudden expansion of my belly, I am starting to miss being able to bend without something hard in my way. I realize I will probably need to start adjusting more as I grow, so I better get used to it!
Cravings: Meat. Still meat.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? In. I actually didn't think it would pop out, but I am not so certain anymore...I can feel the cartilage inside has shifted upwards and you can feel it above the belly button now. Amazing how the human body changes!
Looking forward to: Hanging out with our dear friend Rachel again this weekend! She is in town for a quick visit, and I always love to see her. I am looking forward to doing some homework for our Bradley class. I need to attend the La Leche League meeting this week, and am curious to learn more!

23 Weeks

How far along? 23 Weeks and 5 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Grapefruit
Maternity Clothes? No updates!
Sleep: Ok, though I am starting to notice my midsection become a bit heavier. ;)
Best moment of the week: Wow, so many great moments over the last week. First, attending my High School reunion was great. It was so good to see old friends, catch up with people that I wish I had stayed in better contact with, and see some of my dear friends that I won't be able to visit for a while. Can't wait to see what everyone does over the next 10 years!
Also pretty neat this week, we did our final count for the Community Support Campaign in my office. We ended up raising over $5,000 this year, and volunteering over 100 hours for the month! I am so proud of everyone in the office, and was super excited to be able to donate to some great local organizations with the funds that we raised.
Finally, the BEST moment of the week took place on Tuesday September 30th. Peter felt the baby for the first time!! It is so exciting to share this experience with him more now. He teared up a bit and is now constantly asking if she is moving so he can feel. So cute!!
Missing the most: Seattle. It was good to be home last weekend, and I am missing the PNW this week.
Cravings: Meat.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? In.
Looking forward to: Traveling to San Francisco this week for work. My boss works in Oakland, and I have a training in San Francisco, so I combined the two visits into one! Wishing Peter could have joined me on this one too, but this is a big exam week for him. Maybe I will have to bring home some presents for him. :)

22 Weeks

How far along? 22 Weeks and 5 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Papaya! Hmmm...saw one in the store and I am doubting the accuracy of this...especially since next week is supposedly at grapefruit! Who some up with these estimates?
Maternity Clothes? I am not crazy about most maternity clothes, so instead got a few longer tops this week to take me through hopefully a few more weeks. I am traveling for work in a few weeks, so I hope they still work!
Sleep: Pillows don't seem to contain my crazy sleep habits anymore, so I am looking into those body pillows for pregnancy. Any moms to be/moms have any suggestions??
Best moment of the week: Getting to spend some time with family and reunite with old friends. My 10 year High School reunion is this weekend, so Thursday I flew home for the festivities. Especially since I will not be traveling in December, this has been a great time to catch up with people and enjoy the PNW. It has been a while since I have been home in a transitional season, and even just taking my first breath outside was so refreshing! Crisp cool fall air is wonderful when compared to the lingering humidity in VA.
Missing the most: Peter and Lacey! Peter could not get away from school to join me, so he stayed home with our baby puppy girl. Wishing those two were here with me!
Cravings: Tootsie Rolls. Yum.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? In.
Looking forward to: Seeing old friends at the reunion this weekend! Also, celebrating our little baby girl on Saturday with a family baby shower. It is starting to become more real! Of course, I can't wait to make it back home to Peter and Lacey too on Sunday.

21 Weeks

How far along? 21 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Pomegranate
Maternity Clothes? Thinking I might need to invest in a few more pieces. While most shirts still fit, if I wear maternity pants they are often not long enough. :(
Sleep: Pretty good overall. Lacey seems to enjoy the pillows I have propped all around me. In the mornings she loves to crawl up and cuddle with me, snuggling up on all the pillows.
Best moment of the week: There were so many highlights this week, I have to mention a few! A few weeks ago, I thought maybe I had experienced the "fluttering" I have read so much about. It was pretty exciting this week to realize that I was in fact feeling our baby girl, as the little movements are getting stronger! Peter even used his stethoscope to listen to the heartbeat this week!
On Thursday I volunteered at DC Central Kitchen, which was a really neat experience. We organized a group from our office to go together and prep meals for the shelters in DC. For anyone in the DC area, I highly recommend spending some time with this organization.
Finally, our dear friend Rachel came to visit last night, bringing with her a full BBQ meal that our friend Malcolm had prepared. It was quite a feast: tons of smoked pork, homemade sauce, potato salad, and even biscuits. It was so sweet of him to prep so much food for us. The only thing that would have made it better would be to have him here too! Hoping we can make a trip down to Charlottesville soon.
Missing the most: Not drinking hasn't really bothered me, but for the first time in 5 months I did think a pumpkin beer sounded pretty good. I do enjoy a good stout or winter ale too, so maybe I can enjoy one in a few months.
Cravings: Unfortunately, I have had a pretty big sweet tooth lately. With all of the Halloween candy hitting the shelves, I might be in trouble!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? Definitely in still!
Looking forward to: Going home! Hard to believe, but it has been over 10 years since I left home and my High School reunion is next weekend. It will be so nice to catch up with friends and family, especially since we will not be able to fly home for the holidays this year. Seattle here I come!

20 Weeks-Half Way!!

How far along? 20 Weeks and 4 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Banana!
Maternity Clothes? Some. Pants only so far, but I can still wear my larger jeans. Yoga clothes still work, and are probably the most comfortable thing to wear when I am home.
Sleep: OK this week. I started using two pillows to block me in, which seems to have inhibited my rolling.
Best moment of the week: This would have to be Tuesday. We had our 20 Week Level II ultrasound, and got to find out the sex of the baby! Peter said he knew right away when it came on the screen, and then tech said, classic girl parts! Wow! What. A. Shock. We had been told 2 months ago (very early I know) that it looked "boyish" so we were all prepared for her to announce a baby boy. Instead, it looks like we might be making an appointment at the Bippity Boppity Boo Salon in Disney World in a few years, because we have a little princess on the way! I have to admit, I am super excited about it. Everything looks healthy and progressing as a normal pregnancy, so it was all great news. Baby is 60th percentile for weight estimate, which is great. Right on track!
Missing the most: Nothing food related, but Charlottesville. We were talking about trying to find a time in this crazy schedule to go visit.
Cravings: Chips and Ranch dip.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? In.
Looking forward to: Our dear fiend Rachel Martin coming to visit! She is my baking partner in crime, and probably the funniest person placed on this earth. She still lives in Charlottesville after the Post Bacc, but is driving through DC this weekend and making a pit stop to see us. Can't wait!

19 Weeks

How far along? 19 Weeks and 6 Days
Baby is the size of a(n): Mango
Maternity Clothes? Ok, so I finally broke down and bought a pair of slacks for work. We had to start wearing normal work clothes after Labor Day, and I needed something to wear! I am going to try to stick it out in normal tops for a while, but eventually may need to get some things for work. Taking it one week at a time.
Sleep: Fine, though my Doc said 20 weeks is when I should really make an effort to stop sleeping on my back, so this will be a challenge!
Best moment of the week: It was a really good week! We got to spend some time with one of our friends from Peter's Post Bacc. August came to stay with us while he interviewed at GW (exciting!), so ti was nice to catch up. Also, September is a month dedicated to volunteering and fundraising for Wells Fargo, and I chair the Community Support Campaign for my office. I LOVE planning our fundraising events, helping to get people excited about giving back, and taking some time to get involved with some really deserving organizations. Week 1 was a huge success, and I am looking forward to the coming weeks!
Missing the most: Lunch meat. I starting driving a new way to work, which passes the Italian Store in Arlington. If you have never been, GO! It is sooooo good and now all I seem to want is an Italian Grinder.
Cravings: Pretty much anything I see someone else eating. I was feeling pretty famished this week!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Belly button in or out? In.
Looking forward to: Tuesday-we are having our Level II ultrasound, which means we officially find out the sex of the baby! I wish it were Tuesday already! Also, realizing we will be at the half way point is pretty exciting.

18 Weeks

How far along? 18 weeks and 2 days.
Baby is the size of a(n): Sweet Potato
Maternity Clothes? Nope! We observe "casual summer" at my office, which just means you can wear jeans every day. Since I have a pair of jeans I got last month a few sizes larger, I have managed OK without maternity clothes. However, starting next week we have to go back to business casual, so I am in need of some work pants!
Sleep: OK, nothing new to report.
Best moment of the week: I tried to help Peter study for a quiz the other night. Since i know nothing about medicine, I just starting randomly naming things I could recall seeing from the slides he was looking at earlier. He didn't think me generating questions from memory seemed like a beneficial way to study, and he insisted the eyes (which is what I asked him about) were not on the quiz. The next day he sent me a picture of his quiz, and the FIRST question on it was what I had asked him the night before. Looks like I make a pretty good study buddy after all. ;)
Missing the most: Cheese. I saw a commercial for cheese and really wished I could have some soft cheese and crackers...and salami!
Cravings: Coconut.
Wedding rings on or off? On!
Belly button in or out? In.
Looking forward to: Labor Day Weekend! We are not going anywhere, but it will be nice to have an extra long weekend. I get to leave work early on Friday and hopefully Peter will have some free time this weekend, since his first exam of the semester will be over!

17 Weeks

How far along? Barely squeezing it in this week. Picture was taken at 17 Weeks and 6 Days.
Baby is the size of a(n): Onion
Maternity Clothes? Still no!
Sleep: A bit restless this week. I tried adding a regular pillow next to me to try to condition my body to not roll over. I still wake up on my back! Oops! :)
Best moment of the week: Prenatal Massage! I was not sure how this would work, with the whole no laying on the front or back thing, but switching from one side to another works pretty well! It was a super relaxing way to end my week.
Missing the most: Nothing comes to mind! Feeling pretty great this week.
Cravings: A little bit of a sweet tooth this week perhaps!
Wedding rings on or off? On!
Belly button in or out? In.
Looking forward to: Hopefully feeling the baby soon. Supposedly now is the time when most new moms start to feel the baby moving around in there. Keep you posted!

16 Weeks

How far along? This picture was taken at 16 weeks and 4 days
Baby is the size of a(n): Avocado
Maternity Clothes? Still no! Though I am feeling more and more like it might be time.
Sleep: I am a very active sleeper, which may become a problem for me. According to my Dr. I still have a few weeks before I need to worry about sleeping on my back, however I did notice later in the week that laying on my belly is no longer comfortable. :( When I end up on my belly, my body has started waking me up, which isn't very pleasant. Apparently I need to start shopping for "boyfriend pillow."
Best moment of the week: Hillary getting to come to my 16 week check-up! She got to hear the heartbeat with me. Baby Mullins apparently has gotten pretty active; my OB had to keep chasing him/her around to keep track of the heartbeat! Also pretty neat-baby news is officially out. While most of our family and some others knew already, at 4 months we thought it might be time to announce the baby news.
Missing the most: Sleeping on my stomach. Scratch that, sleeping however I want and not worry about it, including my stomach.
Cravings: Nothing stands out right now.
Wedding rings on or off? On!
Belly button in or out? In.
Looking forward to: Attending some more prenatal yoga classes! The yoga studio Hillary manages has regular prenatal classes, and I am really excited to get some more tips on modifying and meeting some other mommies to be!

15 Weeks

How Far Along? This picture was taken at 15 weeks and 3 days.
Baby is the size of a: Navel Orange
Maternity Clothes? Still working the regular pants in a larger size.
Sleep: Going well so far!
Best Moment of the Week: This has to be Saturday August 8th. Peter started orientation this week for medical school, and Saturday was his White Coat Ceremony. I am so incredibly proud of him. It has been a long journey to get here, collecting degrees along the way, but this is the one that will mean the most. Before the ceremony started, there was a slide show of thank you's from the new class of medical students. I was touched to see Peter's message to me. He may think he wouldn't have made it this far without me, but I know his drive, intelligence and passion would have gotten him there too. :) Also pretty special was that Peter's parents were able to come for the weekend to join in the celebration. I know they are so proud of him as well, and being able to spend some more time with family was wonderful. They are so supportive and I could not ask for better in-laws!
Missing the most: Nothing comes to mind right now. Feeling pretty good!
Cravings: The occasional root beer ;)
Wedding Rings on or off? On!
Mood: Excited. Maybe it was having Mark and Jill here and thinking about our growing family. Maybe it was starting to do some baby shopping! Or maybe I am just starting to feel more pregnant. Whatever it is, I feel excited this week!
Looking forward to: Starting the 4th month and our 16 week appointment. Since Peter has classes next week, Doula Hillary is stepping in. This will be the first time she meets my OB, so I am excited to have her join the fun.

Start of the Second Trimester

How Far Along? 13 and 14 weeks
Baby is the size of a: Peach and Lemon
Maternity Clothes? Nope. However, I did have to increase my pant size pretty quickly. As early as 6 weeks I would say my pants fit snug, though not because of a belly. During the 13th to 14th week is when you could really start to see a bulge starting to form around my middle, which is kind of exciting! For now, sticking with regular pants in a larger size seems to be working. Unfortunately I can't wear some of my favorite shirts to work anymore-button front just does not work with a growing body!
Sleep: Getting better! I was waking up at 4am every day to go to the bathroom, which is really annoying when you don't get to go back to sleep for much longer. That has stopped, and I am sleeping the full night again. I know this will not last, so enjoying while I can!
Best Moment of the Week: We got to see my parents during these weeks, and go to Disney World! We are huge Disney fans, so baby already has one trip under his/her belt! Also pretty neat, during the 13th week we had two ultrasounds. We did the first trimester testing sonogram and got to see baby beeb again. It looks like baby might take after Peter. The ultrasound tech said baby didn't want to wake up, so she kept pumping my belly to try to get some movement. This is not so pleasant when you have to come with a full bladder. Once baby woke up, it looked like a little swimmer is in the making! We saw lots of kicking. We also may have been given a hint as to whether baby looks boyish or girlish. ;) We won't know for sure though for a few more weeks.
Missing the most: My normal exercise routine. Pre-pregnancy, I used to go to yoga 5 or more times per week, and became addicted to inversions! I also used to practice hot yoga, and Doc said this is a no go for now. I was feeling pretty icky for a few weeks in the first trimester, not to mention super exhausted. As a result, I feel out of shape. Now that I am feeling better, I am trying to make an effort to get back on some sort of routine.
Cravings: Root Beer. Daddy is finding this hilarious, as this is the only soda he likes and I rarely drank it before.
Wedding Rings on or off? On!
Mood: I think good, but if you ask Peter he might say otherwise. ;) I tried to tell him my baseline for moodiness is much lower than a normal person, so I am probably just about as irritable as a normal person now.
Looking Forward to: Peter's White Coat Ceremony! So proud of him. More in the week 15 post!

First Trimester Fun

We were so excited when we found out I was pregnant, so of course I had document the moment! Our first month picture was taken in our final days in Charlottesville. While we didn't share our happy news broadly for a few months, we did tell Andy and Hillary the next day when they arrived in Charlottesville to help us move. Hillary had been training to be a doula, and was aware of our plans to start a family. Shortly after they arrived, we told Hillary we actually knew of someone that might need a doula next year. Since she was looking for births to observe for training, and potential future clients, she was intrigued and asked "who!?" We smiled and replied "Us!" I think it took a minute for the news to sink in, but then the hugs commenced. It has been nice having our little support system in them. Being identical twins, Peter and Andy have always been close, often stating that they share a soul. I spent the early years of our relationship with both of the boys, and last year living with Andy and Hillary part time really strengthened my relationship with both of them. We now live less than a mile from each other. We operate as our own little family sometimes, which is nice considering all of our family is 3,000 miles away. Hillary has been great, "clocking in" for doula time whenever I felt nauseated or came home with a headache. If anyone is in the DC area in need of a Douala, let me know! 

One of the difficult things about living far away from family is figuring out how to share big news. Fortunately, Peter's parents were visiting at the end of June, so we were able to tell them in person. My parents we were not going to see until about a month later, so we decided to share the news over the phone. First, we emailed a picture of Lacey with a bandanna on that read "Big Sister." We had them open the email while we were on the phone. Not expecting the news, they thought we were adopting another puppy. Wanting to have a baby always seemed like a personal decision to us, so I guess few people knew of our plans. I just assumed most people would expect it given we have been together for 9 years! You know that they say about assuming! :) After the shock wore off, both of our parents are very excited. It will be the first grandchild for both families, and the first great-grandchild for Nana. We already had our first pictures from an ultrasound, so it was exciting to share. In fact, our first appointment was full of emotions. Peter received his MCAT scores while we were in the waiting room, moments before we saw our baby for the first time! Through a linkage program with the post bach he completed, the final piece deciding if he would start medical school this fall was meeting a score requirement. He did very well on the exam, and it was that moment that we knew for certain his dream to become a physician was finally coming true. Looks like this will be a big year!

New Adventures

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder! The last year has been quite a journey for our little family. Our baby puppy girl Lacey, or as some of you may fondly know her, "our human child with a fur disorder," and I spent last summer shuttling between Charlottesville, VA and Alexandria, VA each week. Starting in September, Lacey moved in full time with Peter in CVille, while I continued to hit the road each week, not to mention shacking up with his twin Andy and fiancee Hillary. Sound insane? Perhaps not the most conventional marriage for a year, but for us it worked. After completing a Masters in Clinical Psychology and a second Masters in Public Health, Peter knew his educational journey was not over. His dream to become a physician to better tackle the health issues he is so passionate about was something that could no longer be ignored. This is what brought us to beautiful Charlottesville. He completed a Post Bacc Pre Medical Program at UVA, while I split my time between CVille and my office in Northern Virginia. Through all of the miles, chaos, and stress, we both wanted to start growing our family. 

I think Peter had a gut feeling that our hope to grow our family had come to fruition. The week leading up to our final move he kept asking me if I was pregnant. Since I already had some tests at my weekend home (I started referring to Charlottesville as my weekend vacation home), I figured no harm in waiting a few more days. We had to drive down one last time to finish packing before the final drive north. The next morning, Lacey insisted on getting me up as usual, so I stumbled out of bed to take her out. Then I remembered! I went to the bathroom, took a pregnancy test, and popped outside with Lacey. When I returned, I was pretty sure I saw two lines (wish I would have kept a digital test on hand)! Peter was still sleeping, so I tapped him to wake him up. As he peered out one eye, I said, "I think I am pregnant."