30 Weeks

How far along: 30 weeks, 5 days
Size: 15.7 inches and 2.75 pounds (cabbage)
Gender: Girl
Total weight gain: 24ish pounds
Maternity clothes: I scored this $8 maternity maxi dress from our local Once Upon a Child!
Stretch marks: I ended up ordering more of my Burt's Bees Belly Butter - no homemade balm this time around.
Sleep: This week has been so much better! I'm more comfortable at night and am waking up less frequently as well.
Movement: She's still giving me some pretty forceful jabs throughout the day. I feel her more up toward my ribcage now, and she loves to move when I sing to Nora and when she hears Matt's voice after work.
Queasy or sick: Nope!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: A little heartburn off and on, an achey tailbone, and a few leg cramps.
Belly button in or out: Still hanging in there.
Wedding rings on or off: On.
Recap of the week: Well, I didn't make any progress on either of the bedrooms yet, but we've filled our week with lots of play dates, cleaning, and errand running.
Looking forward to: Vacation!!
Looking back: 30 weeks with Nora.

I have a fun tutorial to share once I get around to taking some photos, 

hopefully sooner rather than later :). Stay tuned!

+, Lauren Aiken

29 Weeks and Mother's Day

How far along: 29 weeks, 5 days
Size: 2.5 pounds and 15.25 inches
Gender: Baby girl
Total weight gain: 23ish pounds
Maternity clothes: Last week I picked up a couple more tees and a pair of denim shorts to get me through our hot summer!
Stretch marks: Still using my belly butter, though not as often as last time.
Sleep: Sleep has been terrible this week. My entire back hurts all through the night, making it hard to sleep but easier to get out of bed in the morning :). I'm also waking 4 times on average to pee.
Movement: I think I'm carrying even lower than I did with Nora, so most of the movement is pretty low, but this week I felt a few kicks up near my ribs. Most frequently she kicks my sides mid-right and lower left.
Queasy or sick: Thankful to be feeling well!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: I've had an uncomfortable belly and lower back pain the majority of this week. I think it's also time to bra shop again.
Belly button in or out: About the same - flat on top, still in on the bottom, and super sensitive.
Wedding rings on or off: On.
Recap of the week: Matt was out of town during the week for work so Nora and I had a couple play dates, shopped, and had our first Starbucks mommy-daughter date. We had a great weekend together after he returned and grilled burgers for Mother's Day.
Looking forward to: I need to make some serious headway on Nora's new room and getting the new nursery ready in the next few weeks! My goal is to have everything done by the end of June.
Looking back: 29 weeks with Nora.

We tried to snap a few photos before church on Mother's Day, but Nora wasn't having it. This is our best shot. 

I taught her how to water the flowers last week while Matt was gone, and it's one of her favorite things to do now. Of course, she loves drinking from the cup also..

And we got some bubbles ("buh-buhs") at Target last week too, which has become a daily outdoor activity. She doesn't quite have the blowing figured out so we still have to help her. When she gets the wand, it goes straight into her mouth :).

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

+, Lauren Aiken

26 Weeks

How far along: 26 weeks, 5 days
Size: 14 inches and 1.75 pounds
Gender: Girl
Total weight gain: 18ish pounds
Maternity clothes: I borrowed this maternity maxi dress from a friend and am loving how comfortable it is. I'm putting a couple more on my wish list next month :).
Stretch marks: No.
Sleep: I've been sleeping really soundly this week apart from waking a couple times. No complaints here!
Movement: Yes. I still haven't noticed hiccups with this baby. Most of the movement is up high, though on occasion I feel a lot of pressure lower when her back is pressing outward.
Queasy or sick: Thankful to be feeling great!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: I've been really comfortable this week and haven't really "felt" pregnant at all, aside from the gentle nudges going on inside :).
Belly button in or out: The bottom is still in, but the top part is starting to poke out.
Wedding rings on or off: On.
Recap of the week: We spent Saturday painting Nora's new room (while she enjoyed her first Disney movie)! Unfortunately, two coats of the light color we chose didn't cover the dark brown room so we'll be spending one evening this week painting a third and final coat. Easter Sunday was a wonderful day!
Looking forward to: Matt's family and both sets of grandparents are coming to visit starting this weekend. It's been a long time since we saw them, and we're really excited to spend time together!
Looking back: Oops! I guess I didn't do a 26 week blog post last time. You'll have to stay tuned for next week.

+, Lauren Aiken

25 Weeks

How far along: 25 weeks, 4 days
Size: 13.5 inches, 1.5 pounds (rutabaga)
Gender:  Girl :)
Total weight gain: I think around 17 pounds? Our scale seems to fluctuate around 2 pounds so I'm not really sure.
Maternity clothes: I think maxi dresses are going to be my go-to this summer. It's still cool enough to be comfortable in jeans and tees, but in the 90 degree summer weather, some looser fitting clothing is going to be essential!
Stretch marks: No.
Sleep: Sleep has been pretty good this week, and I actually can't remember any recent crazy dreams. I'm still waking up about 3 times a night.
Movement: Some days I feel violent punches and kicks, while others are more gentle. I'm feeling a lot more movement during the day now, and not just when I'm resting.
Queasy or sick: I am well this week! Hooray!!!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: A tiny bit of acid reflux off and on and an ever-growing belly.
Belly button in or out: Flat(ish)
Wedding rings on or off: On
Recap of the week: I finally made some progress on Nora's new room! We scored a Craigslist dresser for $80, I found a coverlet for her bed, and finally picked a paint color. Spring has sprung in Nashville so we spent Saturday morning out on a farm with dear friends, grilled out this weekend, and got some more spring cleaning done.
Looking forward to: Easter is less than a week away!
Looking back: (I'm adding this category so I have a consistent place to link back) 25 weeks with Nora

Here are a few photos from our Saturday adventure :).

+, Lauren Aiken

24 Weeks

How far along: 24 weeks, 5 days
Size: 12.5 inches, 1.25 pounds (corn)
Gender: Girl
Total weight gain: 14 pounds
Maternity clothes: For comparison this week, I wore the same top as my 24 week bump photo with Nora. What do you think? A little bigger?
Stretch marks: No
Sleep: This week I've had two weird dreams about chick-fil-a (don't ask!). I've been sleeping pretty well overall.
Movement: Movement has gotten more predictable (she moves the most at night and early in the morning) and stronger.
Queasy or sick: I'm currently being treated for a UTI with a round of antibiotics. I have been sick more weeks than not lately and am hoping this is the last issue for awhile!
Labor Signs: --
Symptoms: Braxton-hicks a few times a day and lower energy than usual.
Belly button in or out: Starting to get flatter
Wedding rings on or off: On
Recap of the week: The week was filled with errands, play dates, and an unexpected trip to see the midwives. I co-hosted a baby shower for a friend on Saturday, and we went to a backyard BBQ to celebrate another friend's new job.
Looking forward to: I really need to get started on Nora's new room and the nursery soon. Maybe this week :). I guess the nesting instinct hasn't quite kicked in yet!

+, Lauren Aiken