29 weeks!

   29 weeks, about 11 to go.

   7 months, about 2 1/2 to go.

   203 days, about 77 to go.

   About 200 tums (between me and my dad), and who knows how many more tums we will consume!

    

   I am to the point where I kinda want time to speed up a bit. I can't wait to have a little baby in my arms! Ryder is about the size of a pineapple this week and he is only getting bigger. I bought a pineapple when I was at the store today because it looked really good (and because my baby is the size of a PINEAPPLE!).

   A lot of people have been commenting about my tummy this past week. Everyone wants to know when I'm due and what I'm having. I've had conversations for the first time with some people I've seen come into where I work for over a year! It's fun.(: I love talking to people about my baby, and everyone says I have a glow (which who doesn't wanna be told they are glowing!).

How far along: 29 weeks

Gender: Boy

Weight gain: 20 lbs. I did really well in not drinking soda this week. I went to the movies with my dad and he offered to buy popcorn and soda.. So I got a coke (which I was not gonna turn down such kindness from my father!). Other than that one coke.. I did not drink any soda this past week!(:

Maternity clothes: I'm wearing maternity clothes, but my jeans still fit at times. Sometimes they fit when I first get dressed and halfway through the day they end up unbuttoned.

Stretch marks: Still no stretch marks.

Belly button in or out: Neitherr, it is flat!!

Sleep: I have been sick this past week, so I kept waking up because I couldn't breathe through my nose. I even took a little bit of Benedryl this week because my sinuses were so bad, and I still didn't get good sleep:( 

Best moment this week: This week went by smoothly, I have a lot coming up though. I have no favorite or best moments this week, it was just a good week. (Besides being sick..)

Miss anything: Sleep, and I miss when I didn't have to take tums. Heartburn and indigestion are awful!

Movement: A lot of movement. I haven't felt him hiccup yet, and I really hope I will feel that before he is born.

Cravings: No cravings this week, except I have craved a good burger two or three times this week. Not a McDonald's burger, more like a Whataburger burger!

Looking forward to: Packing the bags for the hospital and having my baby shower and getting my room ready for my baby and I. 

   I feel like this week was kind of boring.. A very uneventful week, but still busy. I worked a lot, and there are a lot of changes happening at my work. Pray that all the changes going on will be better for the store and the people who work there. Also pray I get everything done and stay calm. I want to do so much, but I need to remember to enjoy time and take things in stride. I don't need to make more work for myself than necessary.

   I will leave y'all with how big Ryder's hand is this week!(:

xx

Week number 24!

   Week 24 is here and I'm so happy. Last week was so busy, and I couldn't wait to have time to sit down and write this weeks blog. I had a doctor appointment and I've been feeling Ryder kick and move even more.(:

   First off, I went to Destin with two of my good friends and we got FREE Chipotle and shopped around a bit. We got free Chipotle because we just happened to be there the day before it's grand opening and the line was slow. We asked the guy at the door what was going on, and he told us that we could go ahead in. He was really nice, and our luck must have been full that afternoon.(:

   How cute is this bracelet piece. It made me smile and I almost got it, but one must save money when you have a baby on the way.

   The day after my Destin adventure. I got a package in the mail (which I adore packages and snail mail) from a friend in Nashville. Rachel got me the cutest onesie (look at the bowtie!!), mittens, baby rags, and she wrote a note to me and Ryder. I feel so blessed to know that Ryder is gonna be so loved, even in Nashville!(:

   The Fourth of July was also this weekend. We had a nice little family get together at the beach and grilled food. When it started getting dark, we drove to my grandmothers' house to watch fireworks. We sat on the pier across from my grandmother's house and could see across the bay. We saw so many different fireworks. It had to have been one of the coolest things, just seeing all the different fireworks shooting across town.

   I can't wait for the next Fourth of July. Ryder will be here to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, and we will be decked out in red, white, and blue.(:

   I also had a baby shower this week that I attended. It was for Judith and her little one, Parker Saige. She is due about a month and a half before me. We got in the pool after the baby shower and took this belly picture (which I think is an awesome picture). Maybe Judith and I can get a picture like this next year with the babies feet in the water. Talk about cute!

How far along: 24 weeks

Gender: Boy

Weight gain: So I have gained 9 lbs. (I need to lay off the sweets!!) 

Maternity clothes: I bought a shirt and some leggings in Destin. Maternity clothes are pretty comfortable, who knew??

Stretch marks: No new ones.

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: I have been sleeping on the couch this week, because for some reason, it is more comfortable than my bed.

Best moment this week: I don't have a favorite moment, maybe just feeling Ryder kick while I'm watching tv. Oh, and I literally just won some crochet bow ties for Ryder. Winning a contest is pretty awesome, plus I get something for Ryder out of it. I will have to take a picture of the bow ties when I get them in the mail next week!

Miss anything: I miss sleep so much...

Movement: Becca felt him kick some last night while watching tv, I think he moves while I'm sleeping more than anything.

Cravings: Chocolate and soda (I need to start craving salads again)

Looking forward to: I have another ultrasound in less than two weeks, and I will be going to visit the University of Alabama's campus soon.(:

   And I will leave y'all with a picture of me when I was six months old with my daddy. I wonder if Ryder will favor me a lot or not. I also adore this picture.(:

xx

Week 23!

   It is finally July, and I love the month of July. It is such a busy month for me, but not a bad kind of busy. Hopefully it will fly by.(: I am 23 weeks along now, which leaves only 17 weeks left. It seems so long and so short at the same time! I know I keep saying that, but honestly, I'll probably say it a lot more. 

   Ryder is supposed to be about a foot long and weigh a little over a pound. That means he is about the size of a foot long sub from subway! His taste buds are supposed to have formed by this week, which means he can taste most of what I eat (which has been a lot of sweet stuff this past week). He has been moving quite a bit, and I absolutely adore it. 

   This past week has been a pretty good week, it went by rather fast. I feel like my belly is finally starting to look pregnant. I had my first stranger touch my belly the other day. It was flattering and strange all at the same time. I know that it irritates some people to no end when strangers touch their pregnant bellies, but I honestly do not think I will mind too much. I say that now, but who knows, my opinion could change down the road.

Here is a picture of my bare belly. I *think* I have a cute small bump right now.(:

How far along: 23 weeks

Gender: Boyy

Weight gain: I'm gonna say 5+ lbs. and I'll give a for sure answer next week

Maternity clothes: I'm still mostly in regular clothes, but it's gonna be time to get some maternity work clothes soon.

Stretch marks: No new ones, I feel like I can feel my stomach stretching though sometimes.

Belly button in or out: Still in

Sleep: Sleep has been interesting, it is really hard to get comfortable lately, the most comfortable I can get is on my back, which you aren't supposed to sleep on your back.. So.. It's been difficult.

Best moment this week: Nothing in particular, I made baby shower gifts for some of my friends who are having babies and I'm excited to give them their gifts(:

Miss anything: I miss when my back didn't hurt and falling asleep easily

Movement: He is moving in there more and more everyday(: I can't wait till people can feel and see him move too

Cravings: I've been craving sweet things this week

Looking forward to: My appointment which is Thursday, and my friend's baby shower is Sunday. 

And here is another mirror pic from this week. This was taken at the end of the day, so far I've only gained weight in my belly. I'm hoping it stays that way!

xx

So I'm Going to be a Mommy..

   ..And yes, I am rather young. In today's age, twenty years old is seen as a very young age to have a child. It seems as if many people actually look down upon young mothers.

   It used to be the norm for people to have children when they were young. My grandmother on both sides had children in their late teens, that was how life was back then. People got married, and they started a family. Women didn't want to wait around and become old spinsters! In this new time, a woman should go to college, get a job, be independent, get married, and then start a family after being married for awhile. There is nothing wrong with doing it this way. Actually, it's very smart because by the time you decide to start a family, you are financially stable and supposedly mature.

   If you don't do it the way I just stated, you're throwing your life away. College is going to be hard, forget about getting a good job, you'll never have nice things, and money will always be an issue. People will question your maturity and ability to be a mother. People will state how young you are, and think you need their advice in order to be a capable mother.

   First of all, you are not throwing you're life away. You are just adding a little life to it. Change is going to happen (hopefully for the better). College is going to be hard, but it's not like it was easy to begin with. Children should give you more incentive to go to college and get a degree in order to get that good job to make money to pay the bills and have nice things.

   Secondly, I've known people in their forties less mature than people I know that are my age. Maturity is subjective, and people mature at different ages. Having a child will also (hopefully) mature you a bit in and of itself. You're ability to be a mother will (again, hopefully) kick in as well. After all, almost all moms have that motherly instinct. That's just what happens when you become a mom. 

   Would you like to know a secret? Ryder is not a planned baby (I know, shocker). I have always wanted to be a mother, but I didn't think I would actually be one until much later. I always thought twenty-four or five would be a good age to start producing offspring, but life has thrown me a little, wonderful curve-ball. 

   I have been pretty blessed and had very little negativity in all this. My friends and family are excited and so supportive. Although I have read blogs and seen shows where young mothers are seen in a very negative light. Hopefully the stigma of being a young mother will change, but that is going to take good and loving mothers who are young. If you are in your early twenties, I am not saying go get pregnant just to prove to people you can be a good young mother. I personally know about six girls who are having a baby within two months or so of me, and they are all in their early twenties.

   I think that God has chosen some wonderful girls to become mothers. They are all good people with great hearts. I believe that there are good points to being a young mother. I will never have to wonder what it was like to have a lot of free time. A child is a huge transition, but I am not used to a lot of free time and super lazy, lonely Saturdays to begin with (especially with how many children my family have, ha). I hopefully do not have to worry about being healthy enough to see my child grow up either. My biological clock has a good amount of time on it still.

   I have enjoyed spending a good amount of time on Pinterest lately. I love looking at baby blogs, nursery ideas, quotes, and baby shower ideas (I know, I'm such a mom). A few days ago, I saw this quote and really liked it. 

   "Being a young mom means that we met a little early, but it also means I get to love you a little longer."

   I just think that quote is beautiful and rings so much truth. I know that some people in my situation would probably imagine that their life is over. To a certain extent, a part of my life is over, but I see it more that I've just ended a chapter of my life and started a new one. I am so happy to be a mommy to my unborn son. It may have happened a little earlier than expected, but all in God's timing. In my case, He gave me an unexpected blessing. 

xx