13 Weeks

It's hard to believe I am already almost 4 months pregnant!  It seems like just yesterday we found out we were expecting.

The holidays were extra special for us this year.  We saw a lot of family and friends in person for the first time since we broke the news.  Everyone was truly elated for us - it was so sweet.  We have the BEST family and friends. :)  We even received a few gifts for the little one already!!

We spent the week after Christmas in Marco Island at my parents' house.  The picture above was taken there at the beginning of the trip.  It was wonderful to relax in the sunshine after the busy-ness of the holiday season!  It was also great to spend time with my sister-in-law, Andrea, who is about 26 weeks pregnant, and my niece, Abbie, who just had a baby 5 months ago.  There was lots of baby talk happening!

• How far along?  13.4 weeks
• Baby size:  A peach :)
• Total weight gain:  I'm up to about 8 pounds - yikes!
• Maternity clothes?  All of my shirts still fit fine, but the pants are another story.  Some of my regular pants will still button, but some will not!  I have worn my Bellaband a few times (thanks to my sweet friend Molly for this awesome gift!) with pants that are too snug.  I also just invested in a few pair of maternity jeans, and let me tell you - they are FAB-U-LOUS.  I'm really not sure why anyone would want to wait it out until they absolutely had to buy maternity pants.  They are the most comfortable things ever!  I'm happy I took the plunge. :)
• Stretch marks?  No.
• Sleep:  Still sleeping great.  I feel like I have a bit more energy back these days which is really nice!
• Best moment this week:  The whole trip to Florida was wonderful, but one special memory was when Chris and I went for a bike ride to the park by ourselves.  We sat on a bench there, talking about all the exciting things we have to look forward to in the next year!
• Miss anything?  The grocery store in Florida has my favorite kind of lunch meat (Boar's Head Lemon Pepper Chicken), so I was missing that this week!  I did heat it up and have it on a panini one day though.  Yum!!
• Movement:  Not yet.  Can't wait!
• Food cravings:  Last night we got home from the airport and had NO food in the house.  I was craving Subway and broccoli cheese soup from McDonalds (?!).  My awesome hubby went out and got it for me, and it was delicious. :)
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Still not enjoying the smell or taste of coffee.  
• Gender:  We find out on February 5th!  
• Labor signs:  Nope.
• Symptoms:  I've been having some severe lower back pain.  It runs down the right side of my back into my butt and leg.  At times it is so bad that it takes me a minute to stand up!  I have read this is normal for pregnant women, but I am hoping there is some type of treatment I can find because it is pretty painful.
• Belly button in or out?  In. 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Super happy!
• Looking forward to:  The day when I will "pop" out!  Right now I feel like my stomach just looks like I ate too much over the holidays (which, by the way, is a true story).  My body definitely looks different to me, but I am looking forward to the day when others will be able to tell there is a baby in there!
• Diabetes update:  My last A1C was a 6.2.  Not bad, but I am still working for the 6.0 next time!  My thyroid levels (TSH) continue to be elevated. :(  The main risk associated with high thyroid levels is miscarriage.  Thankfully, we are past the point in my pregnancy when miscarriage is most prevalent.  The doctors assure me they are being as aggressive as possible with treating my thyroid condition, and that there is no risk of harm to the baby at it's current level.