Past updates:
Baby Updates
Baby is as long as a banana!
Weight Gained
I haven’t been weighing myself at all at home, but at my 20-week doctor’s appointment, I learned I am up a total of 11 pounds since my 8-week appointment. I still feel like most of my weight gain is everywhere other than my belly, though my baby bump is definitely starting to make some serious strides! (Update: I think my 21-week bump pic is a testament to that!)
Workouts
Aside from the classes I teach, my workouts have been all about Pure Barre this week, as I am determined to complete our studio’s March challenge! I am LOVING the extra motivation to regularly make it to classes again, especially since I am feeling much better in the mornings now.
Symptoms
Energy wise, I am feeling pretty great this week, with the exception of horrible sleep at night! I am also still dealing with acne on my chin, forehead and chest and trying SO HARD not to pick at it.
My breasts are continuing to grow and I squeezed into one of my old sports bras this week when my newer, larger sports bras were in the laundry and was so embarrassed when I caught a glimpse of myself at Pure Barre. I am so not used to having any kind of a chest to worry about concealing and even though I know my boobs still aren’t large by most standards, I am still getting used to the changes and feel like I’m going through puberty at 29 or something!
Emotionally, I am finding myself feeling a little frustrated when it comes to getting dressed. Flowy workout tops and leggings work well most days (though many of my old flowy tops aren’t so flowy anymore!), but when it comes to wearing “real” clothes, I still don’t feel confident enough to “show off” the bump in maternity tops. Since the majority of my old clothes look horrible, I’m wearing the same loose tops again and again (this top two sizes up from Target is my fav!) and layering light sweaters and jackets over them. It can be tough to look in my closet or open a dresser drawer and rule out 90 percent of everything I own, but I know not being able to wear my pre-pregnancy clothes is a great sign that our little one is growing, so I’ll take the changes and embrace them knowing he is getting bigger and stronger every day.
A bunch of you strongly advised me not to wait to buy maternity clothes and I took this to heart. I ordered a pair of maternity jeans that I basically love! They are so comfortable and I’m glad I got them early on and didn’t wait any longer. I wish I had the confidence to wear some of the bump-highlighting tops I picked up a couple of weeks ago, but I feel like that time is not too far off since my belly seems to be growing at a greater speed each week.
Food Aversions
Same as the rest of my pregnancy: Tomato-based soups, most plain cooked vegetables (adding veggies to larger dishes like casseroles, pasta dishes, omelets, etc. helps a ton), plain chicken
Food Cravings
Twizzlers, cheeseburgers (I want one every single day), big salads, ice cream (Ben & Jerry’s = My BFF)
Sleep
Horrendous sleep… Until THE SNOOGLE came into my life on Thursday night!!! It has been a serious game changer for me and I freaking love that thing. (In case you missed it, I talked a lot more about my love for this pillow here.)
Looking Forward To…
Our nursery furniture arriving! A crib, dresser/changing table and glider are all on their way!
Any Baby/Pregnancy-Related Purchases?
- Nursery décor (I’ll definitely share a big nursery post once everything is done!)
- A black flowy workout top (so comfy and it floats right over my belly!) and my first pair of maternity jeans (bless pull-on jeans) from Nordstrom Rack
And I’m probably most excited about this ridiculously adorable bunny doorstop:
I bought the doorstop the minute I saw it pop up on sale for $14 on RueLaLa and figured it would make the perfect addition to our neutral nursery. Too cute!
Stretch Marks?
Nope. Still religiously applying a combination of Mambino Organic Oh Baby! Belly Butter and Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter to my tummy and boobs.
Any Movement?
YES. I am now positive I feel our little guy moving! After you guys gave me a little more confidence that I really was feeling the baby move last week, I went to my 20 week appointment and told our doctor all about the light tapping/fluttering feeling I am experiencing daily and was assured that YES, that is our baby moving! He’s an active little dude!
Any Fun Stories?
This is an old one, but I realized I never shared it on the blog when I should have during my 14 week pregnancy recap. I already told you guys how Ryan and I found out we are having a baby boy, but I didn’t fill you in with how exactly we told my family!
Well, the day after we found out, I caught an early morning flight to Sanibel Island where I joined my family for vacation in February. I told my mom ahead of time that we had a 3D ultrasound scheduled the day before I was set to leave that would likely tell us the sex of our baby and made her promise not to tell my dad and sister. When she picked me up at the airport, it took me less than a minute to blurt out, “It’s a BOY!” and she was so, so excited! We talked all about our future baby boy and then made a Pinterest-inspired game plan to surprise my dad and sister with the news since they would be arriving together a few hours later.
We drove to Publix and bought an “It’s A Boy” balloon along with a whole bunch of light blue balloons. The people in the florist department at Publix were so kind and also gave us a big box to hide the balloons in which we wrapped with baby-themed wrapping paper.
When my dad and sister arrived at the condo, we surprised them with the news that Ryan and I knew exactly what we were having and they were shocked! “Already!? You know right now!?”
And then we directed them to the big box with the light blue balloons hidden inside. They tore through the paper together and when the balloons came flying out and they realized we are having a baby boy, they were thrilled!
It’s a boy!
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Show that bump off with pride!! I didn’t care if I looked a little chubby and not pregnant 🙂 You are looking beautiful! Very excited for you!!
Your bump is getting there! Such a cute way to tell your family–Pinterest for the win as always 🙂
such a fun reveal! We did the same thing for Christmas. We told everyone we weren’t able to find out until week 20 which was the week after Christmas. one of the doctors approved a week 19 ultrasound so we could surprise family that was in town. We got blue balloons and one boy balloon and wrapped it up for our niece and nephew from Cousin Wilbert (nickname my 3 year old niece provided for the baby b/c she insisted i was a boy.) It was the best Christmas gift ever. funny too since 1/2 of my family didn’t quite catch on, but just seeing the balloons fly up and the look on a 3 year old and 1 year old face was amazing!
aw!!! that’s so awesome! <3
So cute! Loved the way you told your dad and sis!
You look adorable! If you haven’t already you should watch “Body After Baby- Mom’s Tell All” – its super honest and really funny https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJRdr5ScSSY
I am 8 months pregnant. My heart sings when I find a regular dress to wear instead of maternity clothes. By the end, you will hate all your maternity clothes. I promise. I hope I never see a pair of leggings after May. 😉 lol. Don’t go too crazy buying maternity clothes. I didn’t buy much and borrowed a lot of things. I would rather buy a few new things post-pregnancy to boost my confidence. I bought new running shoes already to use after baby too!
one of my girlfriends just had a baby and is sending me a bunch of her old maternity clothes — i definitely think borrowing is the way to go if possible! and big congrats to you!! <3
I just love these updates! So happy for you!
thank you! <3
Such a fun way to announce the gender of your little one!!
Thanks for sharing. I am already looking forward to next week’s update.
You look great, congrats on your growing bump! I am 35 weeks pregnant and I have also struggled with what to wear during my pregnancy, it can be tough to see your body changing. I highly recommend cleaning out your closet and putting your pre-pregnancy clothes into storage, that way you can focus on what actually fits you. It can be a bit of a challenge but I promise it will make getting dressed so much easier!
What a cute story about how you told your family! Love it!
Oh and as for the acne, have you tried a toner made of 1 part Bragg’s ACV and 1 part water? I heard people swear by it and then a few days ago I got a horrible breakout on my forehead after a oil laden face massage. Two days later after applying it in the morning and before bed, it’s gone! Might be worth a try and all natural!
Yes don’t wait any longer to wear maternity clothes, aside from looking cute they are so comfortable. I waited a while to shop for them with my first but once I tried on a pair of maternity jeans I was in Heaven. I think I started wearing maternity pants at 8 weeks with my second!
Beautiful mom to be 🙂
I can totally relate to feeling like your not ready to just let the bump show. I’m 18 weeks and am having a hard time finding clothes I feel comfortable in. Some days I just think “forget it, I don’t care”. After all there is an actual baby in there, not just a food baby : )
I have to share a funny story. A friend of mine is pregnant, and due any time now – SO exciting! Well, when her baby was the size of a fig she sent me a message saying that he’s the size of a fig and because of that she’s craving fig newtons! We had such a laugh that baby size was making her crave certain foods, but when her husband showed up with a pkg of fig newtons she said she couldn’t eat them because she kept thinking “this is my baby size!” Do you see your baby size and look at things like a banana and think, “whoa …. I can’t eat this, this week – too strange” ????
That last picture of your dad and sister seriously made me tear up inside! so so sweet:)
Have you picked out a name? Our little guy (due in June) will be Charles Patrick.
I am having many of the same cravings as you! Cheeseburgers ALL. THE. WAY. I just want carbs and have to bargain with myself to eat veggies.. fruit I am still craving which is good.
What a sweet way to tell your family! And I LOVE that doorstop!!
That’s too cute how you shared the news! So exciting!
Kim
http://trendkeeper.me .. Finding THE dress & get featured!
Wow I can’t believe you’re 5 months pregnant already!
It’s so great that you’ve been able to keep up with all your workouts, even despite your less than stellar sleep. Are you finding that you have to incorporate any workout modifications yet?
yes! running is very, very uncomfortable for me, so that’s been out for a few weeks! I’ve also been modifying circuits (certain plyometric exercises don’t agree w/ me either) and mostly sticking to barre, spinning and weight training which have all felt good!
You look so great! Definitely got a glow! And that’s such a cute way to tell your family! How sweet!
I just came across your blog and absolutely love it! Congrats on being 5 months! I am due any day now with my little guy 🙂 Can’t wait to read more!
Aw I love how you told your family! So cute!! You’re looking gorgeous!
Congrats! And thank you SO much for sharing your experience in such detail. I am 16 weeks pregnant and I’ve been bummed out dealing with acne and feeling like I’m carrying the baby in my thighs… but reading about your experience makes me feel more normal and OK with myself. Your look GORGEOUS by the way! Would you consider sharing any makeup/beauty tips? I am having a tough time covering up these gross zits on my chin and would love some advice…
I feel for you!! It sounds like we’re experiencing a lot of the same things right now. And thank you for your kind words — I’ll definitely share more about some of the makeup/skincare I’ve been using so far!
Love the picture of your dad and sister finding out the gender.. So sweet!!
You look so beautiful Julie! I hope you’ll start to feel more confident, or your bump starts to get more pronounced so you can show it off! Love all the cute little stories, and I bet it was fun telling your family it’s a boy!
I love that lil bunny doorstop! Can’t wait to see your nursery!
Aww such a cute idea for the reveal!
Aw!! Both of your gender reveals were so so cute! I’m glad your dad and sister got to enjoy in the fun surprise element.
I love how you told your dad and sister 🙂
I just ordered a snoogle today because I can’t stand not sleeping well anymore and everyone says they’re a game changer for sleep.
Glad you’re feeling well overall!
I hope you LOVE it! My Snoogle hasn’t left the bed since Thursday and I am sleeping SO much better. I guess I had no idea how uncomfortable I was until that little magical pillow came into my life and made me feel 10,000x better!
What a fun way to tell your fam! I don’t think I could keep it from my mom either!!!! I tell her EVERYTHING!! You are looking so good!!! Thank goodness you’re getting great sleep again!
You are looking fabulous, Julie! I totally get the “awkward” stage because I just hit 16 weeks and wake up each day wondering, “is this the day I will no longer fit into ______ jeans or _______ top.” Running has also been interesting because I feel so, um, large and struggle finding a “flattering” top. It’s one thing if people know that I’m pregnant, but most people I encounter don’t. I probably should not care what others think….
I am just hoping that the weather starts to stay warm enough so that I can live in maxi skits and flowy dresses – I’ve been going through my closet (and plan to do so more today) trying to figure out what I actually CAN wear as the bump grows larger. I might have to get creative. ☺
Thank you for the Snoogle recommendation. Sold!!!
That’s definitely a fun way to tell your family it’s a boy! 🙂
These have been some of my favorite posts to read! So glad everything is going well for you and your baby!
Love how you told the family! So fun!
I am 20.5 weeks and my belly POPPED this week. It was so wild. I understand being in the weird phase of the bump and not knowing what to wear. I will say that pre pregnancy I was a flowy top kind of girl and figured I would be through pregnancy as well. My friend bought me these tees from Old Navy (they were her fav and cheap!) and I thought I would hate them because they were form fitting, and I was not confident with the belly yet. However, they did just the opposite!! They make it look so cute and noticeable and have made me enjoy it. Thought you might want to try them! And bonus my friend says she still wears them a year after birth 🙂
http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1011686&vid=1&pid=255372202
*they have all colors and different neck lines if you go to the tee section.
Love being the same week as you and getting to see how similar our pregnancies are! We are waiting to find out the gender until birth, but since our heartbeats, cravings, sickness, everything have been so similar… I am thinking boy!
How cute!! As far as cravings and red meat – it’s a boy thing. When I was pregnant with our little one (boy) I would crave burgers all the time. And I do not eat red meat. Go figure!
Big salads and ice cream..it all balances out 🙂
I am with you. My hips caught all the slack and I was in maternity pants at eight weeks. You have a cute bump show it off. Get those shirts with the elastic on the sides. It makes it look more like a bump when your smaller. You look amazing. And I also had a boy and I think I ate two cheeseburgers a week. Lol
AHHH that is so sweet!!! (and congrats)
Trust me you look pregnant…wear the maternity tops! They are the best thing everrrrr. And the elastic waisted pants were Amazing. If you plan on breastfeeding, just wait until your milk first comes in. I left the hopital with double Ds. I am still nursing and can’t wait to see if I go back down to my normal size and my old bras. I have a boy too and they are so fun!! Have you guys been thinking of names??
everyone has been telling me my boobs will only continue to grow (yes, I am planning to breastfeed) and I am trying to prepare myself for it! 🙂 and yes, we’ve been brainstorming names — still not set on one yet — but I’m planning to keep that off the blog until after he’s born. 🙂
such a fun way to reveal the sex! half way — so exciting.
So this might be TMI or weird…. but I swear I crave burgers most during my period and I think it’s related to the drop in iron… so I feel like its my body telling me to get more iron. I’m assuming youre taking a multivitamin but maybe your body is telling you the same?? Go with those cravings 🙂 My best friend is due with her boy next week- reading your posts and thinking about her definitely gives me baby fever!!!
my belly was the last to gain weight or pop, too! it’ll happen and boy oh boy will it happen!
Awww that is the sweetest way you told your dad & sis! How fun & creative!
Your bump is totally making an appearance & it’s so dang cute! Mine’s taking forever, but this week it’s finally showing too (I’m about the same week as you). It’s so fun to feel the baby move too. I love knowing she’s kicking & turning in there. <3
What a cute way to announce that it is a boy!! I love when people come up with creative ways to share the news! We went the filled cupcake route to tell our friends, and used Christmas ornaments to tell our families!
How do you know what size jeans to get? If you want longevity, should you go up a couple sizes? This seems tricky!
I was advised by most pregnant friends to order my pre-pregnancy size in jeans which worked for me with the boyfriend jeans I ordered and kept, but didn’t with the skinny jeans (they ended up being too small). I’d say go with your normal size and maybe a size up to be safe!
These are so fun to read, and I’m so happy for you! The bunny doorstop is adorable. I love those cute little things that really lend personality to a nursery.
Oh yeah! Don’t wait on maternity stuff! You’re lucky that it’s spring/summer and so warm and can wear dresses. This has been my favorite maternity dress so far. It’s pretty nice quality considering its $15 from Old Navy! At 7 months pregnant, I’m living in maternity leggings and dresses.
It’s SO interesting to see how your symptoms compare with mine (due 3 days before you). I haven’t had any trouble sleeping (except having to pee once or twice a night), no acne, and allllllll the weight seems to be in my belly. That said, my belly would beat yours if we were in a race with a photo finish!
I do have to say though — with your big blog following, and with your GOTR experience, I wish you would promote a positive body image and lead by example. A pregnancy belly is nothing to be ashamed of! And of course there’s a phase between normal and huge, and that’s okay! I just wonder what message you’re sending to all your readers whose size isn’t as small as your own, who now know that you think how you look above at 20 weeks represents something “bad”. Let’s all be proud of ourselves and what our bodies can do!
Best of luck in your pregnancy! The sex reveal sounds fun — we didn’t do that since we are waiting to find out (a la Caitlin at HTP!).
At 17 weeks, I’m in the “awkward” stage too and I can totally relate to what Julie is saying. It seems to me that she’s really looking forward to showing off her bump, but feels like she can’t really do that with the current size. I totally get it. I didn’t get a negative body image vibe at all and I truly appreciate her honesty!
First, biiiig congrats to you!!! It’s definitely an exciting time! As for some of your body image comments, I am really just trying be 100 percent honest in my recaps of my pregnancy. I am not “ashamed” of my growing belly, just feeling a little insecure with how exactly it looks in clothes at the moment. I really hope my post did not make it seem like I am ashamed of my tummy in the least — I am just trying my best to keep things real and know many pregnant women also struggle with learning how to dress a changing body. And I absolutely do NOT think anyone with a belly bigger than a 20-week belly looks bad and feel awful if you or anyone took my post this way!!! If anything, I’ve previously said I’m looking forward to a bigger belly!
Aw girl, you look great! SO wonderful. 🙂
Definitely show off your bump! You look adorable! I promise you will miss that bump and maternity clothes once the little guy gets here! I love reading your updates, it brings back really great pregnancy memories. The Bert’s Bees Mama Butter is amazing! I used that everyday while I was pregnant and don’t have a single stretch mark! 🙂 🙂