Matt's Last Week Working Full Time

Matt put his two weeks notice in a month ago for August 1st and has been finishing up working full time at Texas Neuro Rehab. He has loved his almost year there and learned so much. He will now go PRN- which basically means if they are short a hand, they will give him a call, and he could come in and work as a rehab tech that day. Anyways, to celebrate, him and all his lady friends (he works with all ladies besides like 2) went to a happy hour at Chuy's to celebrate. Here is the picture below. They are the sweetest women- Matt always has great stories to tell me about them when he gets home. :) I kept telling him he was going out with his "ladies" tonight. He laughed. 

27 Weeks-2/3 of the Way There!

Along: 27 weeks

Welcome Third Trimester!

Size of baby:  Noah is the size of a cauliflower. I have a two pound baby in my belly that is capable of breathing on his own!

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  Not sure. I might just remove this question (sorry- if it was important to y’all-it’s inevitable- I will be gaining weight and chubby with this little tike). I’ll let y’all know when I have actually weighed myself. If I remember, I will tomorrow. I’m hoping to go ride the bike at the gym- there is a scale there. If not, August 2^nd is the gestational diabetes test day, I’ll be weighed then for sure.

Maternity Clothes:   Mixture of both. I’m rocking the maternity pants with a lot of my old tops. I can still wear some of my long shorts and my sport shorts. If it was possible, I’d love to live in pajama bottoms and big t-shirts all day…but work does not allow.

Yes I wear my hair the same most days. With this hot weather, I start with it all the way down- by the end of the day it's in a bun off my shoulders. :)

 Gender:  Noah Walker Clem – a BOY!

Movement:  Yes. He is very active all the time. I feel like small bombs are going off in my stomach. I felt him have the hiccups for the first time this week.

Sleep: It has been mostly good. I woke up last night at 3 a.m. starving and had trouble really falling back asleep, but besides that, I’ve been EXHAUSTED every day and falling asleep by 9. My running buddy is gone, so I’ve been sleeping in as well. I have definitely hit the fatigue stage. I feel like I’m always running on empty. Sleep has been essential, and I’ve been trying to get a lot of it before Noah arrives.

What I miss:    I don’t miss much. Pregnancy is such a blessing. Noah is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and the miracle of life. God knows Noah’s personality and character. We are so excited to see the man of God he will one day become!

Cravings:  At 3 a.m. this morning, I wanted a Chick-fil-a chicken biscuit. A very random craving but seriously, I would have went out and got when if it was still open. I wanted one really bad. I have been craving all types of fruit and sweets. Bananas would be the main fruit I’ve wanted this week- who knows why.

Symptoms: Fatigue, Aches, Leg Cramps- the usual stuff that occurs when you’ve gained weight, entered your third trimester, and sit in a cubicle on your booty all day long.

Best Moment This Week:   Matt has been so sweet. He has practically packed all our stuff up for our new apartment. He’s organized to the T. God made us opposite in that sense. I’m so thankful. He has really just shown me sacrificial love by taking care of EVERY last detail. He is a very patient man and I’m so thankful that he takes initiative and gets things done. We had a short notice to move out and he has jumped on this opportunity to lead me 100%. I tried to take pictures of him packing everything up but he wasn’t feeling it. We are so excited to start getting the new place ready for Noah nugget’s arrival. 

Breaking News: I Busted Out the Maternity Pants!

 Look at this.....I'm an official maternity clothes model. Well, not a model, but.....I'm sporting the pants!

The New Addition to our Family- Rosie

Meet Rosie Clem. 

She is a 2010 Pontiac Vibe. Let me give you a little Rosie history, she was bought at an auction in Dallas and purchased in good ol' Fredricksburg, Texas at a friend of my grandfather's used car lot. She has 16,000 miles on her and looks brand new. She even has the new car smell. We love Rosie the vibe. She is fun to drive and will fit our little Noah's car seat perfectly. I officially drive a mom-mobile.

Story Time-
A fun story to go along with this post. On Tuesday, Matt texted me and asked how many desserts I had eaten already. I've been trying to cut back, and I had only eaten two cookies at lunch (that's good for me). He told me not to eat anymore desserts- he had a "surprise dessert" at home for me. (I'll be honest, I crave dessert after breakfast, lunch, and dinner- sometimes that happens).  I was super excited, so I decided I WOULD be good and save myself for this special surprise. When I arrived home, I figured that he hid this dessert somewhere in the apartment- no I did not go snooping- but I was anxious all dinner. After we ate dinner, I asked him where he hid it. He looked and me and yelled "WE ARE GOING OUT FOR FROYO!" I was of course, so excited, best surprise date ever. Come to find out, he hadn't gotten to drive little Rosie at all yet, and this was his way of getting to drive her. We ended up going to Chick fil a for two large ice cream cones; it was a blast. He told me yesterday that he just kept thinking about wanting to drive the Vibe. I think he loves Rosie as much as I do. :)

I now drive a reliable car and will take anybody on a little spin if they request.

Peace, Love, and Vibes,
Natalie

26 Weeks: T-minus One Week until 3rd Trimester

Along: 26 weeks

We are in double digits people-98 days until my little Noah buddy is DUE!

Size of baby:  Noah is the length of a hot house cucumber. His eyelids have finally opened and he is having his first moments of sight this week. Not only is he starting to grow hair, but he also has the ability to move his head around. If he inherits Matt’s cowlicks, this boy is in for some TROUBLE. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  I weighed myself Monday and I was at 11 pounds of weight gain. I think some of it depends on water weight. I’m guessing anywhere between 13-15 again.  

Maternity Clothes:   I’ve started to wash some of the maternity clothes my co-worker gave me. I am still just wearing my old stuff that used to be loose or baggy before I was pregnant, but now it fits just right. Normal work pants are too uncomfortable at this point- I’m going to be moving to maternity pants. I think my old shorts will still work for a while. I am going to look into one of those belly bands.

Gender:  Boy!  Noah Walker Clem the First.

Movement:  He is very active still. I love when I wake up and feel him moving around. It’s like his little reminder to mommy that he is still here and HUNGRY. I would swear I’ve run a marathon the night before if I didn’t know better.

Sleep: It’s been MUCH better this week. The fatigue has set back in 100% so I’ve been passing out at night. I’m tired by around 8, and we’ve been going to bed around 9 to 9:30. We are soaking in the Z’s before our lives are flipped upside down.

What I miss:     I miss not being hungry all the time. I’m at the HUNGER stage. I swear I could eat a whole cake if left alone with a couple good chick flicks (You’ve Got Mail, Now and Then, Beaches, Sister Act II, etc- you know- the good ones). I also miss my old body- this one I have right now is pretty achy at the moment.

Cravings:  Fruit, Doughnuts, Chocolate, Peanut butter, Chocolate Milk. I have a new routine- while cooking dinner, I make myself a glass of chocolate milk. It actually helps fill me up and gives me some of the essential calcium needs. It’s my little treat after a long day at work. (I am getting back to long hours at work- preparing for September 15^th).  

Symptoms: Dizziness, leg cramps, back pain, hip pain, tailbone pain, and fatigue. The leg and foot cramps have been the most annoying this week. It’s worse than  Charlie horses. Everything just seizes up and starts to throb and convulse inside. It’s not my favorite.  All these symptoms according to everything I’ve read are completely normal. With how much Noah is growing, most of the articles would be surprised if a 26 week preggo woman was not feeling these types of pains.

Best Moment This Week:   Matt and I bought our first new/used car! Post to come tomorrow with a couple pictures. It was not our favorite financial decision we had to make, but for Noah’s safety, it was very necessary. We are calling her “Rosie”. She’s very cute- very mom-mobile, and should be a great car for us for the next 10 years. 

Foggy Brain Syndrome

Forgetfulness During Pregnancy or Pregnancy Brain

Pregnancy Brain — What It Is

Pregnancy-induced brain fog, a true (and truly frustrating) hallmark of pregnancy. You may forget appointments, what you just walked into the store for, where you left your purse, whether you turned off the stove — and maybe, your phone number.

Pregnancy Brain — What Causes It

As usual in pregnancy, it's just your pregnancy hormones having some fun, this time at the expense of your memory. And believe it or not, your brain-cell volume actually decreases during the third trimester of pregnancy (which could explain why you can't remember what you just read about in that last paragraph). Not to worry, your brain will plump back up a few months after delivery.

How has this “Foggy Brain Syndrome” (what Matt and I like to call it) affected me?

I have a couple examples that have topped the chart, but many little “forgetful moments” have happened since Noah.

Example 1: Throwing away not only the coffee filter but also the coffee drainer that you can take out and wash when need be. Yes. I did this. I went to go make Matt coffee two months ago. We have a timer, so we set it for the morning. I looked inside of it -there was no permanent coffee drainer in sight. I then asked him if he’d seen it. He said no. I knew IMMIEDIATELY that I had thrown the drainer away a couple days earlier. I remember thinking that when I threw away the white coffee filter, it felt awfully heavy. Yep- that’s what I thought and did nothing about it. I told Matt we could look online and buy a new little filter. He said we might as well buy a new one. It will cost just as much to buy that dumb filter. Matt is a patient man.

Example 2: About three months ago, I decided I wanted to get a Snickers from the candy machine downstairs. I had been craving one all day, and I thought “let’s get out the wallet and count the change I have.”About two minutes later after I had found my change, my boss brought in sugar cookies; I decided to eat that instead. The problem was I had all this change sitting out sprawled on my desk- I decided to put it my desk drawer for another mid-day slump. When I did this, I also proceeded to put my wallet in my desk. When I left Friday, I didn’t realize I’d put my wallet in my desk and left without second thought. I didn’t do anything on Friday that required money, so I didn’t realize it until SATURDAY night when I went to go pay for my friend and my dinner. (She had bought my lunch earlier that day on the boat). I had a minor freak out, thought I’d lost it. I calmed myself down and told myself that it was at my apartment or my parent’s house. When I woke up Sunday, I looked everywhere and COULD NOT find it. I had no idea where it could be. My only last resort was work. So on Monday, after a weekend without a wallet and driving without a license, I came into my cube. I expected to see my wallet just sitting there. It wasn’t. I then started to panic and dig. I opened up my drawers as my last glimpse of wallet finding hope, and there nicely sitting was my change and my wallet. I still don’t know what went through my mind, and why I put in there, but wow, pregnancy brain is ridiculous.

Example 3: Last week, I was in charge of groceries. My favorite game is see if I can carry all the groceries to the apartment in one trip- I did just that. (I may have gained some weight, but I’m still pretty buff).  Whenever I opened the door to the apartment, I left the keys in the lock (unintentionally) and went about my business. 8 hours later after Matt arrived home from work; I get a phone call telling me to come outside. I had left the keys in the door all day. This could have been bad- real bad. That day I cleaned, caught up on reading, and took a nap- I could have an easy intruder. Let’s just say I’ve learned my lesson- always make sure the keys are on the key ring if you are staying home alone.

More foggy brain adventures to come I’m sure….

25 Weeks: A Rutabaga?

Along: 25 weeks

Size of baby:  Noah is the size of rutabaga. I have no idea what one tastes, looks or smells like, so I decided the best way for me to show you was a picture. It looks something like an onion- who knows? He is 13.5 inches. Noah is packing on the fat now. His body parts are becoming more proportional to each other and his nervous system is under a ton of development.  

GOOD NEWS- If he was to be born premature today or from now forward, he’d likely survive without much trauma to his lungs. I know that Seton hospital will deliver him after 24 weeks and a day, and North Austin will try to save the baby at 23 weeks and a day. We are getting past the scary point. My good friend is a dietitian for a NICU floor at a hospital, and she told me after 28 weeks, the baby is REALLY out of the scary zone-3 more weeks little Noah. We can DO this!

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  I’m not sure-I’ll guess 13-17 pounds.  I am getting pretty huge. This is a BIG boy! Matt asked me last night if I’d feel better about my belly if he was really chubby. I think he was offering to gain some weight and take one for the team. I love Matt the way he is and don’t want him to gain weight like I have. It’s uncomfortable. I thought it was pretty sweet offer though.  He told me if it’d make me less self conscious, he’d do it. 

Maternity Clothes:   Mostly just dresses and skirts and shorts that I had already owned. I am fighting it still. The fight will be lost here in the next week. Maternity clothes here I come.

Gender:  Boy!  

Movement:  He moves enough that it makes it hard to fall asleep and get comfortable. He is quite the little kicker. Sometimes in my cubicle at work, I just watch my belly roll back and forth and thump. I swear he’s training for the Baby Olympics.

Sleep: I’ve been exhausted the past two nights and slept really hard. I still wake up throughout the night and lay there for a while, but it’s a deep sleep. I will take a deep sleep with wake ups over a restless sleep any day. The snoogle really has made it easier. I recommend pregnancy pillows 100%.

What I miss:     I miss sleeping on my back, not having aches and pains, and fitting into my clothes!

Cravings:  Fruit, fruit, fruit, sweets, sweets, sweets. I went to the grocery store and bought 5 different types of fruit yesterday along with a six pack of Twix. Matt had two cakes left over from his birthday, so Noah has definitely gotten his fair share of sweets this past week. 

Symptoms: Dizziness, leg cramps, back pain, hip pain, tailbone pain, and fatigue- all WORTH it! I try not to complain too much, but these are the symptoms of pregnancy. Let me note that they are all manageable.

Best Moment This Week:   We had a wonderful weekend in Fredericksburg celebrating Matt’s birthday with my grandparents- overall, the best moment of the week was Matt turning 23!

Pregnancy Quiz!

We had a great time filling this out. It has some unique questions. :) Hope you enjoy!

Is this your first pregnancy?

 

YES

How did you find out you were pregnant?  

I took a test in the bathroom at my work. Let’s just say it took me four tests to believe it was true.

What kind of pregnancy test did you take?  

The first two tests were the EPT test that gave me weird results. The next two were the generic HEB brand. Don’t go expensive when you buy these tests, I loved the generic so much more than the fancy ones.

How many?

 

4 tests, $20 later

What were your first symptoms?  

My body was very achy. I also really tired all the time and moody.

Who did you tell first?  

Matt. He received a text with a picture of a positive test at work. Let’s just say, he was SHOCKED as well.

Who was with you when you found out?  

I was all by my lonesome in the bathroom. I think it was better that way-I was stunned, surprised, and overwhelmed.

Was baby planned?

No. He was a wonderful surprise and is a testimony to God’s timing, not our own.  We were on the five year plan, turns out God thought we meant 5 month plan. 

How far were you when you found out?  

Almost 7 weeks. We were in the midst of busy season at work and I thought the stress had caused my body to be all funky monkey. Well, it wasn’t the stress- it was Noah. 

Who do you think baby will look like?  

I have NO idea. I would guess since it’s a boy, it will probably have more Matt’s features. On the sonogram, he looked like he might have more my nose. I am interested to see skin color and eye color. I’m fairly dark skinned and Matt has a little paste to his skin (he is looking tan this summer, but he is fairer skinned, just saying). I also have real brown eyes and Matt has aqua marine that change with what he wears. If I could choose, I’d choose my skin and Matt’s eyes. I’d also love for Noah to get Matt’s dimples. They are precious! Whatever he looks like, he’ll be ours, so it won’t matter! 

When did you start to show?  

Good question. I’d say right at 5 months. It was like in one week I went from “where’s the bump?” to my mom’s newest thing- “you are already bigger than I was at 9 months.” Noah, you are going to be a big boy!

Do you have any mood swings? 

I plead guilty. I don’t know if I really swing from happy to sad to happy. I really just come home from work real grumpy. I’ve been tired a lot lately and that really affects my attitude. Matt is very patient. I am a lucky woman. He made chicken and vegetable casserole last night and homemade mashed potatoes- that is true love. It was delicious and filling!

Any complications? 

Not yet. I am taking my gestational diabetes test August 2^nd. That could be one complication that may come. Noah’s heart rate and growth rate is looking right on target. My blood pressure has been perfect. I am a pretty active pregnant lady, so I’m hoping that it continues to stay that way. A lady in Texas just had a sixteen pound baby- I’d prefer Noah to be around the 7-9 pound type baby.

What is your favorite thing about being pregnant? 

I love Noah’s movement. I know I won’t always, but right now it’s this sweet little reminder of the God’s gift to us. I am amazed by how active he truly is. God has already created his personality and demeanor. It is just humbling to think that God has given us the responsibility to raise this little boy. Matt and I already love him so much; we can’t wait to bring Noah up in a Christian household and tell him how much his Savior loves him. I think Matt and my understanding of God’s sacrifice of His only Son will become significantly deeper once Noah is born.

Least favorite thing about pregnancy? 

The body pain and the restless/sleepless nights are my least favorite. I miss not aching every time I get out of bed. I miss being able to sleep on my back for a full 8 hours with no bathroom breaks. It truly is a blessing to be pregnant, but when you gain weight so fast and you have a growing boy in your belly, your body does some crazy stuff.

How many kids do you want? 

4 or 5. I know, I know, we are crazy. If the Lord wills, we would love to adopt at least one from Africa. Matt and I have a passion for adoption and Africa, and if the doors open later on, we’d love to have the opportunity to experience God’s gift of adoption. We shall see.

Do you talk to your baby? 

Once again, I plead guilty. I talk to him a lot. I don’t do it in public, but when he is doing summersaults and high kicks, I ask him what’s going on in there. He’s awfully rowdy. My stomach ripples from his movement ALL the time.

How many times a day do you pee? 

I pee once every hour during the day and at least once while sleeping during the night.

More scared or excited? 

I am scared about having to give birth (you know- the birthing PROCESS), but VERY excited about getting to be parents.

Will you breastfeed? 

Yes. I would love to for at least the first year. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but I will try my best.

What music are you really into at the moment? 

I heard an incredible song this morning written by Laura Story. It’s called Blessings. Matt has really been hit hard with some unique struggles at work, and I kept thinking about him as I heard this song. Here are the lyrics:

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

Strangest cravings? 

I’m lame-I haven’t craved anything too strange. For me, craving milk is really odd. I have at least one glass of chocolate milk a week- I have never been a milk drinker, but my body craves the calcium I guess. Lame response, I know.

And for the Dads: 

Your initial thoughts when you found out your wife was pregnant?  

I can’t believe there’s a baby in there.

Did you have a gender preference (honestly)?  

BOY-Boys are fun, easy and will carry on the Clem legacy

Best part of this pregnancy?  

Feeling Noah kick. It is unreal.

Worst part of this pregnancy?  

Having to be even more sensitive than I already am!

Has your wife had any “crazy pregnant” moments?  

One notable meltdown about a salad.

Are you scared about anything?  

What if he doesn’t like it when I play with him?