week 26



baby and space needle

bday boy

Best Moment: This past weekend, while Evan’s parents were in town, Deb and I had the chance to do a little “baby bonding.” Because they live on the other side of the mountains, we haven’t had much of an opportunity to share the pregnancy with them, so we took advantage of having them here this weekend. Deb so kindly offered to make the window treatments in little bee’s room, so off to JoAnn’s (gag…although no hives were had) we went in search of the perfect fabric! Surprisingly (and thankfully), it didn’t take long for us to land on a cute little yellow with white polka dots print. Voila. Curtains-check. Next we were off to Target, where we spent about 45 mins oohing ahhing over all things baby. It was a great experience that got both of us even more excited about the impending arrival of little Sodi!

I’d be remiss to not mention Sunday was not only Evan’s big 3-1, but also his first Father’s Day! Baby was adamant about giving daddy a present, which made Evan’s day. Check out these adorable and appropriate onesies little bee picked out all by h/h self!

Symptoms: Mama is tired! It feels like first trimester fatigue, but this time, I’m pretty sure it’s due to my ridiculous lack of sleep. I mean, how comfy can you really get with a head of lettuce stuck in your belly? Not to mention one that wiggles and kicks throughout the night (although I really love that part).

Cravings/Aversions: Loving me some sweets and sours. Not necessarily combined, but if they are, it results in one happy lady. Still needing to stay far away from chicken, which is so weird, considering pre-pregs, Evan and I were a big, big chicken consuming family.

What I miss: My shoes. Apparently 4” wedges aren’t a viable footwear solution for me in these days of pregnancy…Eff. I learned this lesson the hard (and hilarious and mortifying) way, after taking a nice spill at work. Full on crash to the ground, swollen ankle spill. I know, I can’t even talk about it. Immediately following, I trotted my sorry, limping self down to Sears (sears….SEARS) to find a somewhat acceptable pair of flat sandals. Ugh. So now what the hell am I supposed to wear?

What I can’t wait for: Thursday’s doctor appointment. It’s nothing special but we’ll get to hear little bees heartbeat and that is always one of our favorite experiences!

Milestones:  Baby's now the size of a head of lettuce! Baby's soaking up your antibodies, getting her immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and she'll soon be practicing the blink...perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.



i love this picture because it looks like Isabella is trying to milk evan. and clearly, it's the funniest thing that's ever happened to him.

week 25



most handsome big brother



Best Moment: Evan finally felt the baby move!! It has been a long road, but alas, our little bee decided it was time to let daddy in on the fun and produced two “powerful enough” kicks for Evan to feel! (Coincidence that as I type this, I’m listening to Big Poppa by the Notorious B.I.G.? I think not. It’s all about Poppa this week)

Symptoms: Two painful words: leg.cramps. ugh. I mean really? In one of my previous posts, I mentioned something else as adding insult to injury, but whatever it was, I didn’t know what I was talking about. Leg cramps on the other hand definitely add insult to injury. Nothing like being awoken in the middle of the night by an intense seize of the leg. Waa waaa.

Cravings/Aversions: Chicken is a serious no-no on my list these days. We really haven’t been close this entire pregnancy, which is fine by me. The taste, the smell…there ain’t nothing about that little piece of poultry that I’m missing. Red meat has steadily moved towards the top of my craving list. We don’t need no stinkin’ white meat.

What I miss: A raging social life. Not to mislead the reader-  it’s not as if Evan and I were burning candles at all ends, dusk til’ dawn, but our social life has changed a bit. For instance, Saturday night? We were happily crawling into bed at 9:45. Don’t get me wrong, crawling into bed, regardless of time of day has always been one of my most favorite activities in life, but these days, I’m feeling more self-inflicted pressure to “live it up” before baby comes. Of course, living it up takes on a whole new meaning when alcohol is not involved. Perhaps that’s what ice cream is for?

What I can’t wait for: Surprise, surprise…new paint and carpet. I will say this until it’s done, damnit. We can’t get moving on the baby’s room until the floor and walls are all taken care of. Grrr….

Milestones:  Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

week 24

and she keeps growing and growing and growing

Best Moment: This week had a couple bests. Top of the list was the 2nd annual Luizzo pizza party. Liz and Steve hosted yet another incredible night, complete with blow-your-mind homemade pizza, copious amounts of vino and one hell of a good time. Of course, this year was a bit different, not being able to imbibe and all, but incredibly, I still had a great time! Sobriety can be fun- who knew? We had so much fun with everyone and lil Sodi got to meet a new batch of friends. 

little sodi already has secrets to tell

freshman year was a long time ago...

g&g steppan

auntie sneaks

best hosts ever

workin' the dough

Another best was Sunday afternoon. After a massive cleaning frenzy (nesting anyone?), I pulled out the few items we have for the little bee and laid everything out on the baby's room floor, just to see it and soak it all up. Unintentionally, it turned out to be a very special moment. 

Symptoms: So apparently another side effect of indigestion, aside from heart burn is coughing. So fun. Thankfully, it's not constant, but consistently shows up first thing in the morning and at bedtime. But I must say, I don't have any sign of the linea negra (that gorgeous dark line that runs down a woman's stomach during pregnancy), which makes me very happy. Because that? Just seems like adding insult to injury, ya know?

obligatory heart over the belly photo-
i was forced into this

Cravings/Aversions: This past week has been all about dried mangoes from TJ's. I mean, the combo of sweet and tart? Get out of here. Incredible and makes mama and baby oh so happy. Another thing that makes baby happy? Peaches, blueberries and kiwi. Judging by the way our little bee reacts when I eat these fruits (among other things), I think h/s may have inherited daddy's dance moves. And if that turns out to be true, someone is getting dance lessons. Don't get me wrong, Evan can move, like, in the same way Elaine Benes can move. 

What I miss: Excedrin. Really, how am I supposed to fight a headache?

What I can’t wait for: Friday- the crib is expected to arrive (thank you ma and pa Soderquist)!

Milestones:  Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.