I am slowly growing a belly 1 2 3 4 5 6 switch….. baby bump is slowly growing 6 5 4 3 2 1 switch 
Two weeks ago (at 17 wks) I posted this picture on facebook and twitter..
.. and I had many comments from my friends (and fam!) wondering where the heck my baby bump was. Yeah I was kind of embarrassed and I have been wanting a bump for oh, the last 14 weeks when I found out I was pregnant at 5 weeks.
Can you believe I am 19 weeks today!!!! Check out the progress baby has made in just two weeks!
I am such a proud Mama!! Sportin’ the bump! woot! haha. It’s still a bit small, but it’s getting there! Here I am from the front.. not much to see, however & it’s a bit dark.
I’ve got a party to go to at the end of March and a wedding to go to at the beginning of June!! I’ve already been thinking about what to wear… I’ve been googling maternity dresses like crazy lately. Obviously these would be a bit dressy for the outings i’m going to but it’s still fun to look
Kate Hudson looking fabulous in an all white gown.
But I don’t know if i’d be brave enough to pull off an all white dress!
The colour and neckline of this next dress is really nice.. but I think it’s a bit low cut for me at this point!
Halle Berry ALWAYS looks awesome!
I don’t know, I’m going to have to keep looking!
My sister said to me the other day “Leah, you need to go shopping for some maternity clothes. One of these days you are going to wake up and nothing is going to fit you.” WELL….. she was right. Yesterday was that day! Granted, not everything is too small but I am down to 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of black cords (in the above pic) and 3 pairs of dress pants….one of which I can’t do up and need to wear my bump band with. So, I am officially going maternity shopping this week and I am so excited. I am nearly halfway through my pregnancy – I think it’s about time!
I was checking out a shop here called Next today and found some cute finds..
The thing I like about these jeans is the elastic waist is at the sides and you can adjust them as you get bigger. I’d have to try them on to see how they really fit though.
I like these but i’m a bit worried about that massive panel at the front. Apparently if they don’t fit you right you could be constantly pulling them up so that they don’t fall down. Again, I’ll never know until I try them on!
These look like a happy medium between the two styles. They don’t have a huge panel but look like they would have enough room for growth. I also like the dark wash. I find they are much more flattering then lighter washes!!
Here are some tops that I like!
I always try to keep in mind that I need to buy things that are multi-purpose…. that I can wear casually on the weekend, dress it up, and to work. There is no way that I can buy two different maternity wardrobes if I am only wearing the items for a few months, ya know?
So, on to other things than clothing!
Exercise…. has slowed down a lot in the last two weeks. I was doing really well there for a while but apparently i’ve got a little growth spurt going on inside of me and it’s zapped all of my energy! I also had some nausea that returned (but thankfully has since gone) and so that made it difficult. I have gotten to the gym a couple of times in the past week and Steve and I have been able to make it outside for a walk but that is about it. I’m hoping this week coming i’ll get back to it.
Nutrition…. is going well! Yea I have cheat days, but I would say that I pretty much eat like I used to now but I have given into my chip cravings a little bit. Pringles and Doritos (or any kind of tortilla chip) are right up my alley! I try not to have them TOO much because I really don’t think the nutritional value of them is very good, but hey- i’m going with an 80 – 20% ratio here.
Movement…. there is lots going on! Last week I really started to feel baby more and more. It was mainly on my right side though so i’m assuming his/her feet were facing that way. Just yesterday i’ve started to feel it equally on the left side too so i’m thinking baby is getting a little more brave and has started flipping a bit more and giving me little pokes all over the place. It’s the coolest feeling ever and is so reassuring to me. I’m told an active baby is a happy baby.
Well, I think that’s about it. I’m sorry if all of you regular readers are getting annoyed with the baby posts, but I would say with such a huge thing going on in our lives right now it’s the main thing I want to write about. Plus I told some family/friends that i’d keep them in the loop via the blog on how things are going….
I plan on posting more though.. i’ve been missing it!!
By the way..
We had a fundraiser for Haiti at my school and we raised just over £1000!!!!
That is about $2000 CAD!
Amazing right? I was so happy and proud of them!!
Guess what?
SNOW DAY!!
I received a phone call at 6:30 this morning just as I was getting up. I had been awake since 6 and Steve told me it had snowed but I thought, no way… I wouldn’t get a phone call. Wrong!! My year manager told me I sounded oddly chipper at 6:30 in the morning but wouldn’t you be?!
Needless to say I could not get back to sleep. I rang a couple of friends to let them know the school was closed and then puttered around online catching up on facebook, twitter and a few blogs. I then checked my email and look what was in my inbox.
Notice of:
This is the same half marathon I ran last July!
Since running that half I had planned on hopefully doing it again to improve my time. The terrain was difficult to run on (it was gravel & sand) and I had hoped that I could do better than 2:08. Well, looks like I won’t be running it this year!! Seeing as I am due to push out a little one on June 29th, I don’t think i’ll be in any shape to run a half on July 3rd. In fact, I could be giving birth that day. SO…. what’s a girl to do?
Look up new dates of course!
Last year I missed the cut off point for entering my city’s half marathon. It looked like a blast and I’d really like to give it a go this year. Not only is it a road race, which I’d be happy about – I find running on the road much easier than gravel, but it gives me something to train towards post baby. Unfortunately it’s only January and a date has not been set yet. Last year the half was in September. I’m hoping it’s later than that as we plan on being in Canada for most of September this year. Time will tell I guess! Reading all of the Disney Marathon race recaps really got me pumped up for continuing my running. I just enjoy it so much and I’ve really learned to appreciate it in the last few months. Although a marathon would be hard work and i’m not sure that i’d be up for that this year (in fact I know I wouldn’t be), never know what 2011 will bring.
As I mentioned in my last post, I had my 16wk appointment today! I went in with a few questions, mainly about how I am meant to be sleeping right now (ie: back, side) and a couple of exercise questions. I asked how I should be fueling and whether or not I should be taking in all of the calories i’m burning at the gym. I’ve been told that generally it’s about 300 extra calories that a pregnant woman should eat. So I thought alright, if I need to take in 300 extra, and I burn 300 at the gym- does that mean I should be eating an extra 600? Sounds confusing right? Sure. So I asked my midwife this and she said not to try to stress about calories and her advice was not to count them at all. She said it wouldn’t do me any good and would likely cause more worry. She said as long as I am eating when I am hungry, eating healthy food and not depriving myself then I should be fine. Listen to my body. It’s exactly what I’ve been doing since I stopped counting calories ages ago anyways, so i’m going to stick with that!
I got weighed today. dun dun dun. haha, i’ve gained 2 kgs (4.4lbs). Nice right? I had no idea what I would weigh (since I stopped weighing myself a year ago) but I was pleasantly surprised. I’m sure my weight will continue to get higher as the weeks pass, but nothing I can do about that! Apparently sometimes it can really catch up to you in the 3rd trimester. My hips have definitely gotten wider and my tummy has a bit more to it. Want proof? Check out what’s happened to me in the last week …
I can’t do them up! I’m having this “issue” with a few pairs of jeans and a couple pairs of work pants as well lol. But, luckily I can still wear them because I went out and bought a few handy “Bump Bands.” These bands are designed to expand with your growing tummy and you can wear them over your jeans if you are like me who can’t button them up haha.
They also work as an extension to your shirts as they start to get smaller as the bump grows. Today is my first day wearing it so i’ll see how I like it!
For each appointment I have to bring a urine sample. I swear the tiny bottles were designed by a man! It’s unreal how i’m supposed to aim into the small bottle that the doctors office gives me. I have asked the receptionist for a couple extra bottles so that I can do my business in my own home… may as well pee on my hand in the privacy of my own bathroom right? My sister and I have some hilarious conversations these days about pregnancy and the funniest thing she has said was “wait until your bump is so big that you can’t see what you are doing down there at all!” LOL… get the picture? Oh, I bet you girls can’t wait until you are in my shoes someday! 
/end urine talk.
Check out what Steve’s Mom made the baby! Isn’t it lovely??
I’m also aware that I have a fashion faux pas going on with the white bra/ black tank top.. nothing I can do when it’s the only one I have left that fits me!! I need to go shopping
Alright, time for lunch!
Greek salad with a side of a mixture of spicy potato, rice and cous cous. Plus a few crackers!
Enjoy your Wednesday!
We’ve had a visitor for the last week and a bit!
The SNOW!
This is our back yard in a white blanket.
I have actually loved it Last Wed morning I had a phone call at about 6:30am saying our school was closed. Yes, it was pure bliss. Schools close quite quickly here when the weather gets bad in the winter time. Compared to Ontario (where I am from) the schools there very rarely close! Sure busses get cancelled, but if you walk to school you best be gettin’ there! I surely wasn’t complaining. I did have to go to work on Thurs & Friday though, when a lot of other people had the day off work. I feel like I am addicted to the weather network – always checking it out to see if we are going to get more. The temperature has risen though so some of it has started to melt 
What’s the weather like where you are?
A little about exercise….
I have been tweeting like crazy about how much i’ve been loving the gym lately. During my 1st trimester I spent a LOT of time on the couch and lost a lot of stamina and muscle tone. It’s amazing to me actually how quickly things can start to get a bit soft if you will. I noticed I lost a lot of it in my legs and even my arms seemed softer. It was definitely a drag. BUT, i’ve been able to thankfully turn it around as baby hasn’t been causing me much nausea or exhaustion lately. I’m not where I was last summer, but i’ll get there eventually. I’ve been doing a lot of treadmill work and getting out for walks with Steve a few nights a week (in the cold!). I don’t think I mentioned but Steve got me a gym membership at the posh gym around the corner from us. Remember when I wrote a post about whether or not to pay for a gym membership? Well, Steve knew how much I wanted to take care of my bod in a nice gym and have access to a gorgeous pool. If there was ever a time when I wanted to treat myself a little better it’s definitely now! So being the sweetest husband ever he surprised me with a non-contract membership, which is great since we never know what the 3rd trimester could bring (not to mention it’s in the summer when the weather is nice!).
Steve and I have gone swimming a few times and I have visited the gym quite a bit as well. My work outs have changed, as you would expect, but I think with each work out I feel better and better.
Working out for me isn’t just about losing weight (ya right, not right now!), or looking good… at the moment i’m doing it more to feel good and stay healthy. There are MANY benefits to keeping in shape during pregnancy, it can ease labour and it can help your body bounce back post- pregnancy (which is always a plus!).
I was asked by a few people about your heart rate during exercise and as far as I am aware there is not a number that you shouldn’t go over (within reason, obviously). I’ve spoken to my doctor about this and she has said as long as I am not pushing it too hard or over heating then I should be fine. Seeing as I was so active previously there is no reason why I cannot continue to be. Overheating is a huge concern and it should be avoided. That is why I always warm up for 3-5 minutes before and then cool down for 3-5 minutes afterwards. I have to be honest… warming up and cooling down is not something I used to do. I used to just jump into the workout full fledged. Now, I think about what I am doing and make sure I am taking the necessary breaks to cool myself down and drink enough fluids.
I used to run through the discomfort (pre-baby)… I would say “Come on Leah, only one more mile.” Not anymore. Any sign of discomfort anywhere on my body and I take it down a notch. A lot of people think that you cannot run during pregnancy, and I will be honest I was worried to start back up again until I got past the 1st trimester but now I feel quite comfortable with it. I do however, alternate between running and hill walking. As you progress through the weeks your joints come to a point where they are softer than normal which can put you at risk for injury, another thing to keep in mind. Also as the tummy grows, your balance has a higher chance of being off. So for this reason it’s good to take it easy.
Yes I get my heart rate up and work up a good sweat. But, my work outs just feel different these days. A good different though.
I have to say… it’s strange to be eating well & exercising and still gaining weight haha. But hey, i’ve got no complaints!
Tomorrow is my 16 wk appointment. I’ll be getting weighed and some blood taken for some tests. Am I lucky or what?
I’ve been meaning to write this post for about a week since we arrived home from our honeymoon! I didn’t really “announce” when we were going because as soon as I packed up work for the Christmas holidays, we packed up our things and headed to the beautiful island of Tenerife which is part of the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands are a group of Spanish islands off the coast of Africa.
We were greeted with some kissing swans on our bed and a bottle of champagne (the hotel knew it was our honeymoon).
I obviously didn’t have any champagne, but Steve tucked in right away
Since it was so dark when we arrived at the hotel we had no idea what our view was like. We were so excited to get up in the morning to walk out to our balcony, and this is what we found!
Beautiful isn’t it??
The first couple of days it rained while we were there. But eventually we had some nice weather for the rest of the week and we were able to lay out by the pool! It was gorgeous on Christmas day. +25 degrees celcius!! Loved it! Here are some shots of our resort while we were laying out on Christmas Day!
Ocean views from our sun loungers!
We went dolphin watching while we were there.
This is the only photo of me before we got on the boat, because I spent the rest of the time with my head in my hands trying not to be sick! The sea was quite rough and it just made me so nauseous
I looked quite happy before hand huh?
These santas were everywhere lol..
See?
It was Steve’s birthday while we were there and he opened some cards from my fam and we had a cake and more champagne delivered to our room that day for his birthday. How nice!
Christmas day we opened up some cards from my parents & my grandma as well. I cried
I’m such a family girl and being away from them on Christmas was hard for me! But it was nice to say I was honeymooning
At least Santa visited!
We checked out the black sand beaches..
I posed with my belly. Pointing to baby. Expressing that baby was enjoying him/herself hehe.
Our hotel had the coolest “hallways” …
With beautiful views at breakfast..
I LOVED dressing up for dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day The lights were so pretty!
And we even worked out. The gym was just OK. It was really humid in there. We worked out in there 3 of the days and went on huge walks the other days. I’d say we kept quite active during our time there!
We did lots of relaxing though…
And even got to watch the news on what was going on back in England while we were enjoying our hot weather
One of the days we took a day trip up Mount Teide. It was gorgeous.
Basically Tenerife is a volcanic island (hence the black sand beaches!). The volcano hasn’t erupted for quite some time now. We took a trip up 7000ft above sea level. We were basically above the clouds! It was amazing! And COLD! It was kind of scary being in a bus that high because I kept imagining falling down.. lol…nothing like positive thinking right? But the views were beautiful.
This is what it was like up on the mountain. Notice the vegetation is next to nothing.
See the clouds?
Overall it was a beautiful honeymoon. I really enjoyed it and seeing how cold it is here I would LOVE to go back, like … today!
Steve and I are so thankful and touched by all of the comments on my last post. I kept reading them as each of you posted …. thank you all so much! I can’t say that enough.
I keep thinking about the million and one things I want to say!!
There is just so much to talk about - the things that i’ve gone through in the last month.. the things i’ve felt and experienced. It’s crazy!
When I found out I was pregnant on Oct 28th I vowed to myself that I would drink a green monster and walk every day. Did I? NOPE. Choking down a green smoothie was not my #1 thing that I wanted to do. I did have maybe 3 smoothies in 4 weeks. Go me. Walking… well, I didn’t do much of that either.
I don’t drink coffee anymore. I can’t stand the smell or taste. This is coming from someone who used to easily drink 3 a day.
Food in general is one thing that i’ve gone off of and back on a million times over. I was repulsed by salad for a few weeks and I still have trouble stomaching it. Imagine that. Me- dislike salad? But I find if I eat the veg in a sandwich or something the carbs sort of help it go down lol.
I loved peanut butter and jam sandwiches for about a week and for some reason I started craving all the foods that my parents used to make when I was a kid. Beef stew, cabbage rolls, spaghetti, chili, grilled cheese.
I’ve gone off meat now. Apparently preggo women aren’t supposed to eat deli meats but I can’t even stand the smell. I eat a lot of veggie products like falafel now. This just started about a week ago.
I couldn’t stand eating fruit with my breakfast. I’m normally a sliced banana on top of cereal kind of girl. I haven’t eaten that for about 5 weeks now, until Sunday.
I’ve got a taste for what I used to love again! With rice milk. Still no dairy.
I found out about baby when I was 5 weeks along.
Everyone keeps asking if i’ve got a bump yet. Unfortunately not really!
See for yourself..
This was me at 9 weeks… if I look sick and tired, it’s because I was really sick and tired.
My tank was also a bit baggy on me.
Here I am yesterday. 12 weeks!
The front:
The side:
I can’t believe i’m posting photos of my tummy on the internet. I never even did this pre-baby. LOL. Ironic isn’t it?
Check out what one of my friends sent me as a congratulations message….
Are those Nike, New Balance, Saucony, Adidas or Reebok running shoes I hear???… whichever brand- it’s the pitter patter of the running shoes of a Little Whittall!!!
As a runner – I LOVE that message!
Well, need to work on our Christmas cards!
