29 Weeks

How Far Along: 29 weeks! Baby girl is roughly around the size of a butternut squash. She is busy packing on fat (and Mommy feels the same way!) however according to my doctor this week she doesn't think mommy is packing on fat from her statement... "Wow, you really are ALL baby!"

How I'm Feeling: Mentally & emotionally, this week I am feeling great (well more so after the my husband and I had the heart to heart about Charlotte's arrival) and now that we finally figured out her full name. I've also made a to do list of what needs to be done before she arrives such as... picking out a pediatrician, finding a babysitter/day care for when I go back to work, ect. 

Physically, I can definitely feel myself much more exhausted similar to the first trimester which makes doing anything a lot more difficult. Other than that I have no complaints. Charlotte sure has been moving A LOT more this week, like she has her own little party in there each night (which I love watching). Plus the doctor told me this week she is just "lounging" in there, all stretched out from one side to the other... I guess she is pretty comfortable, haha



Before work : 25 weeks and 5 days

Weight gain/Loss:  I gained 1lb in the past 2 weeks... however I don't believe that I will have a problem hitting my 1lb/ per week gain since my appetite has increased so much all of a sudden!

Cravings: Hmmm... lets see does FOOD count, hahaha! Honestly though, I am just hungry for everything! I still really love fruit and I am still trying my best to eat as healthy as possible.

Gender: Girl, We finally decided on her full name... see the story of her name below.

What I Miss: I don't miss much and haven't my entire pregnancy, however I could go for a glass of sweet red wine.

What I Am Looking Forward To: Oh my goodness, where to begin! Our maternity photos,  traveling to Georgia for our baby shower and seeing friends and family, my baby shower here in Pennsylvania where I get to see more friends and family (super exciting!),  doctors appointments since I have scheduled out the next 3 and 1 being our last ultrasound at 35 weeks ... AHH!!!  And finally putting the finishing touches on Charlotte's nursery.

Charlotte Lillian Smith

 

 

On one of our many trips to/from PA to GA, one day we got the topic of baby names (prior to being married) just for fun we started talking about what names we really liked and ones we didn't. We both really seemed to like more vintage, unique, and classy names. And we both really loved the name Charlotte but that was as far as it went until.... FAST FORWARD: To the day we found out we were having a baby girl, Andrew looked at me and said lets name her Charlotte, and I agreed it was perfect!  

Her middle name wasn't as easy for me to decide on though (yes me, Andrew said since he had picked her first name he wanted me to pick out her middle name), I really wanted it to have meaning and something special about it... I was going between two names (Ann or Grace) before even considering Lillian. Ann - would represent my husband and I since we both have "An" at the beginning of our names and Grace - would have been for my mom.

 So WHY Lillian?

The name has special meaning to me:  Lillian Mae Miller - Loving, Hard-working, Stubborn, Always forgiving, Sweet, Caring, and Determined are just some of her traits that I remember most. She was my great grandmother (on my mom's side) who I spent a lot of the first 5 years of life and every summer with when school let out. She retired the year I was born so she could help my mom and dad take care of me and my sister on occasion (when she wasn't in school) while they went back to work. I was blessed to have spent 17 years getting to know, learn, and grow with her. I miss her everyday and there are so many things I wish I could pick up the phone to call and tell her about.

So needless to say, when I finally stopped thinking so much about what sounded better, what flowed the best, or just being stuck on those two names... it finally came to me... neither Ann or Grace were right fit. One night soon after deciding this... I had a dream about my great grandma (Lillian) I don't remember much about it but I recalled seeing her. That evening at dinner I brought up the idea of using Lillian for not only my great grandmother but for his too as her middle name, he smiled and said "It sounds great!"  That's how our daughter became : Charlotte Lillian Smith




29 Weeks and 6 Days (Last Day of the 20's) I can't believe it! Don't mind the crazy hair, it was rainy here today!