20 Weeks = Halfway There!

Ooooooooh, we're halfway there!  

Maybe.  Unless I go past 40-weeks or perhaps I've already passed the half-way point of this pregnancy?  Only time will tell!

So far, this pregnancy has been pretty enjoyable, especially since stepping into the 2nd trimester.  And to think, just eight more weeks until we reach the 3rd trimester!  All of this is going by fast! 

It's been a month since moving in with my mom (and brother) and, at times, it's been a bit challenging for me.  My brother's nocturnal, so I find it difficult to cook and clean for myself without disturbing him.  He also requires a ton of communication, even for the simplest of tasks which I'm simply not used to anymore.  I'm very independent and I'm struggling to conform to their methods of handling things.

For those asking, yes, I do miss Colorado but more so I miss living alone.  At times I catch myself daydreaming of Trevor's return and our future move to wherever we shall live next.  We've discussed the idea of him switching from Guard to Active Duty, so that's an option we'll have to continue to consider.  Otherwise, I simply envision us moving back to Colorado and picking up where we left off, so to speak.  Only now we'll have a little baby along for the ride.

Although it's helpful to contemplate these options, I find that I have to stop myself from thinking about it too much.  In the face of a problematic situation, I tend to be a quick problem-solver; however, God is calling me to rest in His stillness and rely on Him.  Trust in Him and seek Him first before all else.  So that's where I'm at now and it's a bit uncomfortable, not gonna lie.  Ultimately though, God's glory will shine through and we'll be wherever we need to be.

Moving forward, I've rewritten my list of goals to accomplish during Trevor's deployment.  I started writing a list prior to the pregnancy, but I've adapted (and lessened) it so that I can spend more energy and effort towards preparing for David's arrival.  When Trevor comes home I'll evaluate which goals were met by crossing them off so we can see how well I did, haha.  While there's only 25 items on the list, many of them will take the entire length of the deployment to complete.  You'll find a combination of easy-peasy, complete-in-a-day kind-of goals, and a few others that require more of an investment.  So here goes! 

Deployment Bucket List

1.   Drink ≥ 60 ounces of water/day.  Preferably 75oz+ during summertime.
2.   Exercise ≥ 3x/week.
3.   Spend ≥ 17 minutes studying God's word each day.
4.   Study Spanish:  Complete all 3 Spanish workbooks (Levels I, II & III) before baby arrives (≈ 4 months).
5.   Take a calligraphy class.
6.   Read:  The Bible in 4 months.
7.   Read:  Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman
8.   Read:  None Like Him by Jen Wilkin
9.   Read:  Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer
10.   Read:  Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
11.   Read:  Love & Respect by Emerson Eggerichs
12.   Read:  Heaven by Randy Alcorn
13.   Blog weekly.
14.   Take pictures weekly (baby bump → baby).
15.   Learn to meal plan effectively.
16.   Send Trevor a care package at least once/month.
17.   Make something homemade for Trevor once/month.
18.   Earn certification.
19.   Join a church family.
20.   Travel somewhere.
21.   Volunteer.
22.   Start a home-buying fund.
23.   Create something for baby's nursery.
24.   Participate in a 5k.
25.   Hike somewhere new.

My original list was 50-items long, but I decided to go a bit easy on myself since I'm pregnant (Excuses, excuses! 😜).  Nonetheless, I feel it's a good start to get me going!  I should mention, I am also currently reading What To Expect When Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel (because duh) and Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize. 

Are any of the books I mentioned on your must-read list?  If you're interested in reading any of these alongside me, send me a message!  I would love to discuss each chapter with you!  I'm not the type of person who reads to relax; I read to learn and grow as a person so if you're the same way then... let's do this thang!

17 July 2017:  Lots of Fetal Movement Lately!
Trevor's travels abroad the last few days brought on a bit of anxiety for me.  Perhaps the baby could sense it because he has been so active!  Not everyone has had luck seeing the kicks from my videos but hopefully you can.

Did you spot the kick?  Look here around 5 seconds into the video:

19 July 2017:  20-Week Anatomy Scan
Mom joined me for the baby's 20-week anatomy scan which was performed at 19w3d.  David looks great and is still measuring a few days ahead.  At about 19.5 weeks pregnant, baby boy was measuring 20 weeks along, so things are looking great!  Big healthy boy.

This is the appointment where folks traditionally learn of their baby's gender, but as you know, we found out at 13 weeks via DNA testing.  In all honesty, 99.6% accuracy should be enough to convince me I'm having a little boy but I gotta admit, I wanted to see his boy-parts for myself to confirm.  What can I say?  Seeing is believing, haha!

Only thing is, my son is a bit modest like his momma and he hid the goods from us.  Either that or he's ultra-relaxed like his daddy and can't be bothered to move.  The latter seems more likely because he even lays like Trevor does with his hand above his head.

Every once in awhile you can see his sac but the cord is blocking a clear view of his penis.  Hopefully we'll get a better glance at things during the next ultrasound appointment, whenever that is.

Updates on Trevor:  Trevor's Travels!
Due to operation security, it's difficult for me to share all of the details of Trevor's travels with y'all, even though I would like to.  Unfortunately, I cannot share dates and times and that remains true until after he returns home.  Just know that he's arrived safely in Saudi Arabia and he's doing well!  He's tired as heck from working 12-hour shifts everyday (he won't have a day off for another 2-3 weeks), and is having trouble sleeping in fear of missing his alarm.  He works the graveyard shift which kind of works out for us.  He says the humid heat is so great that it's like constantly being in a sauna so by working at night he's not in direct sunlight, although he complains it's still hot as hell.

Another perk to the night-shift is that we're awake at the same time once again, haha!  Saudi Arabia is 10 hours ahead of California and so with him working overnights we will get a chance to chat often, so we're giving thanks for his current schedule.  He plans on getting internet on his phone so perhaps we'll be able to connect more throughout the day/his night.

While still in The States, Trevor had a layover in Virginia and spent some time with a good friend of mine from high school!  It worked out that Dave had the day off and was able to show Trevor around Norfolk and take him on his jetski!  Lucky duck.  Dave, we will definitely be visiting you and Mel sometime in the future, okay?  Trevor can hold the baby while I take a spin on the jetski!  😂

Thanks for the photos, buuuuuuuuuddy!  And Mel :)  So happy to see you all together!

He arrived in Germany before SA, but he was a little bummed he couldn't spend more time exploring the country.  In fact, a few years ago he dabbled in German just because he liked the sound of the language.  Maybe one day we'll head back there together... and hopefully by then he learns enough to get us around.

I can't be held accountable for the angle of this video as he called around 4am!

Here's Trevor's mailing address if you're interested in sending my honey a card, letter or care package:

A1C Trevor A. Coles

379 ECES CEOFP

Unit 61205

APO AE 09309-1205

He's anticipating a promotion around October but until then this is his correct mailing address.  Thanks in advanced to anyone willing to send him a little pick-me-up while he's far away from home!

Week 20 Photos

Banana turned brown while we stored it in our grocery bag...

Representin' Baby Coles in Saudi Arabia!

My sweet mommy stepping in for these shots!

Week 20 Updates

1.  Size of the baby?  David is about 10 inches from head to heel, about the size of a banana!

2.  What's developing this week?

3.  Current weight? 134, up 2 lbs from last week.  Total gained so far:  17 pounds.

4.  Movement?  Yes, he's kicking often and sometimes pressing on a nerve.

5.  Sleep?  No complaints.

6.  Symptoms?

• While looking at my belly, occasionally I can visibly see baby kicking.
• Occasional painful pressure from baby; mostly on left side.
• Still mostly active at night when I'm laying on my back.
• Foot cramps.
• TMI:  Sometimes I pee a little when I sneeze! Yeeeeeeeah... #truestory.
• Some nights it hurts to sleep on my side.  Need to invest in some sort of pregnancy pillow soon!  I'm thinking preferably wedge-like.  This belly needs more support.
• To combat itchy skin, I've started using creams and oils every day (usually morning and night) and exfoliating every other day-ish.

7.  Cravings and Aversions?  Nothing new.

8.  Best moment this week? 20-week scan and hearing that baby is healthy and doing well!

9.  Prayer requests?  Please pray:

•  That God would provide restful sleep for Trevor and that Trevor would take care of himself (drink enough water, eat well, etc) while he's there.
•  For Trevor's transition into full-time AF life while living in Saudi Arabia.  That God would provide important friendships for him that would strengthen his relationship with Jesus and that Trevor could have fun with while he's out there!
• That God would lead me to find a good home church while I'm here in SoCal.  Pray that God would speak to me and that I would be focused on (and open to) receiving God's will for every aspect of my life. 
• And lastly, that I wouldn't feel encumbered by my new living situation as I need to take care of myself and my baby.  And that God would continue to assist in the transition for me (as He already has!) and help me communicate better with my family.

10.  What are you looking forward to for next week?  Spending time with friends and starting my goals!