18 Week Pregnancy Update & Babymoon!

18 Weeks Pregnant: Update & Babymooon!!

We hiked 3 pools, 7 falls Santa Barbara hiking trail. This was the  most beautiful hike! We had such a fun time just talking and laughing along the way. Right when we got there we had to turn around so i could go to the bathroom. Then halfway up the mountain AGAIN i had to pee. Haha, i think my hubby really reaized how often pregnant women need to use the restroom on this trip.

This was on our way to Santa Barbara. We stopped for lunch in Malibu because we took the coast line from Orange County to SB. It was a gorgeous drive! We ate lunch at John's Garden (you will see a pick below). Delicious!

18.5 weeks pregnant.  This was when we got home from our trip after a late night work out. My bump really started to pop this past week!

18.1 Weeks Pregnant. We stayed at the beautiful Fess Parker on the beach in Santa Barbara. My little man kicked for the first time (noticably) on this trip! SUch a special moment to share with my man

Stearns Wharf Santa Barbara 18 Weeks, 2 days pregnant 

Stearns Wharf

Hiking.. isnt he handosome.. and look at that view! In awe of Gods beauty!

The beautiful Santa Barbara beach outside our hotel

Sunsets, one of my favorite things to do is go down to the beach and watch the sun set. My hubby and I watched it go down every night we were there. It was so beautiful!

On our way! Road Trip to Santa Barbara!

The Chase Lounge. Delicious! I had Halibut crusted in lemon and caper sauce with a side of spaghetti! To die for! My husband at Shrimp Scampi and we both were more than satisfied. Its a must try when you visit Santa Barbara. The whole restaurant is lit up with cafe lights and there are famous musicians on the walls which are both so fun to look at and very romantic.

John's Garden in Malibu.  The surfer princess turkey sandwhich is so good! With blood red oranges...mmm

Lounging by the pool. We had such great weather! Thank God because there was a chance of rain.

Cajun Kitchen is a must when you are visiting! I had done some research to find the best places to grub while we were there so I knew this would be a place we'd enjoy. They serve breakfast all day. We had a delicious brunch. Hubby got eggs benedict (his absolute favorite), I had an egg white scramble with veggies and cheddar cheese on top with a side of fruit. Mmm mm!

Drivin up the coast line

Walking along the beach on Sunday is so fun because they have a little outdoor market!

Opal Restaurant And Bar.. this is where we ate the first night of our stay. It was so yummy! We'd definitely go back! I had chicken stuffed with goat cheese on top of argula salad with avocados. My husband had a delicious pasta and we ordered the battered shrimp appetizer you see above to start.

Gorgeous sites on the way there!

An afternoon of shopping with my best man

Lunch at Silver Greens. My guy had the Ahi Salad and I had the half salad half sandwhich combo. So healthy and so good! I wish we had these in orange county!

Overall we had the best time! It was so nice to relax and get away with each other. We would love to go back once the baby is here and old enough. Summer would be absolutely stunning in Santa Barbara but we were so thankful that the weather was spectacular in February! 

I didn't take a belly shot for 18 weeks since I usually do it on Fridays and we left early that morning. So these pictures will have to do.  

How far along: 18 weeks

Symptoms:  Headaches have been less. I need to be drinking more water (Dr. said 12 8 ounce glasses). I havent really had any new symptoms. I get emotional whenever I see babies, especially my new nephew Canaan, I get really teary eyed and excited to meet my little one. 

Cravings: chocolate and sweets lately. Edamame Hummus from Trader Joe's (OMGSH), Meditterranean bread, green cold seedless grapes.

Adversions: None

Excited for: Feeling more of babies kicks!

Movement: Yes! I felt him move at exactly 18 weeks in santa barbara and then 3 days later when we got home.

Belly button: Going flat and trying to poke out

Sleep: I have to sleep in the buff because anything touching my tummy feels restricting and uncomfortable.

Exercise: Its getting really difficult! My right leg feels especially heavy, sort of numb, as though I have 50 lbs of added weight wrapped around my thigh. Its so uncomfortable but im pushing through it and I try not to think about it while Im working out.

My best friend Kelly had her baby boy this week! He is darling and a perfect mix of mama and dad. Im getting so eager to meet my baby after seeing 3 of my girlfriends have their babies this week!

17 Week Pregnancy Update

17 Week Pregnancy Update

How far along: 17 Weeks (sorry the 7 is backwards.. thats what i get at 4 1/2 months pregnant and taking pictures in a mirror).

Symptoms: NO MORE NAUSEA woohoo, its completely gone and I have been off mediation since halfway into 15 weeks. I have a ton of energy compared to the first trimester. Baby Bump is poppin out finally. I still get head aches every other day or so.  Im always hungry, and have been craving sweets more lately.  My nose is stuffy from swollen membranes in my nose due to the increase in blood flow that women get during pregnancy.  I get runny noses 1-2 times weekly for no reason.

Belly button: in/flat.

Wedding Rings: on

Exercise:  my legs still feel heavy but i'm pushing myself to get out of the house at least 5 days a week to get some sort of movement.

Sleep: still difficult to get comfortable. Only waking up 1x a night now to go to the bathroom (:

Cravings: Less citrus foods lately. I recently am craving sour dough cracked wheat bread from trader joe's SO YUMMY with butter.  I also am all over hummus and dips lately with tortilla chips ( im been craving those for a while now).   No food adversions other than I am turned off my the salad dressing I usually like on my salads.

Looking Forward to: our babymoon this coming weekend! Feeling baby move.. people have been asking me if I feel him yet, my book says most women feel flutters by now and even my Dr. has asked me. I have had a couple times when Im lying down that I feel something in there (like a wing of a butterfly brushing by) but I convince myself its just in my head or that its my tummy making bubbles or growling. So, im still not sure if I've felt him moving in there or not.  During our ultrasounds hes always moving his arms, legs, and doing flips so I know hes an active little boy.

Enjoy your week!

Healthy Recipees and Ideas This Week

Healthy Recipe's and Ideas: What I've Been Eating This Week

Breakfast: whole grain fiber bread (trader joes) with all natural raspberry jam.. side of sliced bananas with blueberry flaxseed, and egg whites cooked on a skillet with minced garlic, chopped green onion, diced red bell pepper, mushroom, chopped spinach, red pepper flakes, trader joe's three cheese blend, salt & pepper.  If you don't eat cheese you can use vegan cheese from Mother's market they have some good options. I had this with a small glass of orange juice mixed with grapefruit juice

Lunch: Yummy lunch wrap.. Whole wheat middle Eastern flatbread (trader joe's), tzatziki garlic cucumber sauce, tabbouleh, grilled chicken breast, sliced tomato, arugula, lemon and salt and pepper to taste.. good with a side of edamame hummus (trader joe's)

Lunch or Snack: Quinoa, lemon juice ( 1 lemon squeezed), salt and pepper, diced cucumber, diced tomato, minced garlic, and mediterranean herb feta cheese (trader joe's make a great one). With a side of Middle Eastern Flatbread (or you can use pita). My hubby and I had this for lunch, we also had a side of edamame hummus. So delicious!

 QUICK DINNER, also craving fries so here it goes: Semi healthy.. Trader Joe's sweet potato fries, baked them in the oven (sprinkle with salt or if you want something sweet you can put cinnamon and sugar or honey on them) I had them with ketchup.  I used the frozen Asparagus Risotto from tj's and mixed in Sun-Dried Tomato with Mozerella Cheese smoked chicken sausage from tj's and through in some sauteed mushrooms to add in more veggies.  You could add in onion (green or yellow and brocoli if you want). I was aiming for a quick meal after work ( Being pregnant I get so hungry now that I have to eat right when the baby gives me the signal that my tummy is empty.. so sometimes frozen food as long as their arent preservatives, is the way I have to go.. HEY, its better than take out!). I sauteed the sausage seperately and then added it into the risotto. Took me 10-15 mins. Really simple! AND SO DELICIOUS! This would have been good with a side salad but the fries were calling my name. (:

Dinner: Grilled Chicken Breast cooked in Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic, Salt, Pepper, EVOO, Lemon, Onion, and Green Onion.  Side of cauliflower mashed potatoes.. steam cauliflower until almost fully cooked, smash and add in milk and 1-2 tablespoons of light sour cream, add minced garlic (to your liking) and salt and pepper with olive oil butter.. you can use coconut oil as well if you'd like.  We also had a side of butternut squash (sauteed in a skillet with 1 tablespoon agave or honey and cinnamon, add EVOO so they don't stick to the pan..cover and simmer until soft).

Dinner: Grilled Cheese sandwiches with Amy's Organic Tomato Bisque (my favorite tomato soup.. the best flavor and consistency I have found so far..aside from nordys).  In a skillet cook 2 peices of fiber whole grain bread with EVOO, layer on cheese, I used yogurt pepper jack cheese (any type.. you could do goat cheese, gorganzola, pepper jack, cheddar etc its up to you), add spinach (it will cook as everything melts together, and sliced tomato with salt & pepper and pepper flakes for spice. So delicious, just wish we had some fresh basil!

Dinner: Chicken, veggies and cheese enchiladas....Shredded grilled chicken breast (you can use rotisserie chicken to be quick), chop up some cilantro, dice tomato, green chilis (canned), onion, and green bell pepper. I used whole wheat tortillas and 3 cheese blend from trader joe's. Purchase any green or red enchilada sauce you like or make your own. I used green enchilada sauce by Las Palmas (la victoria is good too). Get a caserole dish, heat the oven to 425 on bake, take 1 tortilla (soft taco size..medium) put 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic on the middle of the torilla, add 1 spoonful of green enchilada sauce to the center, add in chicken, then layer in all the veggies on top with a tiny bit of cheese. Fold and place with the fold toward the bottom of the caserole dish so it stays closed while it cooks.  Add in 4-5 more and once all of them are in the casserole dish add on top more of the green enchilada sauce until its covered but not drenched. Add on cheese to your liking (i use a mexican blend of 3 cheeses from tj's) and then if you have any other veggies left over sprinkle them on top. Cook for 40-45 minutes depending on how many you are making. Good until the cheese is brown and golden on top.  You can add chili powder in the chicken if you want an extra kick. I love these with a lemon cabbage arugula side salad YUM! And a dollop of light sour cream or greek yogurt if you want to be extra healthy.  

Note: you can add in any veggies you like. I'd recommend green onions and red bell pepper or jalepenos as well as what i have above.  I just used what we had in the kitchen already. One day I will have a garden I pull from...hopefully...still dreaming (:   Ask your hubbys or kids to help chop and it goes by so much quicker!


Enjoy! Share your recipe's here! I'd love your suggestions. 

16 Week Pregnancy Update, FOUR MONTHS PREGNANT

16 Week Pregnancy Update:

You can tell from last week I have a little less bloating this week. Its amazing how I thought I popped so much but then it went back down this week. 

Heres my little bump covered up. I think its much cuter with clothes on that accentuate it. I'm so happy I dont have to hide it anymore, that was getting difficult to do

Heres his little weiny! My best friend Ashley let us come back in to her work for an ultrasound (shes the best) to see if we could try to confirm the sex... THATS A BOY!

And heres the potty shot!

How far along: 16 weeks, FOUR MONTHS PREGNANT!

Symptoms: No more medicine! I've been off of it since 15 weeks and haven't had any nausea! I cannot even tell you how happy I am to be off Zofran! I have more energy, I am not sick with the flu anymore (i managed to kick it in the butt with healthy juice drinks from mother's market and wheatgrass shots).  I still get head aches here and there. I am always hungry. Round ligament pain is gone. I haven't had any cramping or anything so its been a good week!

Exercise: still doing light weigths and cardio. Its getting harder and harder as all of my organs are moving to make room for a growing uterus and growing baby, my lungs are being squished.  Its difficult to breathe and my legs feel heavy when I work out, it sort of feels like if you are out of shape and getting back to the gym after taking 5 years off, lol.

Sleep: still difficult, but waking up less for frequent bathroom trips.

Belly button: Flat most of the time, still in though.

Wedding rings: on

Looking forward to: eating sushi again, feeling baby move, and our babymoon!

My best friend whom is an ultrasound tech, who I've mentioned in previous blogs, let us go in to see the baby again and check out if we could confirm the sex. I posted the pics above, IT DEFINITLEY LOOKS LIKE A BOY! We know this could change at 20 weeks and theres a possibility our baby could be a girl with swollen lady parts but thats highly unlikely this far along.  

Cravings: tortilla chips (from Casa Rachero), citrus fruits and fruit snacks! Yogurland! No food adversions.

15 Week Pregnancy Update

15 Week Pregnancy Update:

How far along: 15 weeks

Symptoms: more engergy this week. I was sick with the flu and miserable in bed. I stopped taking my nausea medication this week and I haven't had any more nausea! WAHOO! My boobs seem to have grown even more (they started doubling at just 5 weeks pregnant). My veins are starting to show more all over my tummy and breasts due to increased blood volume (common symptom of pregnancy.. goes away after the baby is born). I had a little break out on my back and chest area over the last couple weeks, this is due to hormones during pregnancy, a lot of women get break outs on their face as well but thankfully that hasnt happened with this pregnancy.  Its clearing up and I havent seen anything new so thats a good sign that pregnancy symptom was short lived. YES!. I am still hungry all the time.  I've gotten use to the heightened sense of smell, finally.  Headaches still coming and going. Peeing less in the middle of the night. Less digestive issues this week FINALLY. So I started taking my prenatal vitamin again instead of kid chewables. YAY! I've been experiencing round ligament pain a little bit but less than I had it last week.  Thank God. I get really uncomfortable when I sit for to long lately. I'm still very very bloated.

 Belly button in or out: its beginning to go a little flat when im full but its still in.

Wedding rings on or off: on

Cravings: same as the past few weeks, citrus anything and fruit. No food adversions.

Excited for: baby to move, our upcoming babymoon, and 20 week appointment when the Dr. will confirm we are having a boy!

14 Week Pregnancy Update

14 Week Pregnancy Update

How far along: 14 Weeks

This week I wasn't the greatest at tracking my symptoms etc. But here it goes:

Symptoms: Headaches are the new thing this week. I'm finding I need more and more fluids and that can sometimes helpt he headaches to go away.  I still feel nauseas if I dont take my medicine but Im only taking one dose instead of two.  I am getting a big more energy on some days, other days im still so tired.

Cravings: anything citrus or fruity

Looking forward to: Confirming the sex in the weeks to come. Feeling baby move! And of course going on our baby moon in a few weeks! 

Exercise: Still going light weights and cardio. I try to shoot for 5 days a week, sometimes I get an extra day in sometimes I lose a few depending on how Im feeling.

Sleep: gahh, sleep has been tough for the majority of this pregnancy. Between waking up to go to the bathroom, getting too hot, too cold, uncomfortable, and trying to sleep on my side only, its been difficult. I thought that didn't happen until waaay later, but for me it started right away.  


Sorry for the quick post. I need to get better at logging week by week.

Healthy Food.. What I've been eating

 Late night snack.. applesauce, vanilla yogurt, organic fiber cereal, blueberies and strawberries

Lunch: Tilapia, spinach and kale salad with green grapes, trader joe's goranzola and pear salad dressing, onion, blue cheese, and a side of spinach kale dip and tabbouli

 Late Night Dessert with the hubby on a movie date: Yogurland always topped with fruit.  Although this night particularly my citrus fruity cravings wanted me to get fruity pebbles, so I put a dash of those on the side.

Breakfast: Banana, blueberry flaxseed, peanutbutter, whole grain fiber bread from trader Joe's

Late afternoon snack:  Peanutbutter powder, flaxseed, honey, banana, and almond milk smoothie

Dinner: Chicken Tacos.. Chicken with chili, garlic, and lime, with fresh tomatos, onion, and shredded cabbage. I usually would add on cilantro but we didn't have any. I seasoned it with lemon juice and Trader Joe's green chili salsa. I put a tiny bit of cheese, and a flower tortilla (i have yet to find wheat ones that I actually like..they end up going to waste in the fridge).  If you have any suggestions let me know. We had these with a side of black beans with sweet potato chips. YUM!

Dinner: I made these with what I had in the fridge and freezer.  Chicken sausage (i think it was feta and herb flavored -trader joes), sauteed onions, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic, layered atop steamed broccoli and cauliflower, atop brown rice noodles (trader joe's), stacked on sauteed spinach with crushed red pepper, olive oil & fresh parmesan (SO SO DELICIOUS AND FLAVORFUL)

Breakfast: I make these often on the weekends (my hubby loves pancakes and french toast so I find ways to make it healthier). I made Blueberry banana pancakes usings Organic Pancake mix, applesauce instead of oil, almond milk instead of milk, and 1 egg.  I add in blueberry flaxseed for Omega-3's.  I mix in mashed banana and fresh whole blueberries. I sliced up some strawberries and put some sugar free syrup (you can use fresh jam or honey or agave, whatever you'd like). SO YUMMY!

Breakfast: Quick and easy..if you are going to eat cereal then do it right. I had Cascade Farms Organic whole grain cereal with no artificial flavors, tons of fiber, with banana, blueberry flaxseed, cinnamon, and vanilla almond milk.

Lunch: My hubs loves burgers so I made healthier ones that I will eat as well.  These were ground lean turkey, and I added veggies (red bell pepper, onion, oregano, garlic, chili powder, salt & pepper, 1 egg white, and 1 habanero pepper), for dinner I usually put them on whole wheat buns with avocado, onion, pineapple and a splash of teriyaki sauce...but since it was lunch time, i wanted something less filling so I put mine atop a pineapple onion feta cheese arugula salad.  We had bbq beans as a side (nothin' healthy about those, but they are good and they are good protein).  You can see my hubbys wheat bun below.. I added Trader Joe's yogurt pepperjack cheese on one of his.

Breakfast: Whole grain Fiber bread, 1 egg mixed with 2 eggwhites, tomato, red pepper flakes, cucumber (all we had left for veggies in the fridge), onion, garlic, cauliflower, and cheese with salt and pepper.

Breakfast: My hubby wanted oatmeal so I did my standard, oats with almond milk, honey,  raisons cooked in, cinnamon, blueberry flaxseed, and sliced honey almonds. You can add in banana or blueberries too.  I made myself some eggs with broccoli, onion, cauliflower, red pepper flakes, cheese, salt and pepper, and garlic. I usually like tomatos and spinach but we were all out and I wanted to use the veggies up that we had left in the fridge.

Dinner: Shrimp tacos on whole wheat tortilla with tomato, kale, fat free sour cream, onion, cheese, and cooked in red pepper flakes, lime, garlic, salsa, and olive oil. Sides: Kale salad with cilantro dressing, cranberries, onion and mediterranean feta cheese blend.  Small Side: Tabbouli. We had black beans and chips for a starter.

Let me know if you have any questions or great recipees we should try!