Hello third trimester! 28 week baby bump.

shall we recap?

24 week baby bump.

26 week baby bump.

28 week baby bump.

i saw my ob this morning.  there was some good news and some so-so news.  good news: i passed my OGTT!  no gestational diabetes for me.  my weight is good...16 lbs gained so far, and my blood pressure is within normal limits (116/48).  the heart rate of baby gabriella is strong and right where it should be.  so-so news: then, she measured my fundal height and it's a little higher than she expected it would be for 28 weeks.  she then said that i should get another ultrasound just to make sure everything was ok.  being a pediatric nurse and having google at my finger tips, my thoughts began to race from having a huge baby to having polyhydramnios.  my thoughts have calmed down now, and i've decided to stay positive and not to think about it too much.  my ultrasound appointment is next thursday.  i'll keep you posted on the results.  i was planning on writing a reflection, but as you can imagine, i'm not in the right mood to write one. till next time friends.

The diaper/undiaper bag conundrum.

i registered for the diaper dude messenger bag for john and i.  i figured it would be better to get a "masculine" bag for both of us rather than a cute, feminine one that he'd feel uncomfortable carrying around.  plus it got pretty good reviews on amazon and from the various blogs i read.  here is a pic of it...

however, i really wanted to register for the skip hop versa diaper bag too.  again, the great reviews and appealing looks of the bag drew me to it.  you can see for yourself here...

but then i got to thinking about what makes a bag a diaper bag.  2 overarching characteristics that i have come up with are that diaper bags are bags that are (A) large and (B) have a lot of pockets or sections.  can i add that diaper bags aren't cheap.  the diaper dude bag is $59.99 at babies r us.  and the skip hop versa diaper bag is $69.99.  i know, crazy right?!  the bags aren't even leather.  as any human being  would be, i was  on pinterest gathering ideas and inspirations for my life in general and came across this...

kf baby diaper bag organizer
it is only $14.88 on amazon.

but then i stumbled upon this "pin".

via

bingo!  i kinda had an "aha" moment...i mean, not really...but you get how excited i was.  i have been wanting another longchamp le pilage large shoulder bag for awhile now since bubba, chewed up my black one and broke the zipper.  can i say how sturdy this bag is?  i still use it everyday for work.  and when i went back to school i used it then too.  this bag carried my laptop, books, papers, and food.  i have spilled a ton of drinks and food in it as well, and all i have to do is wipe it clean.  it still looks good after all the wear and tear.  and considering how bubba can tear things up if he thinks there is food in something, the zipper was only minusculy broken.  after my experience with this bag, don't you think it would make an excellent diaper bag?  the only thing is, is that it lacks pockets.  but, if i buy cheap, clear pouches or even the kf diaper organizer, i think i can make it work.  can i introduce you to my 

diaper bag of choice?  ta-da!

in bilberry since i already have the black one.
it is the perfect shade of dark purple, almost black.

i just received it in the mail.  thanks to 2 bloomingdale's gift cards, a 20% friends and family sale, and free shipping and handeling, i got this new bag for less than $30.  what a steal wouldn't you say?

you know i'm going to ask...what kind of diaper bag did you end up using?

Pumpkin smoothie.

after OD-ing on all the carbs from thanksgiving, i made an attempt to eat a little healthier today.  half of my brain was determined to eat clean, but the other half was calling to eat the last piece of chocolate cream pie in my fridge.  luckily i had one can of pumpkin puree in my pantry and decided to make a pumpkin smoothie.  pumpkin smoothies have been popping up on pinterest ever since fall started and it always intrigued me.  so i whipped out my ipad and browsed pinterest until i found a healthy pumpkin smoothie recipe.  props to ms. martha stewart for coming up with the recipe.  i took her recipe and tweaked it just a bit.

here's what you'll need:

1.  1/2 cup of pumpkin puree..which is very low in calorie and fat btw

2. 1 cup of fat free greek yogurt.

3. 1/2 cup of almond milk

4.  cinnamon (i put a lot of cinnamon.  did you know 

cinnamon speeds up your metabolism?)

5.  stevia to taste

6.  ice cubes

directions:

just throw all your ingredients in your blender and enjoy!

this smoothie really hit the spot.  not only was it delicious, but it's the perfect low calorie, low fat, high in calcium and protein drink for a preggo mama-to-be.  try it!

PS

if you want to add an extra "oomf" to his drink, i think graham crackers would be the perfect addition.

PPS

i have filipino pork loin adobo (healthy version) cooking in my crock pot as i type this post.  stay tuned for the recipe ;-)

Thanksgiving on a saturday.

because i had to work on thanksgiving, my mom said she would cook her famous turkey and stuffing on saturday and that we could celebrate thanksgiving then.  gosh, i love having such a flexible family.  the dinner was just absolutely delicious.  the secret to her turkey is mustard.  she slathers the bird with mustard along with salt and pepper and throws it in the oven.  the turkey always comes out so juicy and flavorful and she doesn't even have to brine it.  and her stuffing is made with ritz crackers and chorizo sausage.  it is just divine.  having a mom that can cook is a blessing.

speaking of blessings, there are so many things that i have to be thankful for.  i am so thankful to have 2 sets of parents who love and support us through everything.  i feel so blessed that i have siblings, mine and john's, that are always there for us.  i have 2 goofy dogs that show me love everyday.  i have a husband who is a phenomenal man in every sense of the word, who loves me, listens to me, and is going to make an amazing father. and i am so thankful to be given an opportunity to be a mama to a little girl whom i can't wait to meet.  God is good.