18 Weeks

16 weeks...

Today at 18 weeks...

I'm definitely starting to get a definitive "pooch" and my pants continue to get tighter and tighter. I've actually been wearing my "Bella Band" a bit more these days since it's far more comfortable than trying to button my jeans. I'm starting to feel the baby move more and I've actually started to get Braxton Hicks contractions already, but fortunately they aren't painful at all. We have the BIG ultrasound two weeks from today, although we are hoping to keep the baby's gender a surprise this time around. We have everything we need for both genders now so we thought a surprise in the delivery room would be fun. We'll see if the baby keeps things hidden for us though. Landon was VERY obvious last time around!!

Preggo Progress

Me at 10 weeks...

Me at 16 weeks...

Not too much of a difference, but I am definitely starting to feel "thick" around the middle. I am definitely rocking the "I ate a few too many Christmas cookies" look so it will be nice when I start to really show so people won't just think I'm getting fat!! Still wearing regular clothes though and up about 3 pounds total.

Goals for 2011

I know not everyone likes setting goals for the New Year, but I love the fresh new start that January 1st brings to everything, so I always like to have a few things on my mind to accomplish during the next year.

This year I decided to come up with a goal for each part of my own "MIND/BODY/SOUL" so that hopefully I can become a more well-rounded person. Here are my goals for 2011 for everyone (all two of you who read this blog anyway) to see and witness...

MIND: Read 50 Newbery Medal books. These are considered the "best of the best" when it comes to young adult books. Only one book is given this award each year (since 1922 anyway) so I have quite the list to get through. Not only will this give me something to expand my own mind, but it will also provide me with a great list of books for my own children to read when they start reading on their own in a few years.

BODY: This one was a bit tricky because I obviously have different goals for my body right now (bear and give birth to a healthy baby) than I will six months from now (to get rid of the baby flab!!) So I decided on a more moderate goal of working out 250 days this year. This is about 70% of all days throughout the year or about 4-5 times per week. I know I'll need to take a bit of a break right after the baby is born, but I'm hoping this goal will keep me in the gym for most of this pregnancy and help to motivate me to get back into things once my body is healed (obviously this goal may have to be adjusted if any complications were to arise, but I think it's a good challenging one to have at least for now.)

SOUL: To read my scriptures EVERY day (no excuses!!) This is the challenge we gave to our Primary children yesterday (2011 is the year of OPERATION CODE R.E.D....Read. Every.Day to go along with the theme of "I know the scriptures are true.) I thought it only appropriate to give myself the same challenge as the 3-11 year old children in our church!!

I have a feeling that 2011 is going to be a great year (at least I will do my best to make it one!!)