Week 28 Day 6 - Eight Things I Have Gone Without This Pregnancy

10:00am



I got to thinking, not only has my wife had to give up several things during her pregnancy, but so have I. There are certain things that pregnant women cannot have anymore. Or, at least, SHOULDN'T have. I suppose there are pregnant women out there that don't abide by the "rules". And that is fine, but it's not us. My wife is very strict about it, if the doctor said it's not recommended, then she is not doing it.

There's a good chance that because she isn't doing it anymore, I am probably not doing it either. Or a lot less. So as I was thinking about the things that we no longer are a part of, I came up with this list.

SUSHI

We both LOVE sushi. There are several places around our area that are just incredible. The main reason we no longer eat it is because the chance of foodborne illness is much higher in raw foods. While pregnant, your immune system isn't as strong, therefore creating a higher risk of not being able to fight off any illnesses that could be caused from eating sushi. Plus sushi is expensive...

 

OYSTERS

 Another raw delight that we can no longer participate in. I actually ordered a few at Red Lobster while she was pregnant. She just looked at them sadly, while I enjoyed them. She possibly had a tear in her eye. I haven't had them since.

ALCOHOL

She hasn't had any since she found out she was pregnant. I on the other hand, have. I like a nice, cold beer on a hot day. So what? I sometimes miss drunk wife. She is pretty funny when she drinks. At the same time, I always have a Designated Driver. I don't drink much if I do. One or two max.

 TANNING

We both had tanning packages. She ended hers immediately, even though they consider tanning while pregnant safe now. Or you might have to do something differently, like stay in less time or something. I'm not really sure, look it up if you'd like. I kept tanning just up until about two months ago. I gave it up more for the money savings. Plus there is a Banana Boat self-tanner that works great. Need that money for the baby!

EXERCISE

I still do occasionally, and we do go for walks sometimes. But I used to be really dedicated. Not anymore. I would like to be, but we have so many other priorities now that it's hard to find time. I have no space here. My workout room turned into a baby's room. I could go to the gym, but my crazy work hours wouldn't allow a regular schedule. So I will just get fat. 

SPENDING

What's that? You want to buy something for yourself? Forget it. All of our extra money goes towards baby stuff. Having a baby is EXPENSIVE. No money for gadgets or toys. This baby already owes me more than she can imagine. If you read this 20 years from now. I missed out on Apple TV because of you. 

ENERGY DRINKS

Every day I wold buy a Monster, or Rockstar energy drink at work. It helped me get through the day. Plus, I really like how they taste, and they are refreshing. But at 1.50 a piece, they had to go. Occasionally I will get one, but it's a rarity now. That's a lot of money saved in the long run.

MOTORCYCLE

Still have it, barely ride it. It's next on the list to go. At a couple hundred dollars a month for payments and insurance, we just don't need it anymore. Plus it's a crotchrocket. It's made to go fast. What does going fast do? Speed kills. I am having a baby now, she needs her father to stay alive. Hopefully in the future we can get a nice cruiser bike. Something not made to break the law.

We were driving the other day and I noticed this sign. Somehow. 

Effective Advertising at it's finest.

Week 28 Day 5 - Home Run Inn & Instagram

10:14am



Alright I need to advise everyone that the Instagram account was deactivated. Why? I'm not really sure. I am thinking that I "violated" their privacy terms by posting a picture of Paula Deen. So Paula, if your reading this, just know that not only are you ruining your career, but your affecting my blogging as well! Thanks, Paula.


Anyways I have started a new account, @PregoForMenBlog. Guess I will try to follow the rules better this time. Sorry, Paula.

We received the baby shower invites yesterday in the mail. But before putting them together we went out for pizza at Home Run Inn with my grandparents, and uncle and cousin. They have the BEST pizza. I'm not sure if they are available frozen outside of the Chicagoland area, but if they are, buy one and try it. The restaurants create an even better environment, plus the pizza is made fresh, obviously. Delicious!

Spent some time at their house afterwards, talking, and checking out my grandpa's goldfish pond.

We received the baby shower invitations yesterday in the mail. We were up late last night putting them together. Now just need to get the postage, and get them in the mail! Pictures will be up when people receive them, don't want to spoil anything yet! 

Week 28 Day 4 - Shark Week 2013 Commercial & Paula Deen Controversy

2:40pm

I'm in a controversial mood today.

 Shark Week 2013 Commercial

This morning I was watching the Today Show and they featured this video/commercial that has gone viral. Discovery Channel is promoting the upcoming Shark Week with this new commercial that has a lot of people highly concerned. Take a look at why...




Personally, I think it is hilarious. Not because I am a seal-hater, but because I already know it's fake. So I think it was very clever on their part. For children to see this, they won't understand that it isn't real. So no, it probably is a good idea to leave this off of the television. But, I do give them props for the editing of the video, because it does appear pretty realistic! What do you think about this video? Should it be shown on television? Why or why not? Leave your responses in the comment section below!

Paula Deen

As you might already know, unless you have been in a coma the last couple days, Paula Deen is under a ton of scrutiny right now. She admitted to using racial slurs in her past and it has caused quite the uproar.  Watch this "apology" video.

I really like Paula Deen. She is a genuine person that just loves to cook. How many people do you know that have never made a mistake before? I don't know any. I understand that while you are a famous celebrity, you are under a tighter watch than any average Joe. But I mean come on, we can move past this, she is one of the few celebrities left that are REAL. I don't think she is just in it for the money. I believe the money came second. She has lost a LOT of major sponsors already and the list keeps growing.

Now, on the other hand, her apology did NOT seem that sincere to me. The fact that the apology was edited is also very confusing. Why would you have to edit an apology video? She seems to be doing it more to keep her sponsors rather than be truly sorry for using racial slurs. Also, last Wednesday, she told "Today" viewers that she is not a racist, but "it is what it is...and I'm not going to change." You are NOT helping yourself Paula.

List of Sponsors that have dropped Paula Deen -

• Food Network - Paula stars in 3 shows, which will not be renewed at the end of the month
• Wal-Mart Stores- She has over 200 products in the Paula Deen cookware line
• Caesars Entertainment - Deen has several restaurants at Harrah's casinos
• Smithfield Foods - Paula Deen Hams, and supplier for her restaurants
• Target Stores - Paula Deen merchandise, will be phased out and not replenished
• Home Depot - Carries Paula Deen merchandise in cookware departments
• Novo Nordisk - Type 2 Diabetes pharmaceutical company who Deen was a spokeswoman for

A few more companies are "monitoring the situation closely". Do you think Paula Deen deserves a second chance? Is it fair that all of her sponsors are dropping her? Let me know in the comments!

I asked my Twitter followers what they thought and I liked @YoungDadddy 's response.

@PregoForMenBlog  Yes it's simple we all make mistake but most of all she's one hell of a cook
— Young Dad (@YoungDadddy) June 27, 2013

Baby girl has been kicking hard lately! Watch the left side of her stomach.

Week 28 Day 3 - Third Trimester Pregnancy Changes

9:07pm



Since we are officially in the third trimester, I figured I would look into what to expect from the next couple months. This is what I have learned.

• The baby is now the size of an eggplant.
• The lungs are mature enough that, if the baby were born today, it has a pretty good chance of surviving. 
• She is putting on layers of fat.
• She weighs anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 pounds.
• She measures 13.6 to 14.8 inches long.
• My wife thinks she has had a few Braxton Hicks contractions.
• She has plenty of energy but according to some pregnancy sources that will start to fade away in the third trimester. She will start getting worn out, and tired, quickly.
• She has some spider veins, but that is normal and will fade after delivery.
• Some unexplained bruising. One on her leg that looks pretty brutal. But she doesn't even know where it's from. The doctor reassured her that the elevated hormones make the body sensitive to bruising.
• Still no stretch marks!
• The baby is shifting around all day in her stomach, she seems to like to hear her daddy's voice!
• She can't see her legs when she looks down while standing up!

28 Weeks

Week 28 Day 2 - Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Champions 2013

10:43am



For those of you that know me, or keep up with my writing, you know that I am a big Chicago Blackhawks fan.

Last night they were losing 1-2 with only two minutes left in the game. They scored two goals within 17 seconds of eachother, to win game 6 of the final series, to win the Stanley Cup Trophy (equivalent to the World Series in baseball, or Super Bowl in football). They won in 2010 also, for the first time in a while. It's very exciting because you may know that most other Chicago sports teams aren't very good. Plus, hockey is exciting to watch.

Now you won't have to hear anything else about hockey for a while!


My wife has a doctor's appointment today, I think it is another ultrasound, but I could be wrong, she didn't really tell me what it was for. I have to work until 9pm so I won't be able to make it. She has to go next Tuesday as well, and that one I should be able to make it to. Can't wait to see her again, she is getting so big!

Hopefully we will take some new pictures tonight, or tomorrow with our Baby Bump stickers. We have a Week 28 sticker on the sheet.

Week 28 Day 1 - Fetal Hiccups

9:18am



Officially in the third trimester. We are coming closer to the end. Or should I say the beginning? Only 12 more weeks to go, if she stays put to the end of the term. My wife thinks that she will go early, she has had dreams and signs of early labor. So she might be here even sooner!

Once the baby room is painted, I will get the crib set up ASAP. We will then need to rearrange the room a little to make everything fit right. It's not very big, but will suffice for the time being. She also picked up some gates for the top of our stairs. We won't really need them yet, but eventually will, and now it's one less thing we have to worry about later.

She still has abs!

While I was taking those pictures, she was feeling around and thought that she felt the baby's heartbeat. After a little staring at eachother, trying to figure out if it was actually her heartbeat or not, my wife realized that it was, in fact, NOT her heartbeat. It was the baby hiccuping! She said that she read that babys hiccup inside the belly, and that it is completely normal. Sure enough, the longer we felt, the more we could tell that we were feeling hiccups. Cool!


Some interesting information about fetal hiccuping

• Almost all women will feel their baby hiccup sometime during the pregnancy
• The fetus drinks amniotic fluid. When it does, the diaphragm contracts and causes hiccups
• It can hiccup once the central nervous system is formed, anytime after late first trimester
• However, you probably won't feel it until late second trimester
• Fetal Hiccups are extremely normal
• Some babies will hiccup on a daily basis
• If it doesn't hiccup, that is normal too!

My wife's point of view. Can barely see her toes anymore!

Week 27 Day 7 - Nursery Paint

6:59pm

Short and simple. Met my wife at Home Depot after work to get a gallon of paint for the baby's room. We ended up getting Behr Premium because the associate told us that it is the least amount of fume's. He seemed genuinely interested in my wife's health, being pregnant. He told us that you can buy Benjamin Moore's all-natural paint. Which is probably the best, as far as health and natural ingredients are concerned, but is also double the price. 

I think we can just go outside for a while that day instead.

I have been gaining fans via my Instagram account. I post lots of pictures daily, about the pregnancy and our life in general. Become a follower @PregoForMenBlog.

Snapped a pic of my wife making me lunch this morning. Look at that bump!

In case you were wondering what I do at work! That's a whole pork loin. Yum, pork chops!

Some cool storm clouds rolling in this evening.

9:42pm


Just got back from Target. My wife decided at 8:30pm that we needed to run to Target, which closes at 9pm. I'm the type of person that doesn't really like to rush when I am shopping. But she will. We had to look at some lamp shades, and make sure that fit right. She has them on her baby registry, and since invitation are going out shortly, the registries have to be figured out and set. We got everything figured out, and also got a tablecloth. Finally, we can't be scratching our beautiful new table!

Look at my two babies making us dinner! (Not her boobs!)

We want one of these! Any opinions?

I'm not much of a lamp guy...

Baby bathroom stuff. I didn't know there was so much.

Aww! Towels for her.