Things I Want To Remember: Week 19

Week 19! I can't believe how quickly this second trimester is going, but this baby will be here before we know it! I am still loving every minute of being pregnant with this sweet boy and can't wait to see what the weeks to come have in store!

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1. My belly has really popped out over the last couple of weeks! It's nuts! Parker is convinced I am further along than the doctors say (definitely possible since baby has been measuring big), but so far they have not changed my due date. This is also our first pregnancy with a healthy baby, so all we have to compare it to is my pregnancy with Taylor. I carried her to almost 20 weeks and was barely showing by the end, so I think that definitely plays a part in why we are so shocked by my big tummy. 

2. Fruit has been my big craving this second trimester. I have been eating an apple a day and will eat peaches, strawberries, watermelon, or berries for days. I love it! I keep telling my sister that if I end up being gestational, I am going to blame the fruit intake. There are much worse things to be craving though, right?

3. Another thing I don't think I have yet noted in these updates is my Triscuit obsession. I have been eating Triscuits since about week 12 with no sign of stopping. I have Triscuits with cheese every day for a snack and always look forward to my beloved Triscuits. ;)

4. I officially can't hide this pregnancy with clothes anymore. No matter how baggy my shirt is, this bump still sticks out and makes itself known. Athletic shorts or maternity shorts are all that fit on the bottom, and with the weather changing in the next few weeks, I am on the lookout for some cheap maternity pants! I love looking cute but am such a cheapo that I have a hard time justifying buying something I will only wear about 5 months. 

5. Baby boy was moving around, so I put my hand on my stomach to see if I could feel him from the outside. It really felt like I could, but it's hard to tell when I'm feeling him on the inside too! Every time I have my mom put her hand on my stomach to feel, baby stops moving. Little stinker. 

This week's picture was taken in the middle of shopping with my sisters when my friends texted and asked for a bump pic. I didn't get around to taking another, so this picture will have to do!

The One Who Taught Me Unconditional Love

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Mars, Incorporated. All opinions are mine alone. #PedigreeGives #YouBuyWeGive #CollectiveBias

If you've read this blog long, you know that I love dogs, especially my dog. If you know me personally, you know that I am passionate about rescuing and will always choose to rescue any dogs we have in the future. That's because the one and only dog that I've ever owned as an adult is a rescue, and she has completely changed my life. In fact, I have learned more from her than I have from most people. 

Parker and I found Jenny through a rescue organization called God's Little Creatures Rescue in February of 2011. By many people's standards, she was nothing special. She wasn't a purebred. She wasn't any breed, really. She was just a mutt. A medium-sized brown dog. She was six months old, and we had no idea what her first six months had looked like. Had she been abused? Had she been abandoned? Did she ever belong to anyone? So many unanswered questions, but we instantly fell in love with her, and suddenly the answers to those questions no longer mattered. We signed the papers, wrote the check, and Jenny was a stray no more. 

Jenny took to us immediately. She was so obedient from the start and a true joy to train. She was eager to please and just wanted our affection. She didn't mind treats every once in a while either. ;)

The vet did an x-ray at one of her early appointments and found a BB from a BB gun lodged in her hip. I couldn't believe it! This poor, innocent dog had been shot at some point in her first six months of life. She had every reason to be scared and untrusting of people, yet she loved us from the start. I've learned so much about unconditional love from Jenny, and I honestly think I will be a better parent for it in the future. 

Today, I am excited to share with you all that PEDIGREE® has partnered with Sam's Club to give back to dogs in need, dogs just like Jenny before she became ours. When a PEDIGREE® product is purchased at Sam's Club, the PEDIGREE® brand will donate a bowl of food to a dog in need. I chose the 55 lb bag of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition Dog Food. I love knowing when I use it to fill Jenny's bowl, another dog out there in need will be getting a full bowl too. 

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"A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his."- Marley & Me