A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my newly found psychic abilitites due to my pregnancy. Up until yesterday I had had two encounters with my sixth sense:

• Dream one:I had a dream about Jespers dad eating veggies nuggets. It was the only thing he had in his fridge, and he took them out to fry them. Kind of a weird dream. But the next morning when I woke up, after eating breakfast, Jesper told me that he had, the day before, forced his dad to buy veggie nuggets when they were at the store. He never told me about it so it was very weird I dreamt about it. Anyhoodle, I didnt think anymore about it, thought it was just a coincidence.
• Dream two: My aunt was laying in our couch under my cover, eating bunchloads of swedish cheetos (ostbågar). The next morning I logged in to the chat on my computer. I saw she was online so I asked her if she had eaten cheetos lately. Guess what? She told me that the night before she had stuffed her whole face full of it, until the point she started feeling nauseous!!!
• And now, dream three: On thursday I had a dream that a student of mine told me that a friend of hers wanted to sign up for an introduction class. In the dream I got both the name of my student and her friend. When I woke up I thought about the dream and realized that just the day before, a new student with the same name as an old student of mine just signed up for an introduction class. When I went to check my mail I had gotten an e-mail from another girl wanting to sign up. And guess what, she had the same name as the girl in my dream!!! Not my student, the friend. I still don't know if the girl with the same name as one of my old students and this new girl are friends or not. But if they are, this is even more scary.....


So now I've gone from dreaming about food to actually dreaming about people that exists. I think my abilities are getting stronger. Anyone wanna come for a reading?

Not going to France was probably one of the best decisions we've made for a long time. I dont think I would have been able to enjoy the trip that much. This cold I've catched, combined with my iron deficiency adn the pregnancy itself has just made me soooooo exhausted. Ive been wanting to get out to get some of my vitamin-D, but since the thermometer shows -12 degrees celsius Ive decided to stay inside. To walk around in winter clothes and snow boots makes me even more exhausted since they add another couple of pounds. A cup of tea in bed will have to do for now!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

How your life's changing:

In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.

Most women have a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between now and 28 weeks. This test checks for gestational diabetes, a pregnancy-related high-blood-sugar condition. Untreated diabetes increases your risk of having a difficult vaginal delivery or needing a cesarean section because it causes your baby to grow too large, especially in his upper body. It also raises your baby's odds for other complications like low blood sugar right after birth. A positive result on your GCT doesn't mean you have gestational diabetes, but it does mean that you'll need to take the glucose tolerance test (GTT) to find out for sure.

Finally, if you don't already know how to spot the signs of preterm labor, now's the time to learn!

Fostrets utveckling - gravid vecka 24

Din bebis har ännu inte så mycket kroppsfett, men hjärnan växer fort och bebisen är såpass stor att den börjar fylla utrymmet i din livmoder. Var uppmärksam på vad du äter, eftersom det händer så mycket med bebisens hjärna just nu. Vid det här laget ser du förmodligen gravid ut 'på riktigt' och har kanske också en mörk linje (linea nigra) på magen. Din bebis smaklökar håller på att bildas och med dem t o m smaken för sött. Det kanske är orsaken bakom ditt eget sötsug..? Ingen vet helt säkert, men det är ju en bra ursäkt nästa gång du drabbas av godissug!
Bebisen väger nu över 600 gram och är välproportionerad, men med tunn och ömtålig hud och ringa mängd underhudsfett. Hjärnan växer snabbt och bebisen börjar fylla utrymmet i livmodern. Den är ungefär 30 centimeter lång från hjässa till häl. Även om chanserna att bebisen skulle klara sig med rätt vård om den föddes nu är goda, så skulle de flesta läkare och barnmorskor göra sitt bästa för att förhindra en förlossning i det här stadiet så att bebisen får fortsätta utvecklas på ”vanligt” sätt.


Du kanske har fått svaga röda eller bruna strimmor, så kallade strior på mage, höfter eller brösten. Krämer kan inte ta bort dem, men att ha en BH som ger brösten bra stöd kan förebygga strior åtminstone där. Det är väldigt vanligt i det här stadiet av graviditeten – ca 90% av gravida kvinnor får dem. Efter förlossningen bleknar striorna gradvis och lämnar strimmor som är ljusare än kringvarande hud.

Dina ögon kan kännas torrare och vara ljuskänsligare än vanligt. Detta är också normalt under graviditeten och du kan lindra symptomen genom att använda s k konstgjorda tårar (säljs på Apoteket).

Week: 24 full weeks, going on 25
Weight gained so far: 17,6 lbs (8kg)
Days 'til due date: 111

Omg, she's kicking like crazy in there. Aparently she seems to think my womb is a circus stage....
Now we can actually see her movements from the outside when Im laying down, real cool =)

Paris trip got canceled. Mama's sicky =(. Spending my four days off doing some baby preparations w hubby instead, combined with bed rest and major sniffeling...

This is a picture of the famous non-organic tangerine on january 19th:

Woke up this morning with a small cold. Now I feel it's getting worse, starting to feel heat behind my eyes. I never have fever when I just have a cold so this is sorta worrying. Keeping my fingers crossed for it not to get worse since we're going to Paris tomorrow, aaaaaaahhhh!

I just realized it's only one week left until my maternity yoga class att Green Yoga starts, woohooo!!!
It'll feel soooo good to be able to go and be a "normal" student ant take a class from someone else. Just go, learn, do, and then leave. Aaaahh the perks!

We went to our obstetrician this morning, bright and early, just for a check up. This was supposed to be the first time we got to hear our baby girl's heart beats, but we already got to do that when I went in for tests the other week.
It's still cool though, to hear her tiny heart beating. This morning she let us know that she didnt really like being bothered that early in the day. We got to hear a couple of heartbeats before we heard a BIG "thump". She kicked the monitoring device. Guess she's got her daddy's morning temper. That mixed with my regular level of energy makes for a good match...... But who wouldn't be pissed if someone stuck a microphone in your face when you just woke up? I personally I would probably send off some ninja moves meeself!

I think I might have a future soccer player living in my tummy, geez louise. She's kicking more and more each day, might be getting a bit cramped in there =). Maybe me and Victoria can hang when our baby girl gets bigger. I think one of the Beckham boys would be a great match for our girl =)

Was supposed to train my teachers tonight. But of course our heater stopped working so now it's freeeeeeezing downstairs, gaaaaaaah! Im so over this whole heater deal, makes me sick......

On top of it all I just tripped on the rug in our bathroom, didn't break my back but something definitely doesen't feel very good, think something got twisted, hurts like hell. So right now Im doing paperwork standing up, awesome....

We just discovered that kitty barfed on my pile of work papers that I was about to file. They were laying on our livingroom floor and aparently she has barfed on some of them then used the rest to cover up her mess, here kitty kitty kitty......

Im kwwping my fingers crossed for the weather report to keep on changin towards the sunny side, in Paris that is. Cause in three days we're off to the city of romance!!!!
Aaaaaaah I can't wait, Im soooooo excited. I dont care if we spend the whole three days just sitting down at a Parisian café eating nothing but baguettes, it'll feel soooooooo good to get away for a couple of days. we're only allowed to bring our carry on, that's 10kg each. Now travel light hasn't been one of my best qualities but Im working on it. Now I really dont have any choice. Besides, we're not going to Paris to shop anyway, we're just going there to relax, visit the tourist attractions and eat good food.
One of the things tha we're gonna visit (besides forom the Eiffel Tower of course) is the Catacombs. Exciting but at the same time real scary...

23 full weeks, going on week 24!

How your baby's growing:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

How your life's changing:

You may notice that your ankles and feet start to swell a bit in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or during the heat of summer. Sluggish circulation in your legs — coupled with changes in your blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as edema. Your body will get rid of the extra fluid after you have your baby, which is why you'll pee frequently and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery. In the meantime, lie on your left side or put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, and avoid sitting — or standing — in one place for long periods. Also, try to exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning) and roomy, comfortable shoes. You may be tempted to skimp on liquids to combat swelling, but you need to drink plenty of water because staying hydrated actually helps prevent fluid retention. While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Be sure to call your midwife or doctor if you have severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, swelling in your face, or puffiness around your eyes.

Fostrets utveckling - gravid vecka 23

Nu är du 23 veckor gången (eller gravid i 24:e veckan, om du föredrar att räkna så). Ser du fram mot förlossningen? Om du har så mycket energi att du hoppar omkring av glädje, kan din bebis ta del av det eftersom både hörsel och balanssinne är välutvecklade nu. Dessutom kan den blinka. När du nått vecka 24 är din bebis såpass utvecklad att den har en överlevnadschans om den skulle födas för tidigt. För varje vecka som går kommer din bebis att mogna mer och mer och bli bättre rustad att möta världen utanför din kropp.
Bebisen väger nu strax över ett halvt kilo och är nästan 30 cm lång från hjässa till häl. Hörseln är välutvecklad och den kan höra din röst (som under vatten), dina hjärtslag och de mullrande, gurglande och kurrande ljud din mage och tarm gör. Höga ljud som bebisen ofta hör inne i livmodern, t ex hundskall eller dammsugaren, kommer förmodligen inte att låta otäcka efter födseln.

Många studier pekar på att bebisar i magen ofta gillar klassisk musik – av någon anledning särskilt Vivaldi. Pröva att spela Quattro Staggione och se om bebisen reagerar. Lugnar den ner sig när musiken är långsam och blir livligare när den är snabbare? Vem vet, du kanske bär på en blivande dirigent!

Din bebis hörsel fortsätter att utvecklas och lungorna håller på att förbereda sig inför livet utanför. Den sväljer fostervatten, men kommer förmodligen inte att bajsa förrän den är född.

Om bebisen föddes nu så skulle den ha en liten chans att klara sig (ca 16%), förutsatt att den får rätt vård. I detta stadium spelar varje dag i livmodern roll. Om bebisen föds nästa vecka, vid 24 veckor, skulle överlevnadschansen öka till 44%.

Du kanske börjar känna dig klumpig och ovig nu när din tyngdpunkt förflyttat sig. Tandköttet blöder eventuellt när du borstar tänderna och du kanske har fått knoppnavel? Sådant kommer att gå tillbaks till hur det var förut efter förlossningen.

Mitten av graviditeten är en bra tid att resa!

Week: 23 full weeks, going on 24
Weight gained so far: 15,4 lbs (7kg). No weight gained this week, but I'll catch up =
Days 'til due date: 118

What an awesome day I have had today!

Today I was sub teaching 3rd graders, such a fun and cute class! I left with a picture of my baby crawling (and a picture of my tummy) and a hair tie with pastel braids in it (that I had to wear for the whole day while teaching cause one of the girls gave it to me, I looked like a overgrown teenager, hahaha) and the cell phone number of four of the girls in the class (?). Hhhhmmm, parents really should be aware and remember to tell their kids not to give their numbers to just anyone, pretty scary when you think about it. The girls asked for my phone number as well as my msn. I had to tell them no and came up with a story about not having/not using msn, figured I would get a bunch of 3rd graders chatting with me all the time if I did. They were really cute, but still...
I also got to write my autograph (with a surrounding heart and the word "kiss") on a piece of paper to some of the girls, hahahaha, what a frikkin celebrity I am =) !


After teaching I left to get some veggie sushi and went over to a friend who has just had her second child. Soooooo cute, little Martin is his name =). After sushi my friend treated me to some goodie goodies = a swedish sweet called "Semla", yum!

Went home to prepare for tonights pole dancing introduction class at Dinali Center. Full class tonight, awesome! One girl didnt show up, but still, good turn out! After the class 7 out of 9 students signed up for next session, I couldn't be happier!
Two of my awesome trainees helped out during the class, my heart goes out to you two. Splendid work tonight!

Now I'm aaaaaall weekend. Tomorrow Im not even gonna turn on my computer, just gonna enjoy my day off to the fullest. On sunday we're off to IKEA to buy some stuff for our baby girl's room, then to have lunch with some friends. After that I have to go work at the newspaper, so sunday is pretty much all booked. That's why tomorrow is resting day for sure!
Some of Dinali's girs are going down to Stockholm to attend Battle of the Pole tomorrow. I really wish I could join them, but my back starts hurting when I sit down for too long, like on the train/bus, so Im staying home. Have fun girls! Mama needses her rest...

Over and out!

Yesterday was awesome, Im talking about the Beautiful Business Award. Unfortunately I got way too tired to stay for the whole thing so I left during the break, after enjoying the awesome food they served =)
We got a goody bag filled w stuff to bring home. Felt like a real Hollywood award show!
I had a smal brain malfunction during the day. I have this herbal shop I have been wanting to visit for so long. A couple of days ago I checked out the website and saw that they were gonna be closed until february 1rst. But even though I knew that I still printed out a map to the darn place before leaving yesterday. When we got down to Stockholm I first went for a coffee cause I was freezing after having walked for about 5min(I had my oh so fabulous but oh so useless snow boots from LA, they don't really function well in snow....), then I walked another 10min to the herbal store only to find out that they were closed. And then I remembered that I had read it on their website a couple of days ago.
As I've said before: baby in  - brain cells out......

Today Ive been trying to regroup meeself to figure out what I need to do next. Worked out so so.... A group of ladies from the local Ladies Circle visited Dinali Center and first got to hear me speak about the company, then my trainees taught them one trick and after that we had our weekly trainee training, awesome!

I was planning to take it easy this week/weekend, but it looks like that's not gonna happen. I have work tomorrow day/night and on friday night. And today I got called in to subteach 3rd graders on friday morning, and to work at the newspaper on sunday night. Good to make some bacon!
We're off to Gävle for lunch on sunday and on saturday I will for sure take the whoooooooole day off. Mama needses some rest every now and then =)

Next week I will try to somewhat take it easy on monday through wednesday. Cause on thursday we're finally leaving for Paris, woohoooo!!! That's kinda how it works around here, we need to go away to not to work. As long as we're at home there's always work to do. Geez Louise...


The little one's protesting in my tummy right now, gotta get up and move around some =)

Ok, this one is orange, and usually this saying referrs to snow not fruit. But anyhoodle. I bought this tangerine on new years before getting on the bus back to Söderhamn after working in Stockholm. Me and beau always buy organic fruit. And you who have ever bought organic fruit and have let it sit out probably knows that it turns bad after a week or so, just like real fruit should.

So this tangerine that I bought was a non-organic one, I was in a hurry for the bus and didn't have time to stop at a store where I could buy organic, and I knew I needed to eat something on the bus. I ended up not eating the darn thing anyway, and when I came home I just left it in a plastic bag and forgot about it. I found it a couple of days ago and though "oh mu god, this one's gonna smell soooo bad". But low and behold: When I took the tangerine out of the plastic bag AFTER THREE WEEKS it still looked the same and felt the same. It hadn't started turning bad at all. Yyyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuk!

So no this non-organic tangerine is my latest project. It's sitting on a tray in our kitchen, I wanna see how long it takes before it turns bad. I wonder if it is a real tangerine at all, maybe it's a plastic fruit?
WHat to learn from this? DON'T EAT NON-ORGANIC FRUIT!!! If the fruit doesen't turn bad after three weeks, it probably isn't that good for you, sprayed with all kinds of pestcides, yuk....

I was nominated for this Beautiful Business Award. But I found out, in the midst of the worst of the pregnancy nausea, that you hade to write something about yourself, about why you should win the award. Need I say I didn't have the energy to do that (didn't have the energy to get out of bed even) around that time. Too bad, it would've been real cool to see if I would've won.

But tomorrow is the day for the award ceremony down in Stockholm. Even though I didn't manage to pull meeself together for the writing deelio, I am still going down there to attend the award ceremony itself. It's always good to do some networking!
Im really looking forward to it. Getting a ride down there, beau is going down to Stockholm anyway, so I don't have to sit on the frikkin train getting nauseous like I did on sunday...
There will be the actual award ceremony, mingeling, food and a performance by Ane Brun, awesome!

Beautiful Business Award here I come!

All y'all who dont understand swedish, use Google Translate for this one!


Jag har ju mig ett litet företag, Dinali Center, som är min lilla ögonsten. Har bara hållit igång i ca 1 år, men har redan lyckats anställa två toppenlärare, och i metropolen Ljusne dessutom!

Så nu tycker jag att alla ni som anser att Dinali Center borde få sin första utmärkelse ska gå till: http://www.halsinglandsentreprenor.se/ och nominera Dinali Center (och mig), senast den 31 januari!

Målbilden för Hälsinglands entreprenör är någon som:
- Är verksam i Hälsingland och skapar sysselsättning och fördelar för landskapet i omvärlden (check)
- Driver ett entreprenörskap med ett engagemang för hela samhällets utveckling (check)
- Agerar med god etik och moral (check)


Takk & bokk på förhand!

We just ordered this set for our baby girl:

I spent the weekend at Jenny-Jen's in Masmo south of central Stockholm (SSC = Stockholm South Central....hhmmm....not quite as dangerous as LA South Central, I promise you). Since I skipped day two of my classes due to back pain, I got to attend her oh so longed for booktrademeeting.
What it is? Well, this is what you need for one of those:

• Awesome homemade cookies and cakes
• Coffee and tea
• Books that you have already read and you liked/disliked, don't wanna read,or just got tired of
• A bunch of ladies willing to trade their books matching the above criterias

So that's what we did. Jenny-Jen had spent most of saturday making the most awesomest cookies and cakes (of course I got to try some when I got back from my class on saturday as well...) and invited some of her friends. So on sunday afternoon we sat down in bestest Wisteria Lane-style, drank coffee, ate cookies/cakes and then traded some books. Since I wasn't supposed to be there I hadn't brought any books, but I still left with two:

Week: 22 full weeks, going on 23
Weight gained so far: 15,4 lbs (7kg)
Days 'til due date: 123

45% left. She's a frikkin ninja I tell ya. Keeps on moving around whenever Im still. Mom tells me I was just the same, even after I was born. So I guess we alreday know what's ahead of us....
Will post a new belly pic on monday or so!

How your baby's growing:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

How your life's changing:

At this point, you may find your belly becoming a hand magnet. It's perfectly okay to tell folks who touch your tummy that you'd rather they didn't. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that each woman grows — and shows — at her own rate. What's important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby's growth is on track.

You may start to notice stretch marks on your abdomen as it expands to accommodate your growing baby. At least half of all pregnant women will develop stretch marks by the time they give birth. These small streaks of differently textured skin can range from pink to dark brown (depending on your skin color). Although they most commonly appear on your tummy, stretch marks may also show up on your buttocks, thighs, hips, and breasts. There's no proof that lotion helps prevent stretch marks, but keeping your skin moisturized may help with any itching.

Fostrets utveckling - gravid vecka 22

Nu är du 22 veckor gången (eller gravid i 23:e veckan, om du föredrar att räkna så). Din bebis är fortfarande ganska skrynklig eftersom huden har växtmån, men ser mer och mer ut som en 'riktig' nyfödd bebis med tydliga läppar, ögonlock och öron. Du kanske fått höra att du ser större eller mindre än vad du 'borde' vid det här laget, men det kan vara värt att veta att varken kvinnor som väntar barn eller deras bebisar alltid växer i precis samma takt. Det viktigaste är att du utvecklas, inte hur fort eller långsamt det går. Om du och din barnmorska är nöjda med din utveckling, kan du lugnt ignorera sådana kommentarer.

Nu väger bebisen nästan ett halvt kilo, cirka 430 gram, är drygt 27 centimeter lång från hjässa till häl och har samma proportioner som en nyfödd bebis, om än lite spinkigare eftersom bebishullet inte utvecklats ännu. Innan detta sker, ser huden lite skrynklig ut, men bebisen lägger på sig lite varje dag nu. Läppar och ögon är formade, men iris (regnbågshinnan) saknar fortfarande pigment. Bukspottkörteln utvecklas stadigt.

Redan nu finns tandanlag i käkarna och det dröjer inte så länge innan bebisen är född och så småningom får sina första tänder.

Hittills har du förmodligen ökat i vikt med mellan 5,5 och 7 kg, men från och med nu kommer du att öka snabbare i vikt – räkna med strax under ett kvarts kilo per vecka. Det är vanligt och helt normalt att få sug efter specifik mat och ökade (men inte blodblandade) flytningar.

Left for Stockholm yesterday. Tried studying on the train but I got nauseous so I had to try sleep some. Didn't get to Jenny-Jen's until around 10:45pm, reeeeeally tired, and so was she =)
"Slept" on the couch as usual, if you can call it sleeping. I spent most of the night awake thinking I had pressed the snooze button on my alarm klock. Whenever I would fall back to sleep, I would have the weirdest dreams for about 30min or so, then I would wake up thinking I had pressed the snooze button then fallen back to sleep. I would stay awake for a while, until I realized I probably wasnt supposed to wake up just yet, then I got back to sleep and the circle started over. I was gonna get up at 6am and at that time it's still pitch black outside this time of year, so looking out the window when I was waking up didnt really help telling me what time it was....

All this waking/sleepin/dreaming businees apparently gave me hot flashes, so when I woke up for real (exhausted since I hadnt slept for the whole night) I was soaking wet, I mean literally. My hair was sticking to my neck and I was sweating like never before. Aaah the glorious life of a pregnant woman...
Jenny-Jen told me to turn on the temporary heater if I thought it got too cold at night. Luckily I didn't, I would've burned to death. I was like frikkin' Ashtanga sleeping I tell ya!

So I finally got up, got ready and went to my Fytotherapy class. I guess the day went pretty well. I was really tired though,but I managed to stay awake. But after almost a whole day of sitting down my back started hurting real bad =(. Due to that I decided to skip tomorrows class. The things we we're gonna talk about tomorrow I can study on my own, and it's not worth ruining my back just to sit and listen to someone speaking. Yes, I pay for the classes but my body is worth more than that.

So on tomorrows schedule there's maybe some yoga to stretch out my back, a walk in the winter wonderland with Jenny-Jen, "booktrademeeting" (yep) with homemade cookies (courtesy of Jenny-Jen), then it's time to go back home to my <3

Oh, we had a test last time in class. I felt soooo confused so I really didnt think I did any good. But I only missed three points (and that was three things I just couldnt remember due to pregnancy brain malfunction), awesome me! =). Let's keep our fingers crossed for the test we did today!

I made a waffle breakfast for me and love. He bought pizza for lunch for us. Awesome trade huh <3


Caught up in my studies. Phytoteraphy test tomorrow morning, geez louise.... Gettin on the train down to Stockholm in 4 hours and then I wont be able to do much studying then, I get so nauseous.... But first some yoga to de-stress!!!

Two times, it has happened two times so far. The first time I had a dream about Jespers dad eating veggies nuggets. It was the only thing he had in his fridge, and he took them out to fry them. Kind of a weird dream. But the next morning when I woke up, after eating breakfast, Jesper told me that he had, the day before, forced his dad to buy veggie nuggets when they were at the store. He never told me about it so it was very weird I dreamt about it. Anyhoodle, I didnt think anymore about it, thought it was just a coincidence.

But tonight I had another dream. My aut was laying in our couch under my cover, eating bunchloads of swedish cheetos (ostbågar).
A moment ago I logged in to the chat on my computer. I saw she was online so I asked her if she had eaten sheetos lately. Guess what? She told me that yesterday she had stuffed her whole face full of it, until the point she started feeling nauseous!!!

My jaw dropped. Thats two dreams. Now Im just waiting for strike three...
Think Im turning in to frikkin Alison Dubois (from "Medium"). Scary. But hey, maybe Ill start making some money off of it!!!

Things that makes me tired these days:

• Eating
• Not eating
• Thinking about eating
• Going on a walk
• Thinking about going on a walk
• Standing up
• Sitting/laying down
• Work
• Thinking about working
• Not working
• Watching TV
• Working out
• Not working out
• Thinking about working out
• Bookkeeping
• Thinking about bookkeeping

Hhhhmm, what to do what to do....Im aiming for to take a nice long hot bath today, sounds nice, but makes me tired....

Doesen't matter how I sit, kitty is determined to snuggle in my lap no matter if there's room or not. Now she's squeesed in between my evergrowing babybelly and the computer, purring as never before....

Had a 1,5h personal meeting with my business coach today. Spoke about the future for my company (Dinali Center). Its so good to have someone to juggle ideas with, who can show you in the right direction. Cause as for now I kinda feel like "baby in - braincells out". But I had written down everything very neatly, a plan for the next 4 years, and I got a really good response form her.

Now it's time to feed the baby and meeself, then back to my studies & bookkeeping, woohooo!

Just realised today that I havent had any hormone freak outs in like 1,5 week. Need I say that husband is very happy about that? After having had a wife yelling at him for buying too much soda (!) I think he likes the good mood. It feels real good for me as well as I get so frikkin tired getting pissed for every little thing. And being pissed in the brittish meaning of the word isnt something I have been since....I think july of last year. I stopped drinking alcohol even before we got pregnant, to prepare my body for what was to come!

My back is hurting today =(. I trained my trainees yesterday and I think I got a little overly excited doing the warm up. Apparently I shouldnt be doing any straneous excercises anyway, being as far in to the pregnancy as I am. My pelvic bone is getting softer so I should probably be a bit more careful even though I feel better than before. But it's sooooooooooo hard. Four months left, only four months....

Now I dont know where your dirty mind wandered off reading the headline =), but what Im talking about are these:

Environ dix-sept jours, nous allons aller à la capitale romantique de Paris! Il sera si gentil. Ce sera le dernier voyage, nous pouvons faire pour longtemps. Deux semaines après j'ai commencé à travailler, et quand je termine le travail en avril, je n'ai plus la mouche parce que j'ai trop loin dans sa grossesse.
Mais pendant les trois jours, nous sommes où nous en prendre réellement la possibilité de jouir!

Me and love took a nice walk today. The weather report said -15 C, but as it turned out the temperature only went down to -7 C which was perfect for a walk!

Our baby girl was just kicking like crazy so I told Jesper to put his hand on my tummy, and he felt her kicking for the first time!!!! You should have seen the smile on his face when she was high fiving him <3

Week: 21 full weeks, going on 22
Weight gained so far: 14,3 lbs (6,5kg)
Days 'til due date: 131

They talk about how I should start excersising, and that's really what Ive been trying to do lately. Took about a 1h walk today (usually takes me about 40-45 min to walk the same distance) and I got soooooooo tired. But Im not giving up. In 3,5 weeks Im starting my maternity yoga class that bestest husband gave me <3
The little one's kicking in my tummy more and more now, really cool. It feels like I have nerves twitching, but its her cute little arms and legs moving around, she's a frikkin ninja =)
Im gonna start singing to her more, now that she can hear with her tiny ears. I havent had the energy to actually sit down by the piano and compose lately but I'll try to get back to it asap!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

How your life's changing:

You're probably feeling pretty comfortable these days. You're not too big yet, and the usual discomforts associated with early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. If you're feeling good, relax and enjoy it while you can — the third trimester may bring with it a new crop of complaints.

That's not to say you won't have some minor glitches to deal with now. For example, increased oil production may contribute to the development (or worsening) of acne. If that's the case, be diligent about washing well with a gentle soap or cleanser twice a day, and make sure that any moisturizer or make-up you use is oil-free. Don't take any oral acne medications — some are very hazardous during pregnancy — or use any topical acne products without first checking with your practitioner.

You're also more prone to varicose veins now. As your pregnancy progresses, there's increasing pressure on the veins in your legs; higher progesterone levels, which may cause the walls of your veins to relax, can make the problem worse. You're more likely to get varicose veins if other family members have them. Also, they tend to get worse with each successive pregnancy and as you age. To help prevent or minimize varicose veins, exercise daily, prop up your feet and legs whenever possible, sleep on your left side, and wear maternity support hose.

You may also notice so-called spider veins (a group of tiny blood vessels near the surface of your skin), particularly on your ankles, legs, or face. They may have a spider- or sunburst-like pattern with little branches radiating out from the center, they may look like the branches of a tree, or they may be a group of separate thin lines with no particular pattern. Though they may be a bit unsightly, spider veins don't cause discomfort and usually disappear after delivery.

Fostrets utveckling - gravid vecka 21

Nu är du 21 veckor gången (eller gravid i 22:e veckan, om du föredrar att räkna så). Snart kan det kännas som din bebis tränar karate därinne — det som tidigare var kittlande rörelser som av fjärilsvingar blir så småningom riktiga sparkar. Gradvis kommer du förmodligen kunna skönja en rytm i din bebis aktivitetsnivåer. Vissa bebisar är väldigt aktiva på kvällen när du försöker gå och lägga dig, andra rör sig mest dagtid. Kring den här tiden prövar din bebis olika ansiktsuttryck, men den öppnar ännu inte ögonen på ett litet tag.


Nu väger fostret cirka 360 gram och är ungefär 27 centimeter långt från hjässa till häl. Ögonbryn och ögonlock är fullt utvecklade och fingertopparna täcks av naglar.

”Små grytor har stora öron”: Nu kan bebisen höra vad du säger eller sjunger. Vissa studier pekar på att att nyfödda barn suger kraftigare om de lyssnar på en saga de hört ofta i livmodern. Om du vill göra din egen ”vetenskapliga” undersökning, kan du välja en bok du tycker om och läsa den högt. Det är klokt att välja något du inte kommer att tröttna på i brådrasket, eftersom det kan råka på att bli en storfavorit som du får läsa många, många kvällar framöver...

Du mår förhoppningsvis ganska bra nu. Generellt är detta den behagligaste fasen av graviditeten. Du har ännu inte blivit så stor att det är jobbigt och de vanligaste biverkningarna av att vänta barn, som illamående, tryck på blåsan och trötthet har förmodligen lagt sig. Njut medan det varar. Den tredje trimestern ligger framför dig och kan föra med sig lättare besvär som kommer av att bära en större bebis i magen.

52,5%, that's how far in to the pregnancy I am right now. Since I have less to go than I already have gone I think I can say the countdown has begun, right? =)


After four days of iron supplements I feel Im' getting back on track, I'm not as tired as before which feels really good. But Im still gonna take it easy this weekend;

• Studying (I have a test next weekend, Phytoterapy, gotta study my ass off....
• Taking a walk or two (frikkin cold outside, but I needs to move my bumsie!)
• The gym (did get pissed after my last visit, but Im not a gemini for nothing....)
• Good food (sirloin steak and pommes duchesse is what's on the menu for tonight, yum!)

Besides from this Im just gonna lay down and relax, watch TV. Still get exhausted by doing almost anything so I have to listen to my body...

Hopefully I'll remember to take and post some new belly pics tomorrow, going in to week 22!

So the next pregnancy affliction for me is; heartburn of doom!!!
Every night at around 9-10pm is starts. I can barely lay down to sleep cause it feels like my esophagus will be completely burned out.
Last night I had just about had it with being preggers. Then I remembered something we learned at my Ayurvedic course: Chewing on cloves!
Bu taking about three whole cloves, chewing them (yup, it will be real strong, almost numbing to your mouth...), and then swallow it down with a little bit of hot water (not from the tap, make tea water), you help regulate your tummy and help the cardia to close.
So since I was about to die(!) from my heartburn I took six cloves, chewed them real well, rinsed them down with just a little bit of water and some organic greek yoghurt and voila, heartburn was gone!
Felt real good not to take heartburn pills from the pharmacy, yuk...

I just found this awesome sites w all natural beauty care:

www.renskonhet.com
www.softskin.se

Awesome if you don't like having your everyday beauty regimen consisting of products stuffed with all sorts of chemicals.

I also buy a lot of stuff from:

http://www.hemkokat.nu/

It's a great place to buy facial oils among other things. Works wonders on your skin during the winter I tell ya!

I believe it's as dangerous for you (and your unborn baby if you're pregnant) to use beauty products containing all that crap they usually do as it is eating food containing additives and pesticides. So here's yet another way to go organic and natural!
Remember: don't put anything on your body/face that you don't wanna put in your mouth!

I just spoke to a my fellow pregnant friend and she proudly told me that sh'es gone completely organic. The reason being that her sister just recently met a scientist who in a study had proven a directlink between pregnant moms eating food containing additives and pesticides and the risk of their babies being born with autism. The number of babies with autism being born majorly increases every year.
I remeber hearing about a similar study a couple of years ago and after studying Ayurveda and phytotherapy AND hearing about the study this scientist had made, Im more convinced than ever that going completely organic is the right choice. Not only for pregnant women, but for everyone. And I cerntainly want to do everything to keep my baby from being born with autism or any other kind of disorder, allergy och disease.

By eating organic food you do not only do yourself (and our unborn baby if you're pregnant) a favour. You help keeping the earth a safe place to live. Sure, you can rarely read on an orange about it's ingredients, since it's just an orange. But if you choose an organic orange you make sure pestecides aren't used to spray the fruit while growing, preventing dangerous chemicals soaking in to the ground poisoning the earth and the water surrounding it. So even if you yourself don't mind eating chemicals, give a thought to everyone, especially our future kids, wanting to go for a swim in the ocean without having their eyes burned out (ok, maybe Im a bit drastic here, but sometimes that's what it takes, and you never know).

And now to the downer: Just got back from the gym. Holy crap. There aren't a bunchload of exercises you can do without the use of your core muscles I tell ya. I biked for 2km, then I did some upper body work. But I got so frikkin pissed when I felt I wasn't able to do most of the exercises I could before. Sure, I haven't been able to work out since around september because that's when the nausea started, followed by back problems and now the anaemia. But if being a slacker would've been the only problem I would be fine. Now it just felt like my abs (or lack thereof) were hindering me from doing even the most simple exercises. I can't use my core muscles anymore, they've been sorta disconnected from my body.....

I just heard someone say that I should keep track of when the baby is moving in my tummy, cause apparently when I feel she's awake now is going to be her schedule once she arrives. According to that philosophy she'll be awake whenever Im still, no matter what time of day it is, and asleep when I move around, cause that's how it is right now. Whenever I sit or lay still, she starts moving around. But when Im up walking she seems to be asleep. Guess that'll mkae me loose those stubborn baby pounds in the blink of an eye, if she's gonna make me walk around with her in the stroller or the BabyBjörn all the time.... When I was a baby I didn't wanna lay down in my stroller at all, my mom and dad had to carry me around all the time, I was too curious to wanna lay down and not see a thing.

Gonna try to go to the gym later and work on those guns of mine. Havent been there forever because of my back and the oh so lovely nausea of mine. Feel it's about time to get back to business. Can't work on my abs anymore, apparently they have been disconnected from my body, so I'll try some upper body and maybe some legs and back, all expect the stomach. Hopefully it'll make the little frog happy having mommy moving around, so now I'll compensate by laying my ass down on the couch for a bit =)

Ooooh sooo many goodies, only one kid. Think we're gonna have to have another one after this =)

http://www.familjeliv.se/hem/mrs_garneij/onskelista.php?wishlist=1084

So after my little pregnancy scare yesterday Im trying even harder to take it easy and rest more than I usually do, cause my body keeps elling me I have to. Its real hard to get exhausted by not really doing anything, just gettin in the car so that we can go to the grocery store exhausts me, and that's on the way TO the grocery store, needless to say Im even more exhausted after doing the shopping...

Luckily I have my bestest husband to take care of me when things get real bad =). Im gonn try n make some meatloaf tonight, to increase my iron a bit. I don't have as much of a headache as yesterday, but I can feel it lingering in the back of my head. But I do look like I haven't slept for a couple of days, dark circles around my eyes. The iron deficiency apparently doesen't affect the baby, my body makes sure she gets whatever vitamines and minerals she needs, that's why I get so affected by the deficiency. Hopefully it'll get better soon.
The wee one does seem to be feeling very well in my tummy though. She starts kicking and moving around like a crazy person when it's time for me to go to bed or lay down on the couch to rest. But it's all good, babies are supposed to be lively!!

I'll try to get some rest now, before training my trainees tonight!

Had to go to my obstetrician to have some tests done since the headache wouldn't give in and I was feeling so nauseous. My guess was anaemia but when I started googeling the sypmtoms another psooibility came up; preeclampsia. So we thought better safe than sorry and went to the doctors office.
As it turned out it was only anaemia. So now I've stocked up with iron supplements and there will be red meat on the menu for the rest of the week!
Still have a headache and some nausea and Im real tired, but nothing a medium rare beef can't fix =)
Something good came out of this whole thing; we got to hear our baby girl's heart beats for the first time, omg! Real cool I must say. She's a lively one, wouldn't lay still so the obstetrician had to push my tummy and decrease the moving space for the baby to make her stay still. That's mama's girl alright!

Now back to bed and keep on planning our red meat menu for the rest of the week. There's gonna be a lot of wild game since we have the freezer full of it...

Was supposed to have a breakfast meeting with a fellow business woman today. But I woke up at 8:15am with a screaming headache and nausea, yuk. Hopefully just some pregnancy ailments and not stomach flu, but you never know. I best stay in bed today, at least for a couple of hours to see if it goes away by itself. Might make beau go get some blueberrysoup to make it all better =)

Even though Im gonna try to take it a bit easy during january I still have to work every now and then. I'll be training my trainees twice a week starting today, and then there are some intro classes scheduled as well. So, today Im gonna go down to the office for the first time since december 19th, geez....
Luckily I can rest pretty much whenever I want to. I took an hour walk this morning that made me real exhausted and of course my back started hurting...

Back to work, while I dream about a vacay to Aruba:

Don't eat more than I did before getting preggers and I do eat healthy. But I've addd some cravings to my list:

• Cheese (mozzarella, soft cheese, hard cheese, all of it is sooooo good)
• Jalapeños (want them on EVERYTHING, but they do give me a heartburn)
• Fanta Lemon (though sodas aren't that good for either me or my baby girl, so I only drink sodas on saturdays and the rest of the week I stick to lemon water...)

It's not like I gett pissed if I don't get these things, but it's realy weird to have cravings for such specific things.


Last night Malin and her man came to visit so we could bump our tummys together =). She's due on may 22nd, just like me. Pizza (w gorgonzola), fanta (lemon), candy and ice cream was on the menu for the night, awesome!
We watched Paranormal Activity but I think me and Malin missed out on most of the scary parts cause I kept on squinting and peekin in between my fingers and she kept her ears covered....

Think it's time for a walk now, over and out!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

How your life's changing:

Congratulations! You've hit the halfway mark in your pregnancy. The top of your uterus is about level with your belly button, and you've likely gained around 10 pounds. Expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on. (If you started your pregnancy underweight, you may need to gain a bit more; if you were overweight, perhaps a bit less.) Make sure you're getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron to keep up with your expanding blood volume, as well as for your growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Poultry (especially the dark meat) and shellfish also contain iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

If you haven't already signed up for a childbirth education class, you may want to look into one, especially if you're a first-timer. A structured class will help prepare you and your partner for the rigors of labor and delivery. Most hospitals and birth centers offer classes, either as weekly meetings or as a single intensive, one-day session. Many communities have independent instructors as well. Ask your friends, family members, or caregiver for recommendations.

This Week's Activity:

Treat yourself to something nice. You've made it to the halfway mark in your pregnancy, so celebrate with a little indulgence. Need some ideas?
• For your comfort, try scented candles, a new nightgown or pajamas, or a prenatal massage.
• For a keepsake, splurge on professional pictures of your pregnant self, or a beautiful frame for your baby's first picture after birth. (In the meantime, you can use an ultrasound picture!)
• To feel like a hot momma, buy yourself a piece of clothing that makes you feel really sexy or get a free makeover at a department store.

Fostrets utveckling - gravid vecka 20

Nu är du 20 veckor gången (eller gravid i 21:e veckan, om du föredrar att räkna så). Du kan förmodligen känna hur din bebis rör sig inne i din mage: Dessa kittlande rörelser har de flesta blivande föräldrar sett fram emot. Din bebis tränar nu sitt nya lilla matsmältningssystem genom att svälja fostervatten. I fostervattnet finns näringsämnen och vatten, som bebisen absorberar. Det som blir kvar fortsätter ned i tarmen och bildar barnbeck (mekonium) — den grönsvarta eller ljusbruna substans som är din bebis första bajs och som kommer ut de första dagarna efter födseln. Kring den här tiden kommer du som är förstföderska att gå på återbesök på MVC och då får du ett moderskapsintyg av barnmorskan. Det är ett intyg som bekräftar att du är gravid och ger dig datum för beräknad förlossning. (Kom ihåg att uppdatera ditt förlossningsdatum nedan om det behövs!) Detta intyg ska du skicka till Försäkringskassan. De kommer sedan att skicka dig en blankett som heter "Begäran om föräldrapenning" som du ska fylla i och skicka tillbaks till Försäkringskassan.

Nu är bebisen ungefär 16,5 cm lång från hjässa till rumpa och lägger stadigt på sig i vikt. Det vaxliknande fettlager som kallas fosterfett, eller vernix caseosa, börjar täcka huden för att skydda den mot den långa tiden i fostervattnet. Det underlättar också förlossningen. Bebisen sväljer mer denna vecka, vilket är bra träning för matsmältningssystemet. Det fostervatten som tas in av din bebis spjälkas till vatten (som absorberas) och restprodukter som hamnar i tjocktarmen, där det så småningom bildar barnbeck.

Om du inte redan går i föräldragrupp, kanske du är intresserad av att göra det. Både nya och flerbarnsföräldrar kan dra nytta av strukturerade klasser. En bra motionsgrupp för gravida kan förbereda dig inför förlossningsarbetet. Det är bra att planera det så att du är klar med dina lektioner vid 37 veckor, då du åtminstone teoretiskt sett anses fullgången och redo för förlossning när som helst.

Se till att du får tillräckligt mycket järn. Bebisen behöver det för att tillverka röda blodkroppar, bland annat. Det är i stort sett omöjligt att få i sig för mycket järn bara från mat. Exempel på järnrik mat är magert rött kött, kyckling, fisk, linser och bönor, spenat och berikade frukostprodukter. Läs vår guide till bra kost för att få grepp om vad du behöver mest.

At my sign in at the doctors office I weighed 116.6 lbs (53kg), which is my normal weight. Then I was about 11 weeks in to my pregnancy. But due to my nausea in the beginning I lost so much weight. But at week 11 I had started to eat some and went back up to my normal weight again. Then I've been at 124 lbs (56,5 kg) for a while, and when I got on the scale this morning I had gone up to 127,6 lbs (58 kg), woohooo! Haven't seen those numbers on the scale since I first met my hubby.

It's pretty cool to gain all this weight without really doing anything. I've gotten my appetite back, but I don't eat more food than I normally do and I've gotten back to eating the same kind of healthy food as I did before the nausea started. My back is still hurting (and it's hurting even more after working at Åhléns), so I can't really move around too much which's probably adding to the weight gain. But I do try to move as much as I do can, walking and some maternity yoga at home. Not that easy to go out walking when there's a frikkin blizzard every day and the ground's covered with a lotchi lotchi of snow. Very pretty, but extremely hard to move around in....
In about 4 weeks Im starting my maternity yoga class that beau bought for me , Im soooo looking forward to that.

Our baby girl is moving around more and more in my tummy, really cool. She's about 22-24 cm tall now, from head to toe <3

At work, a couple of more hours to go. True, Im not reeeeally on vacay until next month. I have teacher trainings, intro classes at Dinali Center, phytotherapy classes in Stockholm and a business award in Stockholm to attend. But besides from that I pretty much have january off... =)

And oh, we're off to PARIS at the end of january as well, awesome! A mini vacay just me and my love, thursday through sunday. We're gonna stay at a very centrally located hotel by Seine, walking distance from most tourist attractions. I've been there twice before but then I've been there with people who know the city very well and we've always gone mostly by subway. Jesper's never been in Paris before so since we're gonna be living real central we're gonna be walking around a lot, get to know the town for real. I've also never been up in the Eiffel Tower before, just eaten crepes de marron down by its feet. So we're probably gonna go up this time, real cool. This trip will be the last one we will be able to take in a while since I'll be working february through march, then Im too far into the pregnancy to fly.

Back to work now!