Week 31 of Pregnancy

Where the heck are these weeks going?  So crazy!  9 more weeks to go and Mike and I will have a precious little one.

Our Baby:

I have many different apps that tell me how big the baby is getting every week.  These last few weeks, I have gotten many mixed sizes but I will give you my favorite.  The baby is now 18 inches long and 3.5 pounds (about the size of a head of Romaine lettuce).  This little one is now able to turn their head from side to side and do lots and lots of flips inside my uterus.  Fat is still accumulating and will keep accumulating until it is born!

Physical Changes:

I don’t feel like I have gone through many changes this last week.  My belly may have or may have not gotten bigger.  One big change… though it doesn’t have to really deal with me… is that the baby will push against one side and I can actually feel the little one (probably a little butt).  If I push against the spot the baby will move like crazy… Mike keeps telling me to stop because it must be comfortable if it keeps going to the same spot but I can’t help it sometimes… its so amazing to actually (between muscles, skin, and uterus) be able to feel the baby and see my belly move in all different directions!

How I am feeling:

I am feeling pretty good.  Sleep has been a lot better this week (besides waking up 3-4 times to use the restroom).  Breathing is still getting harder and my heart rate shoots up if I go up and down our stairs.  Other than that… all is good!

Odds and Ends:

Mike is turning 27 tomorrow and this will be the last birthday we get to celebrate without having a little on in tow (outside the uterus)!  I’m pretty sure all of our birthdays will bring a much different meaning once we have our little baby to help us celebrate them. 

We are having a mini-vacation in Colorado Springs.  Mike loves the zoo and so we are going to the Cheyenne Mountain zoo for his birthday!  More to come on the festivities this coming week.

Hope everyone has a great last weekend of July!  I know I am very happy to celebrate it with my husband and welcome in August.  

Week 30 of Pregnancy

TEN more weeks to go!  This number is very welcomed in our book!  It seems so far along 3-0 weeks!

Our Baby:

This week isn’t too exciting with new growth.  Our baby is about 3 pounds and still the same length as last week (~17 inches).  The only big difference (which is quite a big difference) is that our baby’s brain is beginning to form folds for more surface area.  The baby is kicking and doing back flips like no one’s business but I can tell when I need to take it a lot slower because the baby will starts to slow down a little… that is my sign to just lay down and catch up on some rest.. 

How I am feeling:

I was feeling pretty dang good during the first part of this week but then one day I had a really horrible stomach ache and I felt extremely lousy.  I finally put two and two together and discovered that I am becoming either lactose intolerant or sensitive.  Surprisingly, this is quite common during pregnancy.  Your body is so focused on growing a baby and supplying all the hormones that the pregnancy needs that it stops wanting to do some things… like digest lactose.   I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of a pregnant woman not being able to eat ice cream by the pint or gallon-full.  Luckily, Mike ran out and got me some coconut milk “ice cream” which eased my craving. 

Water works can be turned on in seconds flat… that is all I will say about that. 

Physical changes:

I’m noticing that my feet are getting a lot more swollen through the day.  My hips have started to put the hormone, relaxin, to use and they have been quite sore from spreading.  I look at my profile and I hardly recognize the body that I have now.  I’m starting to embrace my growing belly more and more… especially when I see it move and jive during the day but my hips, butt, and thighs are a whole different story… they can go bye-bye!

Braxton Hicks’ contractions have started and they keep me on my toes.  Sometimes they hurt and sometimes they are just really uncomfortable. 

What I am eating:

I didn’t write about this last week but these were cravings from then.  I had a huge craving for powdered donuts.  Mike and I polished off a box of them in a day (It was my reward for passing my glucose test!).  I also had a sample of Malt Vinegar and sea salt chips from Costco… I couldn’t stop thinking about them so we got a bag.  I skillfully polished those off in two days flat.  Carbs are my best friend and I only eat chicken and fish because I have to. 

Odds and Ends:

We finished our childbirth class.  I was probably the worst student in there.  Mike tried to make me participate in “practice” exercises but I just do not believe that practicing on how I should breath will make a difference come labor.  I’ve never been a fan of synchronized breathing and I don’t think I will even think about it when I’m doubled over in pain with a contraction. I did discover that I liked the rebozo (a labor tool which is really just a large scarf or pashmina used to take pressure off of your back) and the birthing ball.  We also learned some labor positions that will hopefully help.  So, I guess it wasn't all a waste.

Mike has been great and he knows exactly what I want during the birth process.  There was an exercise in class where we were given 15 or so cards with two outcomes and he chose all the right outcomes really quickly.  I was looking around the room and most of the other guys looked clueless and I saw the women just grab the cards from them and place them how they wanted them.  I think he will do great come D-day!

Here’s to 30 weeks with 10 or so more to go! 

Week 29 of Pregnancy

As I am going through the week, it seems like it is going quite slow but then I look back and yet another week has passed.  This week has been pretty uneventful… no real news to report!

Our Baby:

This little one is now the size of a butternut squash and weighing in around 3 pounds, already!  He/she is around 17 inches tall, which is almost as tall it will be when it is born!  And I can sure feel it!  The eyes are open now and it is able to distinguish between light and dark but not night and day… as I can feel it squirming every time I wake up in the middle of the night… usually bouncing on my bladder.

Our baby is putting on weight like crazy…mostly fat, which is why it is moving all over the place now (it has lots of energy from that newly formed fat!)

How I am feeling:

I’m still getting emotional almost everyday… I cried this morning because the lady at Century Link wasn’t very nice to me on the phone.  I feel huge and I am definitely not used to feeling that way… which puts more emotional pressure on me.  I’m also getting a little antsy about labor and delivery and how it is going to go about. 

Physical changes:
As I said before, I feel huge and I still have 10.5 weeks to go!  The heat and humidity is really getting to me so I feel tired really quickly if I am outside for too long.  My belly button is slowly on its decent outward… which I am actually looking forward to (I think it will be fun to have an outy for a little while).  My wedding ring is getting tighter by the day and my legs are larger at night than in the morning. 

I think after this week, I might stop weighing myself weekly… especially since I am at the doctor’s office every 2 weeks.  But this week I gained 1.6 pounds… so I am up 20.6 pounds pre-pregnancy.  My doc says I am gaining weight perfectly!

Odds and Ends:

We have scheduled a couple of appointments with pediatricians for a meet and greet.  I’m sure both of us are going to be quiet as we always are and the appointments will go fast. 

Our renovation list will be in full swing next week with the new bath tub going in.  And then tiling will be the next big project for Mike.  I think we are both looking forward to a new and clean area!

We bought our paint for the nursery and our bedroom, which will probably be painted in the next month or so. 

It seems so close yet so far away.  Weekly counting sounds a lot quicker than saying we still have 2 ½ months or all of the summer heat left.   We can’t wait for all of the waiting to be over!

Week 28 of Pregnancy

I feel like I haven’t written anything for quite sometime!  It has been pretty busy around here and with the newly formed (again) nausea and tiredness…I haven’t been very motivated.

But look at the time flying!  I am finally in my 3^rd trimester and I couldn’t be happier or more anxious!  We are in week 28 and even though I didn’t post anything about week 27… I am hoping my readers do not mind. 

Our Baby

This little one has grown so much in the last two weeks!  Our jelly belly weighs in at just over 2 ¼ pounds and is about 15” long!  He/she is now able to blink their eyes and also has eyelashes to bat at us!  Some studies have found that babies at this stage can distinguish its parents’ voices. 

Sometimes when the baby thrashes around it takes me by surprise and makes me jump a little.  There is a definite difference between the last 2 weeks concerning movement.  I now can feel it almost all the time and Mike will usually be able to feel a movement or two once he touches my belly.  

How I am feeling

I feel almost like I did in the first trimester but now I have this big belly to lug around.  Nausea has come back on an almost daily basis and I get so exhausted so quickly.  I also haven’t been sleeping very well and I know that when I have a bad night’s sleep, I’ll usually have a hormonal day along with nausea. 

My emotions have been all over the place from being ecstatic one day to a nervous wreck the next.  One thing is for certain, I am very excited to meet our little one.  I am also very excited for pregnancy to be over with in the next 12 or so weeks.  I am not one of those people who enjoy pregnancy but at the same time I find it so amazing that my body is growing another human.  

I am not having many cravings.  Just a few Cheetos here and there.  I am becoming more and more picky especially with some stomach problems I have been experiencing.

Physical Changes:

I have become much more winded doing small activities like climbing the stairs and watering the garden.  I also have started walking much slower and eating slower (anyone who knows me knows how fast I can usually eat, so this is a big difference for me and for the people around me). 

My wedding ring has just started to become snug even when I put it on in the morning...

I gained one pound each week so I am up 2 pounds from my last update.  My total pregnancy weight gain is +19 pounds.

Odds and Ends

Mike and I have had 2 childbirth classes so far and are going to tour the hospital in the coming weeks.

We also started our baby registry, which was really fun.   I am excited to get everything here after the baby is born!

Our last 4^th of July with just the two of us was really fun.  We went to a BBQ and then went to the park to watch fireworks.  Mike took me to his favorite viewing spot and they were spectacular and very close…we had ash falling on us. 

I have started to dread these weekly photos because I feel like I look so frumpy and tired!

Can't see my feet anymore!