Week 33

Size: Honeydew melon. 4+ pounds. I'm adding a pound a week; he's adding 1/2 pound per week.

Movement: With less amniotic fluid, I have been able to feel a significant increase in movements.

My rockin' bod: Over the last week or so, I have started to feel more uncomfortable. It's significantly harder to tie my shoes or roll over in bed. I guess this might be the beginning of the discomfort that comes with the third trimester. For some reason, I'm still wanting a March baby {so how uncomfortable can I really be?}... we'll see if that changes and when I get to a point of being officially "over it."

Symptoms: Weird dreams continue about everyone not realizing I actually had the baby. But now that I've been to our child birthing class, it seems like it would be hard for people to miss all the drama.

This week:

Ryan and I went to an all-day child birthing class through my OB's office, lead by a Labor & Delivery nurse with 25+ years experience.

All in all, we learned SO much... How to count contractions, pain options, general timeline of events, medical terms to know, what to expect specifically at our hospital, when to call the MD office {and ALWAYS to call them first, no matter what time}, use the Green parking garage, which door to enter, newborn evaluations, etc, etc, etc. 

Ryan would have been fine jumping into it, "he's a risk taker like that." However, I knew less than 2% of what she went over; I am a firm believer that knowledge is power. Ryan and I were even able to talk through a general birth plan after. I wouldn't say I'm excited {I definitely got a little scared}, but I feel exponentially better and more prepared. {Do I really have to wait 6-7ish more weeks??!? I'm ready to get this show on the road}. 

I'd say I'm most anxious about having nothing to eat for 15+ hours in labor and then going straight into such a physically demanding task. {How is that even possible??!} I feel like I'm getting ready for another soccer preseason and won't be allowed to eat for a week through all the work outs/practices. I plan to eat a last meal before going to the hospital. 

The To Do list: It seems important to document big things I've checked off my list! The child birthing class and basic breastfeeding class - done. Also done... Nailed down a pediatrician. Pre-registered at the hospital. Submitted my leave request at work. Got a haircut. Completed and submitted the continuing education units for my ATC certification. Renewed my ATC license for Virginia. Called the insurance company. Made OB appointments through my due date!!! Ah. Have a tentative birth plan!! Ahh. Worked on our baby registry {on babylist} which included picking out a crib, pack n play, stroller/car seat, diapers, pacifiers, coming home outfit, and diaper bag. {A baby registry is a TASK, there are reviews and opinions on EVERY item.}

Still to come... getting ANY of the essential baby items listed above, Christmas returns, nursery set up, line up ordering a pump, pediatrician orientation meeting, getting Wrigley's ears and teeth cleaned, meeting with anesthesiologist, make & freeze lactation cookies.... and pick a baby name.

Looking forward to: An ultrasound at 36 weeks to see position and get an estimated weight. I can't wait to see our little guy! I have been so curious about his position and what has been bulging into my right rib. I would put money on it that he's head down and can tell you exactly where I think his butt is {up by my right rib with good leverage to for his legs/feet to kick}.

Week 31: Christmas!!

Size: Over 3 pounds. Baby is at full birth length {which I think is tall because he is ALWAYS in my right ribs}. Packing on the pounds at a rate of 1/2 pound per week to add fatty tissue before birth.

Sometimes I get really enthusiastic when trying to take a bump picture. 

Symptoms: Pressure on my diaphragm/ shortness of breath. Nightly calf cramps. Increased bathroom trips. Can't lay on my back without losing blood flow to my lower half. Abdomen tightening episodes, especially when I move around quickly or bend over/squish my belly. 

Pregnancy nightmares: {apparently it's a thing}. Last night I had my first scary baby dream. It was the first couple of days after the baby was born and no one would let me feed him! Somehow I forgot to start nursing him and therefore I had no idea if he was getting any food. And no one could answer my questions or bring him to me. Nevertheless, I woke up and realized how irrational it was to think I wouldn't remember to feed him... Guess I've got breastfeeding on my mind. 

Mood: Eeeeeeepp! Two months?!?? Doing well overall! I had an episode of crying at the most random time that turned into laughing because I had no idea where it came from. Ryan handled it well. 

Food: My favorite meal over the holidays was definitely ham on a roll with honey mustard. {Maybe a craving that was easily fulfilled?!} I also enjoyed some other favorites: coconut cake, frozen fruit salad, green beans, broccoli/cheese soup, pretzel salad, sausage balls and orange rolls.

Movement: When we got home from our trip I had two days of serious movement all day. I think he was shy when we were around lots of new people and voices in Alabama. 

Nursery: Ready to clean out my parents "study" and make room for a baby!! We're going to clean out some boxes, set up a changing station, make a place for baby clothes and a nursing chair/rocker. I can turn into a slave driver when it comes to house projects... I promise to try to stay calm. 

Name: Tired of hearing I can't decided?! Samsies.

Baby Daddy: He got this new momma some great Christmas gifts, including a bump/pregnancy pillow, Vera Bradley weekender bag {aka hospital bag}, and a motherhood jacket to fit my bump or a baby under my jacket.

What we did this week:
Ryan, Wrigley and I got to travel to Alabama for Christmas again this year! I'm so glad we didn't miss out on ALL the family traditions. We had a special Christmas morning with our two nieces, Becca & Diana, {and of course sausage balls and orange rolls for breakfast}, spent time with my Granddad {who is doing so much better}, had the whole Huff side in one place and a tour of the Decatur Christmas lights and lots of yummy food.

Low country boil with the Frickies

ALL the Huffs

Weeks 28-30

I know after three more weeks I should have more of an update... But all I can think about is how fast the last three weeks have gone. I don't want time to keep moving this quickly.

I think I did my last self-pedicure for a while. It was SO hard to breath and reach my toes. 

Only change I can come up with are sometimes it's hard to breath. I read that as the baby grows and before he drops, there is a lot of pressure on the diaphragm, which I definitely feel. Especially after I eat, it's hard to sit at the table sitting up in a chair, I always want to lay down and stretch out so I can breath. 

He also likes to tuck his foot under my right rib, which is uncomfortable but I find it so cute because I'm picturing him snuggling into me. He is ALWAYS on my right side {even though I've been sleeping on my left side for most of the night}. 

I'm am definitely not an irritable pregnant lady but it's hard to hear that there are so many things I should be avoiding... Like lifting or moving heavy things, or reaching high up, or bending over to pick something up. I do all of these things regularly as a part of my job and I'm not one to ask for help. 

For the past few weeks, I've also felt like my belly gets in the way more often.... Like when I drop a pen at work and have to bend over to pick it up, or I try to squeeze behind a pulled out chair. Bumping my belly into things is a common occurrence these days.

It's the time of year that Wrigley is extra snugly with the cold weather. I actually get sad that I won't have just wrigley snuggle time much longer. Yes, she is like my child. Yes, she responds when I call her Baby.

Post-birthday, I ate this for breakfast and dessert for many days in a row. 

Week 27

Size: I must have significantly grown over Thanksgiving. Three patients asked me at work when I was due which means there is no hiding this belly. Baby is over two pounds!

Symptoms: Newest addition are some occasional stomach hardening episodes. At first I thought it was the baby moving to a forward position in my uterus. Then I read online this could be painless Braxton Hicks contractions.

Not having many nightly calf cramps anymore and a mostly normal appetite has returned {just in time for some holiday feasts!}. No crazy cravings or aversions. I don't think I'm a very exciting pregnant lady. 

Maternity Wardrobe: HUGE improvements. I bought a miracle pair of maternity jeans. {I'm now a big fan of Jessica Simpson jeans.} I also bought several maternity sweaters, dress pants, leggings and two sets of scrubs. I spent more than I planned to but I've been holding out on shopping for this new body and it was definitely time. My sisters-in-laws and Heather have been encouraging me to dress the bump, so I'm hoping I figured it out just in time for the holidays. 

Movement: Baby moves consistently during the day. Every few days he has sessions of huge movements, usually in the evenings when I lay on my back. I love carrying him with me and having him close all day long. I already feel an attachment of not wanting to be separated! 

Nursery/baby corner: We don't exactly have a nursery in the making, as we are still not sure where we will be living. {Please pray for me as a nesting mommy not knowing what the next several months will bring!}. However, we got a great load of BOY hand-me-down clothes. I enjoyed going through the bins of 0-12 month clothing/supplies, including several warm winter jumpers and the cutest fishing outfit that will be perfect for Ryan's best fishing buddy this summer. ><> <><

Miss Wrigley was NOT happy about all the attention the clothes got. She kept laying on my organized piles and constantly nudging into my lap. See that worried look on her face?! She was over it.

Gender: Did you catch it above?? We are having a BOY! I was not surprised at all when we found out - I was already 98% convinced it was a boy. We had a plan to take a gender reveal picture but I immediately started using boy pronouns and the clarity of a little boy growing in my belly made it hard to keep it a secret.

Names: My struggle with boy names improved slightly with finding out the gender. Although I still won't commit to anything, I would say we're closer. We have a short list of possibilities that I COULD like. I love hearing the process of how people name children. Each child, couple and process is unique and I pray for God's guidance in making it clear to us what name to give him! 

Encouragement: 
"For nothing is impossible with God" Luke 1:37. 
There is nothing that limits my God. He is not limited by time or love or my ideas of what I think is not possible. He is a 4th-dimension, when I can only comprehend 3D. He is limitless.  

Bumpdates

Bump pictures are showing a warped view of my clothes situation. If there isn't a bump picture, assume the whole week I only wore scrubs and XL sweat pants/tshirts.

Blurry picture below is documenting the last week I was able to wear my modified stretchy skinny jeans with a hair tie around the button. At 26 weeks, I went to Motherhood Maternity stating, "I'm in desperate need of new pants."

6 Months

So here's a jumble of thoughts about the last several weeks of pregnancy....

Ah! These last few weeks have flown by! I don't feel like much has changed besides my belly is growing.

My appetite has returned to semi-normal levels. I usually get hungry for meals and eat normal amounts of food. I think this is due to the fact that the baby is growing at 6-8 ounces per week {and weighs almost TWO pounds}.

Mid-back pain is not fun. I hate talking about back pain though, so moving on.

Another order of larger undergarments have made a world of difference in my daily comfort. 

The glucose tolerance test made me feel light-headed and googly-eyed 5 minutes after I finished the sugary drink, which tasted like concentrated Hi-C {does Hi-C still exist?}. I couldn't focus or read my book for at least 20-30 minutes. After waiting the hour for them to draw my blood, I felt better, but I don't think you should be allowed to drive afterwards. When I got home, I went straight for a Cliff Bar and Dad cooked me a replenishing Saturday morning omelet.

One of my favorite things is snuggling with Wrigley, who uses my belly as a pillow, and feeling the baby kicking her. Ryan has also felt several big kicks.

Wrigley seriously hurt her knee while running around playing with us. She cried and whined for 5-10 minutes, which was pretty scary. It was a rough first night; she couldn't get comfortable at all so I ended up staying up with her all night. We were tired/comfortable enough to go to sleep about 3:30am... and then Ryan's alarm went off at 4:45. Just getting ready for a newborn...

{Wrigley's update: Our vet was great, diagnosed a partial ACL tear doing a doggy Lachman's test. After being on pain meds and anti-inflammatory for 10 days, she's doing much better. I overanalyze her walking/running gait and only see an occasional minimal limp.}

This has been my first Fall out of the academic calendar since... ever. There is usually a huge momentum towards Thanksgiving break and the holidays with class assignments and athletic seasons. I CANNOT believe next week is Thanksgiving. This also means we're about three months away from our due date!! Whaaa.

My OB appointment this month was uneventful again. Now I start going every two weeks. Does that mean this baby is coming soon??!

Something I don't want to forget: One a day I intentionally hydrated like crazy at work, I was sitting in standstill traffic on the way home.... and felt the baby STOMP on my bladder. I literally could feel fluttering kicks pulsing my bladder. Good times. I was dying.

I'll get a good bump picture up eventually... 

Week 21 & 22: Continuing to cruise

Including Wrigley's ridiculous hair....

Wrigley's update.... four weeks into her new diet and post haircut!

Size: Serious growing, growing, growing going on in my belly. One pound!!

Symptoms: Night calf cramps. When I roll over at night my calves tighten up, but it's easily relieved by pulling my toe up. Maybe these won't get worse...? Wishful thinking?!

Food: I continue to get full very quickly and don't like big meals at all. I surely hope this is not the case for the remainder of my pregnancy. All the great holiday meals are coming up and I don't want to miss out! 

Cravings: Sangria and ibuprofen. BOTH not allowed for preggo women. Sangria because I keep hearing that country song, "...her lips taste like sangria," which leads me to wanting some sweet, fruity, red sangria. Mmmm. My upper back has been having muscle spasms, different than the low back pain I expected. I would love some ibuprofen when it starts early in the day so it doesn't get as bad by the end of the day. 

Mood: The last two weeks felt like I was cruising. {I'm 23 weeks tomorrow??!} Being halfway is tricky because you don't find out your pregnant until 4+ weeks, so with the second 20 weeks you are counting each week/day which could easily make it seem longer. I hope the time keeps moving this quickly.

Sweet Carleigh squishing the Baby Wildenhain bump

Maternity wear: I think it might be time for a good pair of maternity jeans. I've been using a hair tie to give me more room around the waistband... And I don't think I have much more time with that trick. I also plan to buy some comfy maternity leggings and live in them through the fall/winter with a sweater and boots. 

The hardest part about my pregnant body is all the changes. Just as soon as I learn to work with how my body is feeling or fitting into clothes, it changes. Today I was NOT comfortable in my scrubs. {have you started to pick up on my need for comfort?} I felt so full and squished in my pants, especially after lunch. A slight discomfort suddenly becomes a dire necessity for change... Like buying maternity scrub pants ASAP. {Amazon Prime two-day free shipping can't come fast enough.}

Daddy: I sure do love my baby daddy. He thinks my stomach "feels weird." So do I.