30 Weeks

Does it really say 30 weeks?  I have hit the last (hopefully) 10 week mark? 10 or so more weeks and my son will be in my arms.  My heart is full with that thought.

To hold my son.  I have been dreaming about this for a very long time and ever since I discovered I was pregnant back in October (wow!) and when I saw the little speck of him on the ultrasound screen and heard his heartbeat at 6 weeks, I have been eagerly anticipating that moment.  But before I hold him, I believe M should hold him first.

I told M that I want him to hold our son before I do.  I have been privileged to carry him these past nine months (even during all the discomfort and complaints) and have felt him wiggle, kick, squirm, and punch.  I have felt where his head is, I have made out the shape of a foot while it was pushing against my side, and I have felt the strength and determination of this little boy to let me know he is here.  I have connected with him already in a way that M couldn't.  It is only right that he truly feel our son's touch first. 

There is a profound relationship between a father and a son.  I want M to look into those baby's eyes and truly discover what it means to love and to be a father.  I want him to feel that connection to his son that I have so immensely felt already.  Just by feeling him move and be alive.  And I want this baby to look back at M and know that this man would go to the ends of the earth to protect him and to know that he can trust his Daddy with every ounce of his being.  I want that baby to know just how much his Daddy loves him.  That first experience of a father holding their child for the very first time is unequaled to anything M has ever or will ever feel.  This baby has felt me and I have felt him.  It's Daddy's turn.  They say a woman becomes a mother when she discovers she's pregnant and that a man becomes a father when he sees and holds his child for the first time.  When M finally feels the touch of his son, it will be the most beautiful thing I will ever see.

The baby at 30 weeks is 15.7 inches long and weighs 3 pounds - about the size of a cabbage.

from babycenter.com

There is a half a pint of amniotic fluid swishing around in there now but that should decrease as the baby gets bigger and takes up more room which he certainly is.  Eye sight is also continuing to develop this week.
I am getting more tired which  is normal but I still do not have any swelling!
How I'm feeling: I can't breathe.

I am extremely uncomfortable.

I am officially waddling.

Some days are really hard.  Especially around 4pm for the remainder of the day and night.  I am so uncomfortable, so tired, and I'm getting sore.  The baby moving around in there is making my insides hurt.

Pregnancy Notes: My wedding rings still fit!  I am very excited that I haven't gotten swollen.

Food cravings and notes:   I don't know.  I honestly can't remember what went down food wise this week.  M and I did go out to dinner over the weekend and nothing was noteworthy.

Doctor's Visit: 30 week check up. I am now going every 2 weeks.  Everything is still great.  My doctor said she anticipates he will be a small baby.  I really hope she's right.

29 Weeks

At the beginning of this pregnancy, I thought the first trimester would never end and the time just dragged.  Now look.  I am at 29 weeks with less than 3 months to go.  The time really has flown by even when some days or weeks did feel like they were creeping by.

I am getting more excited and getting more nervous.  Since it's my first baby, labor and delivery is all new to me and I'm getting anxious.  But I also know that when it happens, it means I get to see my baby and that I will no longer be pregnant.

It's funny, people ask you with a sort of trepidation whether or not you're enjoying being pregnant.  I think depending on how you react dictates the continuing response from the person asking.  I have had several people ask and I am honest and have said that I don't really enjoy it all that much.  Once that it is said, they have all said "Oh me either!  I hated being pregnant!" or "I did not enjoy it at all" or "I loved labor and delivery because it meant it was over soon."  I really have yet to meet someone who truly loved being pregnant.  And for those of you who did, please tell me your secret.  You got something I don't.

It is an amazing thing and to feel him move is quite extraordinary.  It's just the complete lack of control over your body, the aches and pains, the fatigue, and all the extra weight I have to lug around now.  It's getting more and more difficult and I am getting really ready for it all to be over.

I washed all the baby clothes we have and put them all away as well.  Things are really coming together and just waiting for the little guy to be here.  Nana also finished one of the shades for the nursery and came by and hung it.  It looks so beautiful!

I just want to meet my little boy.

Baby D is now 15 inches long and just over 2.5 pounds - like a butternut squash.

from babycenter.com

This vegetable looks a little disturbing.  It's very pointy.  Luckily, it's a weight comparison and not a size or shape comparison.  Ouch.

His lungs and muscles are getting stronger and his head is getting bigger to make room for his growing brain.  He needs more nutrients now like calcium, Vitamin C, protein, iron, and folic acid.  His bones really need the calcium so bring on the ice cream! 

It states I should also start counting his kicks.  Sometimes it is so frequent and sometimes there's not much movement.  I've discovered that he does not seem to be a morning person.  He doesn't move so much when I first get up.  He starts getting fidgety around 8am or so. 

How I'm feeling: The weight pulling down from my belly is extremely uncomfortable.  I am starting to get sore at the top of my belly where it is just being stretched.  The baby is sitting sort of low so it just pulls when I stand or walk.

Backache.  The end.

Pregnancy Notes: The lady checking receipts when leaving Costco patted my belly and asked when I was due.  Lady, I don't know you.  Would you touch my butt?  Just because this belly is leading my way out the door, it is not an invitation to touch me.  Want me to pat your belly?  Friends and family are permitted to touch, strangers are not.

Food cravings and notes: Chocolate cake.  Mmm, delicious chocolate cake.  Now that I know I don't have gestational diabetes, I think it's free range on all the sugar I want.  And I don't care. 

Doctor's Visit: None.

28 Weeks

It all just got more real this week!  The nursery is almost all done!  There are a few more decorations I would like to get and the changing table/dresser is just holding some stuff right now that I need to find another home for but here are some pictures to start. 

World Premiere of Baby D's crib:

I cannot WAIT to get this little guy in here.

Mama will be spending a lot of time in this glider rocking this guy asleep and feeding him.  The blanket on the back is the one I made for him too.  The Bruins jersey on the wall is from M's best friend.  I can't wait to get that on the little guy.

I still have to organize the changer and hang the curtains.  Final showing at a later date.  But it's all coming together.  I love to just walk in there and say "hi baby's room!"  About 12 more weeks and he'll be here.  It just makes me smile.

This week I also had my 28th week check up which also included the gestational diabetes/glucose count screening.  The doctor's office told me to show up about 15 minutes early so I could drink the stuff, which by the way, wasn't too bad but it wasn't good either.  So I showed up early and went to the lab to get the drink and the lab wasn't open yet.  It didn't open until 8am and my doctor's appointment was at 8am.  So I went to the doctor's office, luckily they are in the same building, and checked in and waited to be called.  Once 8am rolled around, I told the receptionist that I was going to go back to the lab to get the drink.  I go to the lab, check in and tell the lady what I need.  She pours the drink in a cup and then says "Oh, we don't have an order for this test.  We can't give it to you."  So back I go to the doctor's office and tell them they don't have the order.  The nurse puts the order in and I go back.  I'm told I have five minutes to drink it.  I down it in three gulps.  Why prolong that?  It tasted like super sweet, semi flat orange soda.  First gulp was OK, second was a little worse, the third made me shudder.  Then I went back to the doctor's and had my check up with her.

After, I still had a half an hour before they could even take my blood so I sat and waited.  There was another woman who had to do the 3 hour glucose screening and she had a bigger drink and she was like "I have to drink ALL of that in five minutes?!"  And there was another woman doing the same test as me.  She was given the drink while I was getting my blood drawn and as I was walking out, she stood up abruptly and said "I think I'm going to be sick!"  I was like, I'm outta here!

Anyway, long story short, I don't have abnormal glucose levels so no 3 hour test for me!  I was very excited.  No anemia either. 

So, to this week.  Baby is about 14.8 inches long and weighs about 2.25 pounds - like a Chinese cabbage.

from babycenter.com

He can now blink his eyes, has eyelashes, and could now sense light.  He is also chunking up some more and getting more baby fat.

It says for me, that I will probably gain about 11 more pounds this trimester.  I am kind of hoping this is not true.  I've already gained 21.  I realize I needed to gain weight anyway prior to the pregnancy but these extra 21 pounds are already wearing me down.  It's a lot for me to carry.  It also says I might begin feeling restless leg syndrome and leg cramps while sleeping.  I am starting to feel these things.  I'm glad the countdown is on.

How I'm feeling: I'm mostly just tired and my body is feeling the stress of the extra weight.  I don't know how I don't fall over now with this belly in front of me.

Pregnancy Notes: I think the time has come to start getting pedicures.  Trying to reach my feet is becoming impossible.

Shaving my legs is also becoming tricky in the shower.

Food cravings and notes: I might have had a crazy, irrational, hormonal moment.  M and I were driving back from the Bruins game last weekend and we were hungry.  M asked what I wanted and this is never a good question for me right now because I don't usually always know.  I said I wish there was a greasy spoon diner somewhere nearby.  I could have a burger or grilled cheese and a plate of fries.  There is nothing around that would offer that.  So we went to the grocery store.  M was like we can make burgers.  I was like well, I've already had red meat twice this week, I should probably get chicken.  So we got chicken, rolls, and frozen french fries and left the store.  Then I said I wish Burton's was closer.  I could go for one of their burgers.  M was like seriously?  We just bought this food?  Is that what you want?  I was like I don't know.  He was like if that's what you want, I can get one of their tuna burgers.  I was like I don't know.  I was being really indecisive and M was getting annoyed.  Long story short, M went there and got us take out.  The burger was delicious.  And I am the crazy pregnant lady.  We ate the chicken the next day.

Doctor's Visit: 28 week check up and gestational diabetes screening.  Everything is still good.

27 Weeks

This week, I was having a hard time figuring out what to write about.  I feel like I've covered most things and not too much happened this week in terms of baby news.  I did order the crib mattress and that arrived so I can get his crib all set up and sheets put on so I'm pretty excited about that.  I also received another portion of a baby gift.  My friend who purchased the bath tub also got me wash cloths and the Snuggle Puppy book!  I was so excited.

Also this week, my 87 year old grandmother was in a car accident and sustained some injuries and was in the hospital for several days so that was extremely stressful.  At the time of this post, she is still in the hospital and under going some tests but hopefully she'll be home in the next day or so.  Her doctor did tell her that she won't be making the Easter church service Sunday morning and that did not go over too well with her.  But she needs to rest.  The Lord will understand and she can still worship and reflect in her own home.  We all need her to get better.  She's the matriarch of the family afterall. 

She did tell me that the accident occurred on her way home from Target after picking up a baby shower gift for me and M.  Heh.

This week at work has also been insane and the entire month of April pretty much will be like that.  Mama's tired.

I guess had a little more to write about than I thought.  Not really baby related but believe it or not, there are other things going on in my life though sometimes it does seems it's all about baby.

This is the last week of my second trimester!  Whoa!  That's crazy.  I can't believe I'm entering the home stretch.  But I am getting so ready to get this little baby into my arms.

This week, the baby is 14.5 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds - about the size of a head of cauliflower.

from babycenter.com

.


Looks like we're getting back into the vegetables and fruit that are actually rounder instead of going by length.  Pretty cool.  Last week at work, my mother left a hothouse cucumber on my desk.  Those really are kind of long.  Good thing the baby is all curled up in there (for the most part).

This week it says the baby is awake and sleeping on and off (although I think he's awake more than he's sleeping), he's opening his eyes, and he could even be sucking his fingers now.  The baby now looks exactly like he's going to, just extremely tiny.  But he's fully formed!  Lungs are still developing along with his brain.

It then goes on to talk about all the lovely things that I will be feeling now.  Like aches and pains, leg cramps, and dizziness due to increased pressure on blood vessels.  I have felt a little dizzy on and off lately.  I'm glad the final countdown is beginning!

How I'm feeling: I am beyond exhausted.  This week, it's all hit me again.  I just want to sleep all the time.  I guess that's how it's going to be for this last trimester.  On Sunday afternoon, I just layed on the couch in an all out stupor for two hours and it was glorious.

I'm starving.  Literally all the time.  And then I eat and get full wicked fast and then I'm hungry again like a half hour later.

He moves constantly.  There are very few times during the day where he's idle.  He goes and goes and sometimes it hurts.

Pregnancy Notes: Baby brain moment - I was making brownies.  I stirred them all up, put them in the pan, and went to put them in oven when I noticed the 1/3cup oil still sitting on the counter.  Phooey.  So I poured the oil in the batter while in the brownie pan and tried to stir it as best as I could.  They were strange but edible.

I was also talking to M one night about a project I am doing at work (note busy work above) and I was mid-sentence and could not for the life of me think of the word I needed so I just stopped talking.  M was like, is this the word you are looking for?  And I was like YES!  You know what the word was?  Announce.  I was talking about a meeting and that the project was going to be announced.  It only gets worse, I'm sure.

Food cravings and notes: McDonald's M&M McFlurry is my obsession.

Doctor's Visit: None.