Thirty

At 30 weeks, I’m ¾ of the way there!

 

My week started out rather rough. On Wednesday night I got sick. By Friday morning I was a complete mess and could hardly even get out of bed. I ended up making an appointment to see my family doctor. The doctor confirmed the virus and gave me a big list of things that I can’t take. This was the weekend of my annual girls trip and it was completely ruined by this nasty virus. I decided to stay home from the trip to rest and recuperate and even though it pained me not to go, I’m really glad I didn’t. Even with resting all weekend, I still felt pretty horrible on Monday at work. Today I’m feeling much better, although I’m still pretty congested.

 

This weekend was my 29^th Birthday. I was flooded with Facebook messages and cards in the mail. It was really nice that so many people thought of me and especially so when I was home sick all weekend. Glen got me flowers on my birthday and my friends Brandalynn and Theo brought me cupcakes. On Sunday the girls stopped over on their way home from the trip to visit with me. They got to tell me about the trip and I got to visit with Sunita and Jen. They also brought me birthday presents including something for the baby’s room! It’s a wooden anchor decoration that I can hang on the wall. It will be cool to tell my son that it’s from his Aunt Sunita and Aunt Jen.

 

I’m a pretty positive person and I always try to find the light in bad situations. I was feeling pretty miserable this weekend, but on the upside, the baby was extremely active. I assume it’s probably because I drank a gallon of orange juice. He was probably on a sugar high. It was neat to just lay on the couch all day and watch my stomach make waves like the ocean. I don’t feel like I could really appreciate it that much because I was so sick, but it was still pretty cool.

 

Speaking of baby movement, I experienced some different kinds of movement this past weekend. I got kicked in the ribs a few times, which isn’t exactly pleasant, and I also saw his little foot poking out the side of my belly. I got to touch it and tickle it and poke it back in a few times. I have ten weeks to go and he’s getting stronger and stronger. I’m kind of nervous about what’s to come as far as movements go.

 

Another odd experience that I had this week was my first set of Braxton hicks contractions. I cleaned out a closet Sunday morning and I think with the combination of me being sick and lifting a few objects that I probably shouldn’t have lifted, it triggered these light “practice” contractions. I always wondered what they would feel like. They aren’t painful, but they are pretty uncomfortable. My belly would get really hard and heavy for a few seconds and then go back to normal. I got a few in a row extending about 10 minutes and decided to sit down and take it easy for the rest of the day. The last thing I needed after a weekend like this was to go into early labor. It was neat to finally be able to identify the sensation, but it just reminds me that I only have ten more weeks until I go into actual labor. 

 

Twenty-Nine

Nesting continues as we get closer and closer to meeting our son! This past weekend we tore the carpet up in the basement in preparation for our basement remodel. We picked out our carpet and we’re looking to have it installed within the next month. We definitely experienced a little sticker shock! We decided on a beige multi-colored Stainmaster carpet.

As each week goes by, the baby’s room continues to have progress. This week we got our beautiful mobile in the mail. Because our crib is so wide, we couldn’t do a traditional mobile that hangs on the side of the crib, so we opted for one that hangs from the ceiling. We were really happy with this purchase and it’s something that can be used as decoration for the next few years (or until our son decides he’s not into sailboats).

I scheduled an additional dentist appointment per our dental insurance company’s recommendation. They offer a free additional cleaning during pregnancy. The appointment was dreadful. My mouth was bleeding so bad from the extra fluids running through my body. She had to get the suction out aka “My Thirsty” several times to help clean up the copious amounts of blood that my mouth was producing. I felt great after words (other than the tender gum line), but it wasn’t an enjoyable appointment for me.

Saturday was really exciting for us. We got to go to a 3D ultra sound at Womb with a View in Lancaster. We got to see our baby’s face for just a minute before he decided to hid his face in the placenta. He wasn’t very cooperative, but from what we saw, we were very pleased. We think he resembles Glen. He made a few faces and at one time actually looked extremely pissed off. It was really cute! Baby sleeps with his hands above his head, just like me! Baby also has a full head of hair. It was really neat hearing that. Because the baby was so uncooperative, we get to do a follow-up appointment over Labor Day weekend.

 

Weeks 29-32 (Month 7): Squash

Average size: 15.2-16.7 inches, 2.5-3.8 lb.

 

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments. 

Twenty-Eight

This week was pretty uneventful in pregnancy land. I traveled all weekend, so I hardly took notice to any pregnancy happenings. I went to Bellefonte this weekend to photograph a wedding. It was my final wedding before the baby comes. I actually had 5 other inquiries for the Summer months, but I turned them all down. I thought that it was unfair of me to try and do weddings when I don’t know if I’ll really feel up to it. I didn’t want the photography to suffer. On Friday night, my Step Mom and Dad took me out to dinner at a new Malaysian restaurant. I talked everyone into trying something new. You never know what you may like until you at least try a few different things. Saturday morning I stopped by my Grandma Jane’s house and picked up some plants for Glen to plant in my garden (he doesn’t know this yet), then I met my friend at the Waffle Shop for Breakfast. I had a really good time, but knew it all had to come to an end and I had to shoot this wedding. The wedding was very pretty, but unorganized.

 

Sunday was Mother’s Day and Glen didn’t have to practice with his band, so we spent the day together. We ended up going to Adamstown to the Antique mile and walking around for a few hours. We got a few accessories for our son’s room while we were there and they were both super cheap! Glen then took me to Cracker Barrel for my first Mother’s Day Dinner. We had such a great day, but I have a feeling that next Mother’s Day will be even better! 

 

 

 

Glen and I are officially signed up for child birthing classes in June! We got every Thursday in June then have a breastfeeding classes scheduled in July. The best part? My insurance covers the entire cost of both classes. We’re really looking forward to attending the classes and touring the hospital in June. I think it will make everything feel more real. 

 

 

Twenty-Seven

I’m falling a little behind with my weekly posts because I’ve been so busy! I pretty much have things planned out for the entire month. I’m exhausted just thinking about it!

I’m officially in the third and final trimester! I can’t believe how fast this pregnancy is going. Is it terrible that I feel absolutely wonderful? I guess the only drawback to the third trimester so far is my frequent bathroom breaks…and I mean frequent! I think I spend more time in the bathrooms at work than at my desk working. I can feel the baby hiccups now every day. He sometimes gets them twice a day. I’m not a huge fan of them. They just feel as if someone is poking me over and over again in the gut; it’s actually a little annoying. Glen got to feel them too! Every time he sees or feels the baby move, he gets incredibly excited.

Glen and I are making progress with the nursery every day! This week I made a crib skirt that matches the curtains. We also tied the curtains back to the wall with little anchor accents. The animals are obsessed with the nursery. Cocoa loves the chair (better the chair than the crib) and Anakin loves being in there in general. I have to wonder if he feels that a baby is about to come into our lives? I’ll go in there every now and then and recline in the chair and Anakin has to be on my lap (he will only sit on my lap if I’m in this chair). Or sometimes, I’ll just catch him in there sleeping on the floor.

 At this point I really do feel great. I have no swelling anywhere, I can still wear my rings and high heels, I can still get up off the floor by myself, and I’m not all that comfortable. My back does occasionally hurt if I drive long distances, but other than that, I feel great! Bring it on, third trimester! I have my game face on!

Twenty-Six

This has been another crazy week for our family. Glen and I are just trying to cope with all of the surprises and craziness.

On Saturday, Glen was in a wedding and I attended with friends Shea an Emily. The wedding was for our good friends Erica and Matt and it was absolutely gorgeous. The weather was perfect, the colors were lovely and most importantly, the food was fantastic! The wedding theme was a Victorian Theme with gold, ivory and peach colors. Glen looked great in his tux and I seemed to have gotten a lot of attention. All I really wanted to do was sit down and eat my cake but I kept getting interrupted. I couldn’t believe how much attention I was getting, even from random strangers. Everyone wanted to ask about the baby on the way and touch my belly. I guess my belly had a sign on it that read “rub me”, or at least that is what it felt like. This was really the first time that so many people were so curious and interested in my pregnancy. I’ve heard of people gravitating to a belly, but I have never witnessed it before. My thoughts on the experience? I’m not going to lie, I adore the attention but it did make it difficult to leave or even do simple things like make a dash to the restroom or walk up to the fondue pots. Glen and I, along with friends Emily and Shea, had a fantastic time together. Here are a few photos from the wedding. 

As tradition goes, we spent Easter at my Mom and Pap Tom’s house. The grounds were very wet and soggy, so we had to hold our annual Easter egg hunt in my Mom’s yard. Glen and I brought cupcakes with peeps on them and we had ham and cheesy potatoes for lunch. 

I couldn’t get enough of that ham. At one point my sister, Jess, told me that the baby wants to eat vegetables. Probably because she saw that I was eating half of the ham and the salt is very dehydrating. Glen and I had a great time, even though we were exhausted. We got home at a decent time and got to watch a movie before we called it a night. Here’s a photo of Jess and I with our baby belly’s (Jess is due exactly two weeks before me)

 Monday night was spent at the Senator’s game with friends Ian and Shea. It was a gorgeous night for a baseball game. Glen and I had gotten the tickets through Groupon for $6 each. We had no money to spend at the ball game, so we ate before we went and just enjoyed 1 drink each (him a beer and me a slush puppy). While we were there we checked out the upcoming events and the boys were especially excited to see the “monkey rodeo” where monkeys ride dogs. That event is on July 14^th, so if I’m not too large and uncomfortable by then, I will definitely be attending with the boys.

Glen and I came home Monday night to discover that our air conditioner was on the fritz. The house was around 80 degrees and this isn’t exactly ideal for someone who is 6 months pregnant. We ended up hooking up some fans and opening the windows which definitely helped. The air conditioner still isn’t fixed but we’ve been making due without it. It’s been very hot and uncomfortable but we have to remain patient. Glen found that the squirrels that were left into our attic by the siding contractors ate through a bunch of the air conditioner wiring and duct work. Basically all of our air is being blown into our attic. We’re working on getting some quotes from HVAC companies and working with the siding company to get the problem resolved. Glen and I don’t discuss it much, but we are struggling financially and this is just another setback. We’re hoping that we can work through it and be back on our feet soon. Glen is working all weekend and I signed up to do two photography gigs for extra cash so we can at least get groceries. I really do believe in that saying “when it rains, it pours”. We’ve definitely seen a downfall happen all at once on quite a few occasions.

My baby project of the week was installing a curtain rod and hemming the curtains I purchased for the baby’s room. Glen and I wanted to add more color into the room and make it a little less “adult”, so we picked some colorful curtains. We also agreed on some decorations and wall art for the room to make it a little more suitable for a baby boy. For now, you can enjoy looking at these curtains and as we add to the room, I’ll update the blog. 

For helping Shea work on his resume, he presented Glen and me with a very cool baby gift as a “thank you”. It was greatly appreciated but definitely not expected. He picked out two of the cutest baby t-shirts ever! The baby will be able to fit into these perfectly next Summer. One is an AC/DC shirt and the other is a KISS shirt. Pictured below. 

I don’t have too much to add with baby happenings except for that I had a doctor’s appointment and this was the first time she had the opportunity to measure my belly. I’m happy to announce that I measured right on target. The baby was quite active, so she didn’t even need to take the heartbeat of the baby. She could literally just watch him kick through my skin. For those who may not know what that looks like, I attached a short video of the baby kicking. You’ll see a big ripple, and that’s all baby!

So, what does it feel like? Well, sometimes it startles me and other times it tickles. Sometimes it has a pattern (hiccups maybe?) and other times it’s just all over the place. It doesn’t hurt or feel uncomfortable unless the baby is dancing on my bladder. I guess most of all it reminds me of when you’re focused on something else and someone taps you on the shoulder and it scares you a little. Sometimes I’ll be sitting down, reading, writing, whatever, and I’ll get this little nudge and it wakes me up, so to speak. 

Twenty-Five

The week started out with our quest to find a chair for the nursery. I visited many stores and reclined in many chairs. I picked out a few favorites, but I wasn’t 100% sold on the expense and the size of the chairs. Most chairs were between the $350 and $550 range and they were all a little too big for the nursery. Although I’d love to lounge in a La-Z-Boy, it was a little impractical for the space we were working with. As a last effort, I hopped on Craigslist and did a quick chair search. I found a grainy picture of a petite brown glider/recliner. I called the owner and asked a million questions until I was convinced that I wanted to see it in person. Glen was less than thrilled about the 20 minute drive to Halifax and tried to convince me that a chair in the nursery was completely unnecessary. I don’t really think he believes that, I just think he wanted to do something rather than travel to look at a chair. After some convincing, Glen finally agreed to go with me to check it out. I was completely surprised with how much I liked the chair in person. It is comfortable, swivels, rocks and reclines. The color is dark brown and the fabric is soft and cuddly. We ended up offering the owner $25.00 for the chair and brought it home! I cleaned it up a bit and it looks like it’s brand new. Glen put up a fight about the travel time to get the chair, but after we got it in our nursery, I think he was pretty pleased with the purchase. Anakin also loves hoping up in the chair. Here are some photos of Glen enjoying the new chair. 

 

 

 

This weekend was extremely productive. My Mom and Step Dad came down to help us with some house stuff and to assist us with some nursery projects. Glen and Jerry worked on installing  chair rail in the nursery and trim in the nursery, the hallway and the bathroom. They both worked extremely hard and the outcome is beautiful. Here are some photos of Glen and Jerry working on the nursery. 

 

 

On Saturday my Mom and I were kicked out of the house because we were “jinxing” the work being done. So, we decided to go out in the rain and hit up the outlets. I made a pretty interesting purchase. I purchased some ‘granny panties’ from the Jockey store. I was convinced that I could just wear my cute underwear throughout my pregnancy but they started to grow tight and be uncomfortable. I couldn’t believe how comfortable granny panties are! Also, I love putting on a fresh pair of underwear or socks, it’s such a great feeling! My Mom and I decided to stop at the Coach Outlet store before we ventured home. I saw a lot of cute purses that I wanted, but tried to stay away from making any big purchases. At one point I told my Mom that we should leave the store before we buy new bags and she refused to leave until she found a new Spring bag. With all of those beautiful bags, who could blame her? The store was packed and the other customers were running around laughing and smiling. I think new bags put every woman in a good mood. The men just roamed around, eyes glazed over in boredom. Just when I decided not to make any purchases for the good of our bank account, I realized that Coach sold diaper bags. I went over and checked them out and fell in love with a blue Coach diaper bag. The bags were 50% off and we had an additional 30% off coupon, so it was hard to resist the temptation of a great bag at a great price. I ended up coming home with the diaper bag. I blame this purchase on the boys for kicking us out of the house and forcing us to go shopping. Here’s a picture of me with my new diaper bag.

 

 

 

That evening, we went out for Jerry’s birthday to one of his favorite restaurants, Cracker Barrel. We all had big meals and practically licked our plates dry. I think all of the house work (and shopping) tired everyone out. We ended up calling it a night shortly after our return home.

 

We were all early to rise the next morning. Once we filled our bellies with coffee we got to working on the nursery right away. I helped in any way that I could by filling holes and painting. My Mom stained a shelf and painted some miscellaneous items. Glen was a pro at the saw and trimmed the entire hallway and bathroom by himself while Jerry finished up in the nursery. Mom and I cleaned around the boys and just tried to help in any way we could, although I know we were probably more in the way than anything. The outcome? The nursery, hallway and bathroom are all trimmed. They look a million times better. The chair rail in the nursery turned out great! We even replaced the heaters and receptacles. Everyone worked so hard and I can’t thank them enough. I’m really proud of Glen for catching on so fast and I thank Jerry for the motivation and encouragement he gave Glen. They really worked so very hard on making this happen and I just can’t thank them enough. Here are some pictures of the ‘almost’ completed nursery. 

 

 

 

 

My Mom brought our stroller and we were able to unpack it and connect the car seat that my Dad and Step Mom bought for the baby together. The car seat clicks into place perfectly and the stroller is so smooth and compact! At one point or another each of us would walk by the stroller and take it for a little spin around the house. I think everyone is really excited to push the baby around in it in just a few months. Here is the stroller/car seat combination. 

 

 

 

My Mom and I also officially registered at Babies R Us this weekend. It was a very overwhelming experience and I’m kind of glad that I don’t have to do this again. Towards the end of our journey I was just scanning miscellaneous toys because I was completely brain dead. I feel like we got a lot of the good basics and doing a lot of research and reading reviews really helped us narrow down the selection for the registry. The only item yet to add is the baby’s Playard, which we will hopefully do before the end of the month. 

 

 

Weeks 25-28 (Month 6): Eggplant

Average size: 13.6-14.8 inches, 1.5-2.2 lb.

 

Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required). Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes. 

 

Twenty-Four

I’m a little late with my update this week, but only because I’ve been so busy! ‘Nesting’ has totally taken over my life. My eyes are transforming into Mommy eyes, which means that I see things that I haven’t ever seen before. I actually took an old tooth brush and scrubbed my cabinet doors in the kitchen, focusing on the little nooks and cranies of the cabinet lip. Every time I open a window, I’m instantly disgusted by the dirt build up and have to give it some instant attention. I even took a sponge and cleaned the little valleys that lay between the walls and the trim. Opening closets in my house is quite dangerous right now because it’s just a constant reminder that I need to go through and re-organize everything inside. Oh, and Glen definitely feels my wrath when I use the mop on the floor and he instantly drags dirt in the house. I end up on my hands and knees with a paper towel following him around. Mommy eyes have taken over my life so much, that I look around the house and all I see is a never ending pile of things to do. I guess that most pregnant women go through this; or I have to believe that any way to justify my crazy. The thought behind everything is that I want my baby to arrive in the safest, cleanest, happiest home possible and I’ll do anything to ensure that it happens. Is the baby going to care that the wall behind the garbage can has a food particle splashed on it? Or that the couch has a collection of crumbs hiding beneath its cushions? Of course not! But, for some reason I care.

I feel big….really big. I know that people probably look at me and think that I look small. Actually today, I’m wearing a black and white floral shirt, which is really cute but it kind of makes me feel like a cow…with giant utters. It’s really weird; shirts that I thought that would last me my entire pregnancy are growing tight and getting shorter. I’ll be lucky if some of them last me another month. If I’m walking around too much, like if I’m cleaning or shopping, my stomach starts to feel very hard and heavy. My baby is only a little over a pound and I just don’t understand how I could be feeling so heavy. The weight is starting to come on a little faster now and it’s getting a little challenging lifting myself up off the floor by myself.

This week is the first week I saw my baby move. It was pretty amazing and a little creepy at the same time. I was laying on my back in bed one morning and I just saw poking at my stomach. It kind of reminded me of the scene in Spaceballs where the alien is busting through the woman’s skin. Feeling and seeing the baby move is my absolute favorite part about being pregnant. I know I always say that, but it just makes me so happy when I feel or see him move. I know that he’s in there safe and warm.

At this point in my pregnancy, my cravings have gone away (for the most part). There is nothing that I HAVE TO HAVE RIGHT NOW! I’m a little bit more flexible although earlier this week I just had to have a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough for dinner. My body is naturally craving fruits and vegetables. Things I used to love such as chocolate, sweets and candy are no longer appealing to me. I’m often weary about eating red meat as well. I mostly stick with chicken or seafood. I thinks it’s pretty cool that my body is telling me what I should and shouldn’t eat. I also notice that if I get too hot that I get a little queasy and if I’m around a chemical or cleaner, I’ll start to sneeze. Pretty cool, huh?

I attached some pictures from my company’s annual meeting showing off my bump!