Baby #3 // One Huge Bumpdate

The more kids you have, the less time you have to worry about bump pictures and updates. The less you care, too. (Probably because by the third pregnancy, you know what you look/feel like when you're pregnant, so recording/sharing it doesn't feel so momentous.) Heck, I didn't even get a good picture of my bump until the halfway mark! But I still kept record of the pregnancy, so here is a quick summary of each of my trimesters:

FIRST TRIMESTER

Two words: Exhaustion. Hormones.

I know I experienced fatigue in my previous pregnancies, but nothing like what I experienced for about two weeks during the middle of this first trimester. Ooooh man, it was bad. There were several nights where I went to bed right after the kids. Afternoons were spent napping. The moodiness was bad too. I'm glad it died off towards the end of the first trimester.

Those were the main symptoms, aside from some tenderness and noticing that it was harder to breathe when I got active. Occasional headaches. I wanted more water than usual. A few nights were it was very difficult to fall/stay asleep. That's about it.


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SECOND TRIMESTER

I started getting round ligament pain and had to be careful not to move too quickly/suddenly. That faded away after a couple weeks. I started having occasional heartburn, and then all of a sudden I had it almost every night for a week, and then it completely disappeared for the rest of the trimester. Starting around 20 weeks, my calves were always looking for opportunities to spaz out on me (charley horses) but I always managed to prevent them from seizing up.

I pretty much stopped shedding hair, which made my hair feel thicker than usual. It took me a bit longer to feel movement from the baby than with my previous pregnancies. It wasn't until 18 weeks that I started feeling definite, regular movements. Before then, I couldn't quite tell if I was feeling movement or just gas or something. By 21/22 weeks I could feel hiccups... so cute!

My belly didn't "pop" until around 25 weeks. Before then, people couldn't really tell I was pregnant unless I was wearing something form-fitting, sticking my tummy out on purpose (like in the picture below), or if I had eaten a rather large meal.

No strange, vivid dreams this time around, or dreams about the baby's gender. Huh. I guess I was too tired to dream! Haha.

The "nesting instinct" hit me hard at the very end of this trimester, too. By the time the third trimester started, I had already gone through all the baby clothes, washed all the newborn/3 month items and folded them away in the baby dresser, washed all blankets and burp cloths, and sorted out shoes and hairbows and such. Aside from installing the car seat and buying diapers, I was all set for that girl to pop out a good 3 months before my due date! It felt good to get all of those things done before the holidays set in.

^^^ Here I am at 20 weeks, the day before we found out the baby was a girl. Aaaannd below is a picture of Nicole and me in our matching pieces, just for kicks and giggles.

THIRD TRIMESTER

The final trimester started out with a bang; it all of a sudden got very hard to fall/stay asleep, not to mention difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position in the first place. Heartburn started again, and my sweet tooth was out of control. Just in time for the holidays, right? My weight gain rates went a little haywire around Thanksgiving. Oops.

I made it to 30 weeks before my belly size started making it difficult to put my shoes on or lean over to pick something up. It was also around this point that I couldn't let Austin sit right in the middle of my lap anymore; there just wasn't room for him. He had to learn to adjust his snuggling techniques, haha.

Between 33-34 weeks I started getting lots of aches and pains. Most notably, there was a week where I always ached sleeping on my left side, but not on my right side. HOWEVER, lying on my right side made my heartburn flare up. Basically, when bedtime arrived I had to choose between heartburn (sleeping on my right side) and the rest of my body aching (sleeping on my left side). I usually went with the heartburn. Fortunately, that phase didn't last.

At 34 weeks my wedding rings started getting tight and my belly button wasn't really an "innie" anymore.

At nearly 35 weeks I discovered that the baby was still breech. I was worried that I'd go in for my 36 week appointment to find that she still hadn't flipped and that we'd have to schedule an ECV to try flipping her manually, but I'm pretty sure she flipped 2 days before my appointment. Cutting it close, little girl!

At that point, braxton hicks contractions happened several times a day. At the 38 1/2 week mark, I had a suuuper salty dinner (nachos) and woke up the next morning to VERY swollen feet. The swelling stayed for the next week, during which I also got a 24-hour stomach bug AND my braxton hicks contractions became more frequent and had a bit of a "bite" to them. Once my sodium levels went back down (a couple days before my due date), the swelling went away and the contractions became less frequent. Then I got another illness right after passing my due date (let's call it a "full body cleanse") and frequent BH contractions came back (we're talking less than 10 minutes apart for HOURS, here) and by that point I was SO done and exhausted. Ah, what a way to finish the pregnancy.

Oh, and my heartburn pretty much disappeared for the final 2 weeks or so. Weird, but I'm not complaining about it!

^^^^Here I am at 38.5 weeks... I think this was the day after the nachos, so my feet were all swollen in those boots. Aaah, swelling. You can FEEL the tops of your feet jiggle with every step you take.

Baby #2 // 37 Weeks

Happy, happy October! The very best month! I made sure my outfit for these pictures was full of fall colors to celebrate.

Time for what will likely be my last bumpdate for this pregnancy. (If I go past my due date, I'll probably do one more.) Home stretch! Home stretch! And the best part? I haven't hit the "I'm done being pregnant, get him out!" phase yet! During my first pregnancy I hit the wall when I was 35 weeks, so it's great that I've made it even further this time. I'm hoping this means my hormones will stay in check all the way until the end, and maybe even that my post-pregnancy hormones won't be that bad.

Baby is: the size of a watermelon, more or less. Yikes, so big!

Sleep: I'm tired all the time, so naps are a regular occurrence. Some nights I fall asleep quickly, other nights... not so much. I can never tell what kind of night I'm going to have. At least I only have to wake up once to use the bathroom!

Symptoms: Mild heartburn. Occasional back pain and headaches. Minor swelling has started up--mostly in my feet and legs--but also in my face and fingers, so my rings are tight some days. On those days I just wear a fake ring I got from a Prize Candle! My legs keep trying to have charley horse cramps, but I always manage to stop them from happening. (Except one time, and then my calf muscle was sore the rest of the day.) Oh, and is having a constant sweet tooth a symptom, or just a fact of life? Haha!

Braxton Hicks: I have a handful throughout the day, but they're not painful at all.

Mood: As I said, my mood hasn't gone crazy yet. Weeks 38-39 were the worst for me in terms of mood (and symptoms in general) during my first pregnancy, but every pregnancy is different, so... we'll see. I think that keeping busy with Nicole and other things (as well as not having the stress of teaching during this pregnancy) has helped a lot.

Baby's Movement: He really likes to stretch, which can be uncomfortable for me when he's pushing the sides of my stomach in opposite directions. (That's when I put a hand on either side of my belly and push back! Oh that poor, squished kid. Haha.)

My Movement: I'm going to be honest... I think I'm rocking it. I'm still pretty agile, considering I only have 3 weeks left until my due date. I think I have 2 things to thank for this: having a toddler to chase around, and my exercise regime. Speaking of exercise...

Exercise: Still rocking my 6-day-a-week program. I think I missed 3 or 4 days in the past 5 weeks since my last bumpdate, but other than that I'm banging on all cylinders! You should see me in Barre, I'm so proud of how I'm keeping up with all the non-pregnant gals. I genuinely think that my activity level is what has made this pregnancy so great for me. Slower weight gain, less swelling, better mood... it all comes back to exercise. I wish 1000x that I had been this active during my first pregnancy.

Weight gain: I hit my 30 pound mark this weekend. 3 weeks early, dang it! Haha. My weight gain rate picked up in the past couple weeks (I'm sure swelling has something to do with that... but also all the pumpkin cookies and m&m's I've been eating) and so now I'm aiming to not pass 35 pounds by my due date. That's still SO much better than 55 pounds like my first pregnancy! I'm trying to keep in mind that weight gain from swelling isn't something I have control over. Also, I'm getting barely any new stretch marks this time around since I've been so good at controlling my weight gain rate.

Midwife Says: Everything looks awesome. Baby is head down and low in my pelvis, and I seem to be in great condition physically. I didn't have them check my dilation/effacement this past week, so I don't know what I'm at, but I'm pretty sure I'll last until my due date. If he comes a week or two early, I'll be very surprised.

What I've done/bought for baby: Everything is pretty much ready to go. Nicole is still taking naps in the crib until her bed frame gets delivered this week (we had to get a different one) but then she'll be in her "big girl bed" for good and I can get all the purple nursery décor switched over to my main color choice of navy blue. Everything is purchased and washed, I just need to set the room up :) The car seat is installed, my hospital bag is packed, and now we're just waiting! And now I can focus on the urge I've been having to deep-clean my house... if I ever stop napping, that is ;)

Best moments: I love asking Nicole where her baby brother is; she'll come lift up my shirt so she can pat my tummy. Also... getting our renovations on the top floor of our house done last weekend felt really great. There was something so satisfying about putting away the last of the painting equipment! We finished before October! That was my goal! Hooray! I also loved getting to watch General Conference this weekend.

Looking forward to: Meeting our son!!!!! Wow, a son! Newborn snuggles! And I'm really excited to breastfeed again. It's such a sweet experience, and sometimes I wish I went longer than a year with Nicole. Sometimes ;)

SO close, you guys! So close!

Baby #2 // 32 Weeks

I'm officially over 7 months along and I haven't hit the "I'm tired of being pregnant, get this baby out!" phase yet, so I'd say things are chugging right along! Just 8 weeks to go. Crazy. Since it's been a while since my last bumpdate, I'll make this one a little more detailed than my others have been.

Baby is: The size of a squash.

Sleep: Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep, but comfort isn't the problem - it's getting my brain to shut off! How many times can your brain re-think about the same topics?!?! Over and over and over! But once I fall asleep, I'm out for the night (aside from waking up to turn over in bed, which is starting to take some effort). I often have the urge to nap in the afternoons while Nicole is napping. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't.

Symptoms: Just some weird dreams and occasional back pain. The only other symptom is that I feel faintly car sick unless I'm the one driving. How strange! It's only been happening the past week, but... it's just a really strange symptom to have. No swelling or heartburn or new stretch marks yet, though!

Mood: My mood goes crazy on occasion, but mostly I'm still my normal self. I'm guessing that I have at least another 3-4 weeks of peace before the more extreme mood swings start. Hormone levels get crazy in those last few weeks. At least I'll be expecting it this time around.

Braxton Hicks: Yep, I've been having them for several weeks now, at least once per day, usually more. They're short and painless, and it's a great opportunity to practice relaxing into the contraction. I want to do a meds-free delivery, and it's time to start mentally preparing myself for that.

Baby's movement: He doesn't sharply kick me anymore; rather, he makes strong, deliberate pushes against my stomach, and spends a lot of time shifting around to get comfy. Also, this little dude gets SO many hiccups! There was one evening where he had the hiccups 3 different times in the space of a couple hours. Cute, but also annoying because I always feel the hiccups in my cervix, and it tickles in a very aggravating sort of way.

My movement: I haven't started doing the "preggo waddle" yet, but I generally can't swoop over to pick things up off the floor anymore; I have to squat, but hey, that's good for my legs, right? I have to move more slowly when I'm getting up off the floor or out of bed now too.

Wedding Rings: On all the time. Even when I exercise (which is awesome because at this time last pregnancy my fingers would swell up when I was active.)

Belly Button: I can hardly believe it, but... it popped! Well, kind of. When I'm standing or sitting upright it pops (but just barely) and it turns back into an "innie" when I'm lying down.

Weight gain report: I was sick last weekend and didn't eat much, so I ended up losing weight. I'm currently 1 pound lighter than what I was aiming to be at 32 weeks. Hey, I'm not complaining, and the sickness was very short... but just long enough to reset my appetite and eating habits. It's like I got a clean slate, and it's been great to eat well this past week.

Exercise report: I missed 2 days last weekend from being sick, but aside from that I haven't missed a single day since we returned from our vacation back in July! 6 days a week for at least 30 mins, baby! (Sunday is my rest day).

What I've done/bought for baby: Nothing new to report. Right now I'm just trying to find the perfect double stroller, and I'm stalking KSL looking at the Mamaroo's that get posted because MAN those things look amazing.

Best moments: This isn't baby-related, but... it made my month to be able to see Newsies on tour in Salt Lake City two days ago. It became one of my top 5 shows on my "To See" bucket list the moment I found out they were bringing it to the stage!

Looking forward to: Having our master bedroom renovation finally completed in the next week or two. We've been waiting for cooler weather to do the painting and whatnot since the master bedroom is the only bedroom with a ceiling fan, and it's just too hot at night to sleep without it. We finally moved our furniture to the spare room and patched the drywall, now we just have to texture, sand, prime, and paint! And once we do that, we can replace the carpet in the baby's room and paint Nicole's room, and then get her switched to her very own big girl bed. Yep. Eeek! The goal is to have the entire top floor of our house completed before October.

Things are getting real, and I'm getting excited! So close to newborn snuggles and nursing and baby clothes! We just won't think about the sleep deprivation and hormones and whatnot ;)

Baby #2 // 26 Weeks

I figured that today would be a good day for a bumpdate since I'm officially 6 months along! Ready to start the third trimester over here! Things are still going very smoothly. The break down:

Symptoms: Nothing aside from occasional back discomfort and feeling tired. I'm pleasantly surprised... with my last pregnancy, I already had some problems with swollen feet at this point, as well as some acid reflux issues. This time = nada. I'm not complaining. OH, I've stopped losing hair! When I brush my hair, there are only a few strands that come off my head. It's awesome.

Sleep: Some mild insomnia most nights. But once I fall asleep, I'm good! I don't need to get up for bathroom breaks, and I'm not even using my body pillow for comfort; it's lying abandoned on the floor next to my bed, waiting for the night when I'll finally need to use it. Ha.

Wedding rings: On! (no swelling, remember?!)

Belly Button: still very much an "innie". It never changed to an "outie" during my first pregnancy, so I doubt it will this time either.

Weight gain: On track. Quick shameless bragging moment: I am SO proud of my weight gain right now, you guys. With my first pregnancy, I had already gained about 30 lbs when I was 6 months along; this time I've only gained 15 lbs!!! My (doctor-approved) target range is 25-30 lbs, which is a huge difference from the 55 pounds I gained in my first pregnancy. If I gain 1 lb a week from here on out, I'll come in at 29 lbs by my due date. I can totally stick to that goal!

Exercise: Shameless bragging one more time: I have been awesome about exercising compared to my first pregnancy. Aside from Sundays, I exercise daily for at least 30 minutes. I think there's only been 1 day (maybe 2?) in the past couple weeks where I've missed my exercise quota. Thank you Provo Rec Center, YouTube videos, and the walking trail by our house!

Maternity clothes: Oooooh yes. I still have some non-maternity capris that fit me (zipper, button, and all), but I prefer my maternity ones. Much more comfortable. But I live in maxi dresses/skirts most days anyways.

Best moments: When I ask Nicole where the baby is, she'll reach her little hands over and pat my belly. She'll even give the baby a kiss if I ask her to. So cute. Also, as per usual, baby boy has lots of dance parties in my tummy. I love it so much.

Funny moment: I mentioned this on facebook, but there was a guy - probably about my age - who came around the neighborhood to set up appointments for learning about solar panels for our homes. I opened the door and he asked if my parents were home. Ha! He was so apologetic, and very surprised when I turned sideways to show him my baby bump to prove that I was indeed a parental figure. Lesson: apparently I don't look old enough to be a parent or homeowner, and also it's still tricky to tell if I'm pregnant sometimes, depending on what I'm wearing. Lose shirts still hide my bump really well.

Looking forward to: Seeing my family soon. None of them have ever seen me this pregnant in person before, so that'll be fun, and it'll be so good for Nicole to spend time with them. I love living in Utah, but being in a different state than my family is a downer.

And some miscellaneous stuff:

I got my glucose test over with on Friday and received my RhoGAM shot yesterday. Ah, the joys of having an rh- blood type. And in a twist of events, I'll be delivering with a midwife this time around instead of an OBGYN. It's not as dramatic as it sounds, I'm still delivering in a hospital and all that jazz.

Finally: I'm researching cloth diapers. SUCH a money saver, but also more time-consuming than simply tossing out a disposable diaper. Do I have any cloth diaper-using friends who want to offer their two cents? Please and thank you!

Yay for babies! And fingers crossed that those unpleasant third trimester symptoms hold off as long as possible! Everything counts when you've got a toddler to chase after!

Baby #2 // 20 Weeks

I'm at the halfway point!!! I wish I could include a gender reveal with this bumpdate, but we don't find out the gender until later this week. Eeeek! Guess, if you want!

Truth be told, there isn't a whole lot that has changed in the past several weeks. I can feel the baby move on a daily basis now, and Doug was able to feel a kick about 2 weeks ago. I can see my belly move when he/she kicks too! Eeeeeee! :) I'm pretty sure that feeling the baby move will always be my favorite part of pregnancy.

I've gained a total of 7-8 lbs so far (right on track with my weight gain goals! Yes!), and I've already had a couple mild instances where heartburn has shown it's ugly face, but that's really it. Oh, and mild insomnia. No ligament pain, my mood has leveled out, no swelling yet... I'm cruising through pregnancy pretty nicely right now! I even have non-maternity pants that still fit me - button, zipper, and all!

I've already gotten a couple of "You don't look pregnant!" and "Wait, you're already 20 weeks? You don't look like it!" comments - because apparently you're supposed to get big way earlier with your second pregnancy. It doesn't help that I often walk around with tall posture and my core engaged, so that totally sucks my baby bump in and hides it.

I can make myself look really pregnant when I want to though! You just have to arch your back and stick out your gut! (Which is what I usually do in bumpdate pictures to show the bump off. I suppose it's kind of deceptive haha).

And now, just for fun... gender prediction test results! These are very often wrong, but still... they're fun! I dunno guys, things seem pretty even to me! What do you think?

Indications it's a girl:

• Mood swings
• I'm still pretty graceful and balanced
• We already have a girl name that we agree on
• I really want fruit and sweet things more than other foods
• The baby's heartbeat is above 140 bpm

Indications it's a boy:

• Doug hasn't gained sympathy weight
• I dreamed it was a girl (apparently, dreams are opposite)
• I sleep on my left side more than my right
• My age at conception + year = odd number
• No morning sickness
• The Chinese Gender Chart says so ;)

We'll find out in a few days! So excited! I mean, look at that last picture. That's the face of an excited mama. I feel like I can finally start planning for the baby once I know the gender.

Baby #2 // 17 Weeks

So here's the low down.

1st trimester symptoms included: occasional headaches, a loss of appetite, tender baby feeders, fuzzy vision if I stood up too fast, mood swings, getting out of breath faster during my workouts, needing to pee more, and days where I was exhausted. (No random nosebleeds this time, though!)

And... no morning sickness. Again. I'm not complaining.

Basically, this pregnancy started out just like my first pregnancy.

Second trimester: I had strange, vivid dreams and round ligament pain at the beginning, but those have both stopped now. I'm surprised that the ligament pain disappeared so soon! I guess it's faster this time because I've already been stretched out before. My chest still feels tender if I'm not wearing a bra, though.

I'm not experiencing any other symptoms currently (Yay!!!!) except occasional mood swings and occasional insomnia. It won't be long before I have to break out the big pillows to help me fall asleep!

The second trimester really is a golden time. I went on a hike yesterday morning and had no problem keeping up with the other 7 ladies! Work it, Ashley. Work it while you still can. Those second-half symptoms are just around the corner.

I can already feel little taps and bumps from the baby. My favorite part of pregnancy! At my 16 week appointment, the doctor had to chase him/her around with the doppler for a while before the baby settled down long enough for us to listen to the heartbeat. Looks like we've got a hyper one on our hands! ;)

No maternity clothing yet. I'll probably be living in maxi dresses all summer, though.

I've also only gained about 3 pounds so far! Yay! I'm trying to keep a tighter hand on my weight this time; I don't want to gain 55 pounds again. I'm still driving down to Provo once a week to go to my beloved Barre class and to let Nicole see her friends at Child Watch (I just couldn't let it go completely!) - other than that, I need to depend on my own eating habits and at-home exercises to keep the weight gain reasonable.

We'll find the gender out in a couple weeks! It's still just as exciting the second time around!

{Bumpdate} 40+ weeks

Alright, folks.

I know I said I was putting myself on "blog time-out" until the baby got here... but I wasn't really expecting everyone to panic when I disappeared off the internet for the past week and a half. (Thank you for your concern, everyone!) So, for the sake of keeping you all in the loop and reassuring you that I didn't die in childbirth or anything (is that joke too insensitive?), I'm here to do another bumpdate! Besides... my bump has gotten bigger since my last bumpdate almost a month ago.

How far along: 40 weeks (40 1/2 weeks, if you want to be specific)

Baby is: The length of a jackfruit. Yeah, I had to look that up too.

Sleep: It takes a while to get comfortable, although I'm fine once I fall asleep (until I have to get up to use the restroom, that is). I get rather hot at night sometimes. It also takes a lot of effort to turn over. Yeah. The struggle is real, people. But overall, I would say I'm still getting all the sleep I need.

Symptoms: I thought my back pain was bad a month ago... but I must say it's gotten worse, which is one of the reasons why it's harder to fall asleep. I still have mild acid reflux, my feet are still swollen, and now I feel pain in my abdomen whenever I go on my daily walks. The doctors are still keeping a nervous eye on my higher-than-normal blood pressure, but it hasn't been high enough to truly cause alarm.

Mood: Still all over the place, but not as crazy as it was the previous week or two. One of the main reasons I suddenly cut myself off from my blog and facebook was because of a big old mood swing where I suddenly hated social media and everything about it. I have no explanation for you other than hormones. The results of this mood swing have been great though! I haven't been on facebook for a week and a half (except today to share this blog post) and it has been marvelous. I never realized how much time I waste browsing facebook and stalking everyone's lives.

Braxton Hicks: I have them every now and then... and they've been happening more often today, actually. And they feel a little uncomfortable. That's a good sign, yes?

Wedding rings: Off or on my pinky finger.

Belly button: Still in. I guess my belly button is determined to be an "innie" forever!

Doctor says: At my appointment this morning, I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced, so the doctor is pretty sure that this baby should be here any day. We have a day set up for me to be induced, but I'm hoping she'll come on her own in the next few days so I don't have to go through that process.

Favorite moment(s): I was pleasantly surprised at how much food I was able to eat on Thanksgiving with a full-term baby in my uterus. Thank you, baby girl, for not inhibiting my ability to enjoy yummy food. As impatient as I am, I'm also trying to soak up the last bit of time I have to feel a baby moving around in my tummy. It's such a cool feeling.

What I've done/bought for baby: The nursery is done (can't wait to show you guys some pictures) and we have everything ready to go. We're just waiting waiting waiting... and baby girl is taking her sweet time, that's for sure.

Forgive me, dear readers, for being "unsociable and taciturn" (name that movie!). All the waiting and discomfort is making me rather grumpy... it's understandable that I just want to hurry up and meet my baby, right?

What a stubborn little girl I have. She's probably ginger. I won't complain if she is... and I would say the chances of her having red hair are fairly good.

Exibit A:

We'll see soon enough! I am sooooo excited, you guys!

{Bumpdate} 37 Weeks!!!

Dress and Leggings - Mikarose  //  Coat - Kohl's  //  Boots - Forever Young Shoes

Before I say anything else, can we take one moment to appreciate these electric blue leggings? Okay. Thanks.

I've finally hit the wall. I was wondering if I would ever get tired of being pregnant... and I started getting tired of it about 2 weeks ago. Now that I'm full-term (according to the older medical standard), I just want her out! And if we're being realistic, she could come any time between now and the end of the month. Eeeeeek!

In any case... this is the home stretch!

Since I'm full-term, I figured I should squeeze in one last bumpdate post, just in case the baby comes earlier than expected. I still technically have 3 weeks until my due date, but you never know.

How far along: 37 weeks

Baby is: the length of a watermelon!

Sleep: I finally have to get up during the night to use the bathroom. I only have to get up once, but at least I know that my bladder is not completely abnormal. Goodness. Sometimes it takes a while to get comfy when I go to bed, and it can be hard to fall back asleep again when I get up to use the restroom, but other than that I'm sleeping fine. I take naps whenever I get the chance, too. So tired!

Symptoms: Back pain. Sore feet. My stretch marks get itchy if I don't keep them moisturized. It is SUCH a struggle to put shoes on, and sometimes getting out of the car is no picnic either. I can still bend over to pick things up pretty easily, but trying to grab something that's on the floor while I'm sitting on a chair or couch is a whole different story. I get mild heartburn almost every evening (it doesn't really burn though, it's just an uncomfortable pressure in my throat).

Mood: ALL over the place. One minute I'm happy, then I'm bawling, then I feel very productive, then I'm unmotivated and sad, then I'm anxious, then I'm "out-of-it" and can't seem to concentrate on anything. Mainly, I've been wanting my body back. I want to be able to be active without getting out of breath within 10 seconds. I want to be able to eat a hearty meal without the baby shoving my stomach acid back up my throat. Stuff like that.

Braxton Hicks: I get a fair few of them. They're not painful though, just uncomfortable.

Baby's movement: She doesn't really kick anymore because things are so crowded. Instead, she completely twists her whole body around to try to make herself more comfortable. I'm pretty sure she's a contortionist. She also pushes persistently against anything that squishes her, such as my arm resting on my belly or the mattress when I'm lying on my side at night. She also likes to shove her bum and/or feet into my ribs, and it's not very comfortable for me.

Wedding rings: Almost always off (or on my pinky finger).

Belly button: It's not an "outie" yet, but I can't really call it an "innie" anymore either. It's a halfway-in-halfway-out belly button, I guess. But definitely not an "outie" yet.

Doctor says: My blood pressure was a little high when I went in this past week, so he said we'll keep an eye on that. He told me to get off my feet more and elevate them because I have a lot of water weight in my feet and ankles. The baby's heart rate is right on par, though, and she's head-down! Getting ready to come out!

Favorite moment(s): It makes me laugh to hear everyone tell me my bump is small for being 37 weeks pregnant because my weight gain tells me otherwise. I think the only reason why I haven't freaked out about my weight gain is because of all the people who keep commenting on how small I am. But let me tell you, people, my weight gain has been more than average. So thank you to everyone who has told me I look great and that I'm a cute pregnant woman because that keeps me from dwelling on the number I see when I step on the scale!

What I've done/bought for baby: The nursery is basically done! I'm just waiting for a couple of wall decoration pieces to arrive in the mail :) Her clothes and bedding are all washed and ready to use, we finally started stocking up on diapers, the hospital bag is packed... I think it's safe to say that we are ready for this baby girl to arrive!



Now. Excuse me while I go freak out (again) and eat grapes. And a baked potato. I've been eating a lot of those this past week.

{Bumpdate} 34 Weeks

In a few days, I'll officially be 8 months along! I feel huuuuge, you guys! Although... a lady told me about a week ago that I was tiny for being so close to my due date. So I suppose I'm not that huge. And I'll definitely get bigger during the remaining weeks of my pregnancy.

How far along: 34 weeks (nearly 8 months)

Baby is: the length of an average-sized pumpkin! Perfect for fall :)

Sleep: I'm still sleeping like a baby. No middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks or anything. Am I just weird or something??!? Bladder of steel! I'm starting to have really strange dreams again, like I did during the first half of my second trimester. Some of those dreams include: giving birth and nursing. I had a "labor" dream just last night, actually! It was a very short and painless labor. Dreams predict the future sometimes, right??!? Haha. Ha. I wish. In the past week, I've started feeling more tired to the point where I often need a nap during the day. I've got to sleep while I still can!!!!!

Symptoms: I get tired more often, I've gained a couple more stretch marks, and usually by the end of the day my lower back hurts a fair bit. And it hurts after sitting in the drivers' seat of the car or sitting through 3 hours of church (aka - 3 hours of torture on my back). Lying down helps a lot. But those are my only main symptoms, thankfully!

Braxton Hicks: I have small, short, painless ones every now and then, but they aren't a common occurrence yet. Except yesterday... it seemed like I had more than usual yesterday. Hmmm.

Baby's movement: She still finds plenty of opportunities to turn, wiggle, and kick. I still haven't quite mastered how to identify which of her movements are from her legs, arms, bum, head, etc. but I'm trying to learn! It doesn't help that my placenta is attached to the front wall of my uterus, which cushions things. The benefit of that, though, is that her kicks and jolts still don't hurt me.

Wedding rings: Still wearing them, usually! Every now and then they'll be a little tight, but mostly they're fine.

Belly button: Still in. I'm starting to think that I'll make it to the end without it popping out at all!

Doctor says: At my last appointment, I was told that everything still looks great, although my blood pressure is a bit lower than average. Just a bit, though. I'll have another appointment this week, and I'm hoping the doctor might perform some exam or something to tell me what position this baby is in.

Favorite moment(s): I think my favorite moment of the past few weeks was when baby girl was dancing to the music. Of course, I love it any time she gets hyper (which happens every few days) and moves a ton.

What I've done/bought for baby: I had my baby shower a week ago (I talked about it a bit in this post) and we got some really helpful things from friends and family. We've purchased the remaining "big" items that we needed, I painted the baby crib (whoo!), and now I just need to finish pulling the nursery together and complete the decorations. I'll have more to say on that in a future post. Oh, and we still need to buy diapers. Lots of diapers.

Shirt - Target  //  Jeans - Motherhood Maternity  //  Boots - Forever Young Shoes  //  Belt - Urban Wear  //  Cardigan - old, gifted

Baby girl, your arrival is approaching almost too quickly! Your dad and I are so excited to meet you! Your mom is fine with you staying in there another few weeks, though. If you want to come a week early, that's great (maybe even 2 weeks) but no sooner! Do you hear me, little lady??? No sooner!!!