31 Weeks

Here's another quick update (since this is actually nearly 2 weeks late... oops)

In week 31, I did some swimming at the YMCA. Now that I get out at 3:30 I should theoretically have that luxury more days a week but we're busy busy busy and I have places to be most afternoons after work. Regardless, it felt great to get in the pool and float around for a bit. I'm able to stretch my hips much better under the water, and take some of the pressure off my lower back. My only problem was that for as weightless as I felt while I was in the pool... I felt like I weighed 1000 pounds when I climbed the ladder to get out, yuck.

This was also the week we took our hospital tour. We've been to Vanderbilt to visit friends who had just delivered a baby, but we knew nothing about where we needed to park and go when it was actually our turn to have this bug. We got a lot of great questions answered about hospital procedures and what we can expect during our time there, so I think I have a few less fears about about the whole process.

Speaking of fears! During our most recent birth class we were asked to make lists of all our fears, ANYTHING that comes to mind and makes us worry about having this baby just so that we can start tackling them and making them less... fearful. It has sparked some great conversations between the two of us, and is helping us to feel more prepared (or to be prepared for the unexpected). We want to make sure that we walking in with more confidence than worries.

Random, but one of the biggest things I've noticed myself doing recently is that I am SO forgetful. Nothing major, but I often forget that one thing that was right on the tip of my tongue. To me though, that is the most annoying kind of forgetful! When you KNOW you know, but it just won't come out of your brain haha. And I constantly call the kids in my class by the wrong names right now... I'm starting to feel like my grandmother!

Lastly, we decided this week that I'm going to work up to my due date but not past it. So far I've been feeling great, and I think that continuing my normal work routine has really played in to that. Any time that I get TOO much rest I end up feeling worse than if I just go about my routine, so sitting at home and waiting for this baby to come is not really part of my plan at the moment. As long as I'm feeling up to it, I'll be going in to work... My due date is July 11th, which is a Thursday so unless he comes early I'll work that day and probably finish out the week and then take some time to relax that next week (or weeks??)

Can you even believe that May is almost over and that July will be here in no time?! 9 MORE WEEKS TO GO!

30 Weeks

Week 30... which means that we only have 10 weeks left. Let the countdown begin!

This week we've switched from kicks and wiggles to major moves. He is definitely getting bigger and taking up much more space. After our last midwife appointment I have a better idea of where he's positioned, so I can tell with more certainty that YES the little thing poking out of my belly is a foot... or more likely, his bum haha. Now when he does kick it shakes my whole body, but he has still yet to wake me up from it. During the day he has started to be a little more active, but I think that may just be because he's too big to hide from me (even if he is sleeping haha) The kids at school are SO curious about him, and want to know his name and what he's doing. A couple have gotten to feel him kick, so now of course I have 10 pairs of grubby little hands trying to touch me all day... they mean well haha. 

Sleeping has gotten a little more uncomfortable, just because my hips have been aching a bit. I've been known to have pain in my hips (thanks Boca Dance Studio!) so I kind of expected this to happen at a certain point. I haven't really found any arrangement of pillows that I can comfortably use to support myself without feeling smothered and hot, so for now I'm just dealing with it and honestly not losing sleep because of it. If things start getting worse I'll do some further finagling.

Now that it's hot in Nashville and none of my clothes fit, Keith took me shopping which has been SUCH a lifesaver. I just got two pairs of shorts and 3 tops, but having a few more things to throw on before work has made getting dressed not feel so daunting. I also went through ALL of the maternity clothes I was gifted by school moms and picked out the things I would actually wear and did a major closet overhaul. Now all of my clothes that don't fit are away and out of sight and my drawers are thankfully uncluttered. I kind of can't wait until this baby comes out and I can bring all my favorite clothes back out... it's going to be like shopping in my own closet haha

Some more bits of mindless information, I am still able to wear my wedding rings. I haven't had much trouble with swelling so far, but as we enter into more consistent 80 degree days I fear it may be imminent (which is fine). At this point I'm just not sure if I should go ahead and take them off so they don't get stuck... or just ride it out. Also (don't hate me) up until now I can happily report that I do not have any stretch marks that I can see... so fingers crossed they won't start popping up out of nowhere. My belly is still RIDICULOUSLY itchy regardless of how much lotion or oil I slather on it. Sometimes when I get home from work I'll just start itching and not really realize until Keith gets home and my stomach is beat red. I know... it's terrible. Otherwise my mood is still relatively cheerful. Patience wears thin, but not really any faster than a normal day. There have been more days recently that I wake up and just don't wanna go to work, but I can't completely blame that on pregnancy haha. I have noticed though that other people are more cautious of what I'm doing or are nervous for me and remind me to be careful (like when I stood on a chair at work to reach something up high and I had 3 women rush over to me to, making sure I didn't fall... and a kid tell me I "need to be careful because that baby could get hurt!") Thanks everyone! As much as I don't like extra attention, since I do feel mostly "normal" I tend to forget that certain things can be dangerous and the reminders are a good reality check.

All that to say.... 10 WEEKS TO GO! (which is terrifying...)

29 Weeks

Time flies when you're pregnant? Not always... but now that we're past the half way mark and the countdown has officially begun I feel like time is slipping by faster than I can keep track.

This week's update will be quick... no exciting news to report. I wouldn't say that I love being pregnant, but I don't hate it (at this point). Ask me again in July.... haha. For now obviously this is all I know, but I think when all is said and done, I might actually miss having him in my tummy. He's just so safe in there and so sweet. It's going to be very different when he's here and we can actually see him, and hold him... so for now I'm going to cherish all these quiet kicks and shifts.

In other news, my prenatal vitamins waited until the 3rd trimester to start making me nauseous, which has been a BLAST. and my legs and feet have been very sore after a long day of standing/squatting/running/jumping/chasing/lifting/etc at school. Anyone know of any good sandals that are cute but still supportive? I'm getting desperate!

Good news about all that though is I have a new schedule at work that has me getting out at 3:30 (instead of 5, yuck!) and even though I have yet to walk out the door AT 3:30, it theoretically gives me plenty of time to not sit in traffic and catch a nap before Keith gets home. I think it's going to make the summer just a little bit easier and hopefully my days won't drag on quite so endlessly... leaving me too exhausted for dinner some nights.

Here's to more good weeks!

28 Weeks

Chugging along now in the 3rd trimester.... these weeks have all seemed to blur together. Not much is "happening" or changing at this point, so baby boy and I have just been smooth sailing together. It's days like this that I think to myself, "I don't really mind being pregnant". Who knows what is to come in the next few weeks, but instead of sitting around and waiting for things to get hard, I'll just be content that I'm comfortable and happy and don't have much to complain about. Thank you mom, grandma and all those other generations of good genes that let me off easy so far!

Birthing class is going well! We're learning a lot and it's been helpful to see that we're not the only completely clueless people out there haha. Now I just need to work on NOT fall asleep during the relaxation time at the end, oops.

Speaking of sleep, we recently got a new mattress which has been like sleeping on a cloud! I'm having a pretty tough time prying my body out of bed each morning, and I can already tell that I've had a bit less achey-ness in my hips after a long nights sleep. Groupon is the best. BUT now that we have a new mattress there's another old mattress that we have no space for in the house. We passed along the queen bed from the guest room to a friend because there will be no room for baby furniture if we had kept it. Now we just need to ditch the last mattress, or trade it for a twin and we'll be a LITTLE closer to having a "nursery" for baby bug. This month Keith is planning an Ikea trip for a couple of essentials and other than that... we'll just be finding new and creative ways to organize all of our stuff and all the stuff this little guys is going to have haha. SO if you were ever planning on visiting us, and would like the luxury of not sleeping on our couch... come quickly! The guest room is about to be permanently occupied haha

In other official news, my belly button is definitely an outie. I think it's the weirdest, but Keith has been waiting for this since day one and loves making jokes. Joke's on him though, because while I'm sleeping soundly on our new bed... this clever little bug has been kicking up a storm and waking his daddy up. We're just giving him a little taste of the future after July ;)