34 Weeks

Thank goodness October is at an end. There has been so much going on this past month that I am surprised I didn't lose my mind. I did end up coming down with a cold this weekend, but otherwise I survived the wedding, birth classes, grad school work, baby shower, and normal work weeks that all happened this month. Now that we are heading into November I feel like I can breathe a little easier and really start preparing for Baby O's arrival.

The past two weeks have been pretty uncomfortable for me. I am still sleeping okay, but when I get up to go to the bathroom it is hard to propel myself out of my bed and my bones creak and crack like an old woman. I am also still having pretty consistent back pain at the end of the workday, but I did buy a Boppy pregnancy wedge which has helped a little with that. I have also had a lot of bloating lately, so it feels like my belly is huge and in the way all the time. Not to mention that fact that it is getting harder to reach down and pick things up when I'm sitting down. If I'm standing I can at least squat down and get things, but when I'm sitting I feel like I'm smashing the baby when I try to bend over. I do have one new symptom to report this week: swelling. On Wednesday my ankles were swollen, and then on Thursday and Friday when I took my socks off my feet were normal and my legs were huge and swollen from my sock line.

I did have another doctor's appointment this week (I now start going every other week), and everything is still looking good. No weight gain (woohoo!), so I'm still at about 18 pounds gained. I'm hoping I can do some exercises at home these next few weeks to keep that number from going up too much more. Everything else checked out good also. Next time I go in they start checking to see if I'm dilated or if the baby has dropped into my pelvis. That is kind of exciting,because I'll start to see how close I am to this baby really arriving. I'm not expecting much at the next appointment, but I can always hope can't I?

Finally, I am happy to say that Baby O's room is starting to come along pretty well. It started out as an empty room filled with boxes and some random baby stuff, and now the crib and dresser are set up. The closet is also filled with lots of baby things after last week's baby shower. I also started putting some clothes and diapers into the dresser and put together the carseat and stroller. Over the next few weeks I hope to get the sheets on the crib, start putting things up on the walls, and wash the rest of the baby clothes that we've gotten. Be on the lookout for some updated pictures of that soon.

32 Weeks!

Well, I'm a little late in updating, but it's been a busy 2 weeks. Josh and I went to Michigan last week for my sister Kristy's wedding and had a great time. Baby O was very cooperative considering the long drive there and back and all the excitement. I got tons of comments from family and total strangers that weekend. I also realized how hard it is to sit for hours when you're pregnant, because we had to make a lot of stops on the long drive for me to get out and stretch. I survived, though! A few days before the wedding I also had another doctor's appointment. This time I did gain some weight, so I'm up to 18 pounds gained so far. This is still pretty good, but I really need to be careful and not let myself go these last few weeks. The nurse said a lot of women put on weight really easily at the end, and that is the last thing I need. Everything else looked really good at the appointment, which was a relief as always.

We also started our childbirth class, and we only have one more week left. It's been really informative and helpful, and I think Josh has even enjoyed it. Yesterday we got to tour labor and delivery, and we saw one little baby in the nursery. It was so cute, and it was exciting to think of our little guy laying there in just a matter of weeks! One thing I really liked about the class was all the relaxation techniques and labor positions we've learned. I'm hoping I can remember them and move as much as possible while we're still at home so that things will move along and keep progressing.

The past two weeks have also left me feeling more and more uncomfortable. I'm starting to feel a lot bigger, and my belly is making it harder for me to reach down for things and get up from the bed or sofa as easily. I've also been having consistent back pain, especially at the end of the work day. Now that my belly is bigger, my back has a more defined arch in it which makes my back hurt. The other symptom I've noticed more is some major indigestion. I've been having it at night, but over the weekend I would have bad indigestion after almost every meal. I'll feel fine for awhile, and then I suddenly feel like I'm going to get sick. Not fun. Even though I haven't been as comfortable, I keep reminding myself that it could be worse. I still don't have any noticeable swelling or stretch marks (woohoo!), and somehow my belly button is still an innie. I swear it's gonna pop out eventually, though.

This weekend is my first of two baby showers. This one is with all my friends and family, and the next one will be at work in a few weeks. I have already starting getting some presents from people who can't come to the shower, and I feel like a kid at Christmas. I'm so blessed by all the generosity of our loved ones, and I am excited to have a fun weekend and celebrate with everyone.

To finish off this week, I thought I would leave you with a comparison of where I started and where I'm at now. The first picture is from 12 weeks into the pregnancy, when I was just starting to see a little bitty bump. The second one is from last night. It's crazy to compare those two pictures, and it helps motivate me to get back into that great shape after the baby comes. Enjoy!

30 Weeks and a busy October

Welcome to October and the last 10 weeks of Baby O's growth and development in utero! This month brings lots of baby preparation and exciting events, but first let's talk about how things are going with me and the baby.

This past week I started developing a few new symptoms. First, I have started to have more aches and pains, especially in my lower back and butt/legs. I'm pretty sure this is mostly due to being on my feet all day, but of course the growing belly doesn't help either. The next symptom is increasing hunger in the afternoon. All last week I was starving once 3:00 hit, and I had to dig into the snacks I have in my classroom. I've also noticed an increase in body temperature. The weather was kind of cold out last week, but I would be sweltering and overheated by lunchtime almost every day. It was not fun. I'm also still having some nausea/indigestion at night, so I have been trying to eat dinner earlier and get in more snacks throughout the day. Otherwise I end up eating hardly anything or resorting to a bowl of cereal for dinner. The final thing I've noticed is that I'm getting more emotional about the pregnancy coming to an end. One day I was driving to work and started crying, because I wanted the baby to be here so badly. I know he'll be here soon, but it seems like there is still so long to go. Still no stretch marks or swelling, and I've had a little more energy at work which has been nice. Overall, I'm pretty lucky that I haven't had more symptoms and that the ones I've had haven't been too bad.

Baby O has been consistently moving, and I've started to notice where he is lying a little bit more. He often seems to be lying on my left side, and I can usually feel a big bulge in that area from his back/butt/head (still not quite sure which one it is). One day I was lying on the sofa next to Josh, and we noticed one part of my stomach sticking up where the baby was. It was kind of funny. Josh has gotten to feel the baby move a lot more also, and I love his reactions. He'll put his hand on my stomach and say, "Woah, I felt that," over and over each time the baby moves. It cracks me up.

Finally, as I mentioned before this month is going to be a busy one for me. This weekend Josh and I make the eight hour drive to Michigan for my sister Kristy's wedding. We are leaving Thursday, so we will be able to take our time driving up and have time to recover from the trip on Friday. I also have Monday off for Columbus Day, so that will help me rest up afterwards. I'll probably have a whole separate post just about the wedding weekend and how Baby O and I did with all the traveling and excitment. Tomorrow I also start my childbirth education class at OSF. This is a 3-hour class every Tuesday in October. That means I'll be exhausted on Wednesdays, but I know the class will be really helpful. Josh can't come tomorrow, so my mom agreed to go with me for the first class. The final event this month is my baby shower! I am so excited about this. It is on the 22nd, and my mom, Josh's mom, and Hannah (my sister-in-law) are all helping put it together. I cannot wait to get lots of things for the baby and start getting everything organized and put away. Last night Josh and I went to Babies R Us to add a few baby clothes to our registry and pick out the crib and dresser before the shower. It made me really excited, and I'm eager to decorate and set up the nursery.

As you can see, I have a lot to keep me busy this month. I guess that's good, because it means the time will go quickly and get me closer to the baby's arrival. I just can't wait to have this precious little one in my arms!