I just can't believe it. And while I may whine on occasion, and make some complaints about my swollen feet or my blurred vision or my complete exhaustion, I'm still very aware of the beauty and miracle that's happening to me. And those aches and woes are a very small price to pay for the wonder and happiness that come from having a baby. I get the opportunity to do something so many other women out there can't do. What a blessing! Despite my uncomfortable circumstances, I'm thrilled. And this pregnancy especially! Knowing it's my last has really changed how I experience all the bumps along the way. (I made a joke there...ha ha...) I enjoy waddling around my house bumping into everything as I go, sitting in the quiet with my feet up, soliciting as much sympathy from Mister as I can to get a foot rub and a knowing smile from across the room. Yes, this pregnancy has been extra special AND extra hard. I suppose one begets the next. I just can't believe I'm already almost out of my second trimester and into the last phase of my last pregnancy. In the blink of an eye, we'll be holding Noodle close and relishing in that warm, soft, incredible baby. *sigh*
How Big is Noodle?
Well, my precious Noodle has had a growth spurt this last week, and will continue to do so throughout the third trimester.
At approximately 15 inches long and over 2 pounds, Noodle is now the size of......
...a head of cauliflower!
More exciting things about this week, you ask?
Well, Noodle can recognize our voices now so we'd better start breaking out the books and the lullabies. Right?
Hiccups have begun in earnest this week, signaling that Noodle's tastebuds and lungs are both developing wonderfully. And I've enjoyed every single minute of it!
And we're both gaining weight at a consistent pace every week going forward. (Or SHOULD be. Ha ha!)
Maternity Clothes?
I bought a couple more men's flannel shirts at Goodwill the other day, and I'm still determined to pick up a handful of long-sleeved tees for layering through the end of the pregnancy. That should just about do it. Let's hope, anyway!
Stretch Marks?
No new stretch marks yet, but my skin is definitely becoming itchy and red, so I expect new ones to show up any minute. *sigh*
Sleep?
Sleep is going alright this week. I only battled insomnia once. But I'm finding it even more difficult to get comfortable and stay there, so getting to sleep is becoming a chore. My magical maternity pillow is still great, though, until I have to get up to pee for the billionth time. Then it's like I'm wrestling a bear.
He makes it look sooooo easy....
Best Moment of the Week?
One of my favorite moments this week was spending the afternoon with my nieces and nephew hanging out and making Halloween decorations. It's been so much fun to spend time with family this year and as the end of my pregnancy looms, I'm trying to take advantage of all the time I can spare. We had so much fun making spiders and playing football in the front yard with the neighbor kids! I'm looking forward to more moments like that over the next couple of holidays...
Miss Anything?
Honestly, I don't really miss anything except running. I think about running all the time and I spend a large part of my free time doing research on products and techniques so I'll be better prepared to run postpartum. Other than that, I don't miss anything. I'm thoroughly enjoying being pregnant.
Movement?
Well, as I said, Noodle has the hiccups this week. That's been a lot of fun.
Mister is still having a hard time catching any movement. Every single time I call him over to feel Noodle move, the movement stops. Mister's fairly convinced there's no baby in there and I'm just getting fat. Tee hee!
My son, Boo, got the feel Noodle move yesterday. At first, he didn't know what was going on. Then he started to push back and Noodle would kick back and it became an adorable little moment. Boo squealed every time Noodle would kick. By far, one of my all-time favorite pregnancy moments.
Food Cravings?
I've had no real cravings this week. And it's been super frustrating.
Food Aversions?
EVERYTHING. My nausea has started to return in full force this week, leaving me feeling ill and completely disinterested in food again. I've returned to cold cereal and Cream of Wheat in an attempt to keep things in.
And chocolate.
That's about it.
Labor Signs?
No real labor signs, of course, but I'm still having constant Braxton Hicks contractions and they like to play tricks on me every now and then. It's no fun.
And on a side note: I've been experiencing bad, bad, bad back pain this last week. While I'm not concerned about this being a PTL (preterm labor) sign, myself and my nurse are getting a bit worried about back labor once labor ensues. Oh joy.
Belly Button?
Still an innie. Thank goodness!
Rings?
I am still having to change my rings on an almost daily basis, but I always wear one.
Happy or Moody?
This week it's safe to say I've been an absolute hormonal and emotional basket case. Between the incredible pain caused from a housework project for a photographer, the stress and emotional tidal wave from said photography session, and an unfair amount of hormones raging in my system, I am teeter-tottering between crying at every single thing...and I mean full-on sobs...to yelling at my family for not getting along...to laughing with glee. Oh, yes. I'm awesome this week. You've been warned.
Looking Forward To?
Well, I'm looking very forward to meeting our new doctor on the 16th of this month. It's been very hard to find a doctor here in our local area, but after some well-received recommendations, I was able to schedule an appointment with a highly demanded doctor. We're pretty excited.
Random Stuff:
As I noted before, I've been experiencing some severe pain this week. After 3 straight days of deep cleaning housework, I found myself in tears with back spasms, leg cramps, and intense Braxton Hicks accompanied by pain. I spoke with my nurse who reiterated that I am supposed to be taking ample breaks as necessary and not over doing ANYTHING, then instructed me to take a couple DAYS of as much rest as possible, feet up, LOTS of fluids. If nothing improves, I need to see my OB/GYN. Well, it's been 2 days and my back pain is still very, very present. But the Braxton Hicks have calmed down and the cramping is gone, hooray! However, at times, it hurts so much to walk that I just can't do it without stretching every other step and crying a little. Mister has basically grounded me from any and all chores and he and my daughter have taken up as much slack as possible so I can rest. I hate to see them both having to do so, but it seems that I have to resign myself to the fact that I just simply can't keep up anymore. For whatever reason (my doctor swears it's because I'm older...*ahem*...) my body just isn't coping well this time around and I need to be doing less. So..here I am, trying my best to do as little possible. And as awesome as that may sound, for someone like me who is happiest when the house is clean and the laundry's done and the candles are lit, it's a difficult request to simply rest. My biggest fear, however, is pushing myself so far that my doctor sees fit to put me on some form of bedrest. I can tell you with no uncertainty that c-sections, gestational diabetes and bedrest (even modified) are my top three pregnancy fears. Those things scare me more than anything else! SO...I'm doing what I can to keep all three of those as far away from me as possible. I'll be bringing these concerns up with my new doctor in the first appointment (my current doctor seems to just say I'm aging and it's my 3rd pregnancy, then blows me off pretty much) to be sure I'm as healthy as can be and on the right path. And of course, I'll certainly keep everyone posted. In the meantime, I've just got to stop being so darn stubborn and be more careful.
That being said, I'm finding the joy in taking it easy, as much as I can. It's been nice to spend some extra time with my toddler during the day, playing blocks and watching TV together, instead of mopping and cleaning. And it's been an absolutely delight to spend time shopping for Noodle's Nursery Corner online or quietly working on Christmas projects without a feeling of constant guilt for not getting more done around the house.
It's been ridiculously amazing to be surrounded by as much support as I am. My family, even outside of my home, have been nothing short of awesome and understanding. I'm so very, very thankful. While I feel like a big wimp, it's been great to know they're there for me in any way. Even if it's just to whine about being a big wimp. LOL. And Mister has shown me that real teamwork does exist, it's not just a fairytale. To all of you, I am forever grateful.
Well...off I go to get dressed and take Boo to the craft store again! We need us some pretty fabric! Until next time...
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