Week 37: My Pregnancy Diary

Reaching the full-term milestone felt so good. There came a major sense of relief in knowing that she'll be relatively healthy if she decides to come early.

How Big is The Baby?
All of my pregnancy apps, books, and emails tell me what fruit/vegetable my baby resembles each week... well they've all officially given up. Either they are repeating themselves or they continue to compare her to a watermelon. So I really just think it's safe to say, at this point, she's BIG!

How I'm Changing?

I am GINORMOUS! Seriously, I can't believe how much my belly has popped within these last few weeks. Sometimes I forget just how big it is until i open a door straight into it or catch a glance of myself in our bathroom mirrors. Truly mind boggling how drastically the human body can change. 

For nearly 8 weeks, my belly was measuring as if I were 28 weeks. And then, 2 weeks ago, I measured like 32 weeks. And this past week I measured like 35 weeks! Throughout this entire time, we could see through the ultrasounds that little Savannah's weight was always ahead of the game. WEIRD. Her last ultrasound at 36 weeks showed her legs to be measuring nearly 4 weeks ahead of the rest of her body while weighing 6.5lbs! My bruised ribcage will have no problem confirming this.

How I'm Feeling?
The main issue right now is SLEEP. I am well aware that sleep will be at a premium once she makes her arrival and so I was really hoping to avoid entering mommy-hood as a sleep deprived zombie. The problem is, I'm having major pregnancy-induced insomnia, sinus trouble, and a ridiculous amount of urine output. Pleasant, I know. I'm sorry. Because of this, when I sleep I end up having to sleep with my mouth hanging wide open. It is insanely attractive, I assure you. Since I can only breathe through my mouth, after 30 minutes of sleep, I wake up completely dehydrated and scrambling for my trusty insulated water cup that I keep at my bedside. I then chug said water cup and make a trip to the ladies room. Thirty minutes later I get up now needing to pee again. Chug said water. At this point, the insomnia has kicked in and so has Savannah's playtime on my bladder.
See the cycle? Can't breathe. Open mouth. Excessively dry mouth. Chug water. Excessive urination. Savannah's playtime. Insomnia. Can't breathe...
It goes on all.night.long. Eventually by around 3:30 or so I think I just get so exhausted that I just pass out and sleep through the dehydration and bladder triggers. So needless to say, sleep is very minimal and interrupted and not the highlight of my day. Beyond that, there are a few other symptoms that have me feeling like this third trimester is very reminiscent of the first one. The morning sickness is back with it's full force and leaves me with tiny broken blood vessels on my face. My fatigue will reach it's maximum when I try to bake a meal or run errands for too long, while also leaving my lower back hating me for the rest of the evening.

As of lately, my sweet amc has had to have a few heart-to-heart talks with me about relaxing my body and mind. I have felt the nesting surge come and I don't think I have handled it very well. I have to be honest here. A few weeks ago, I realized that I was beginning to feel something else. Scared. I had gotten to this point of pregnancy where I'm suddenly thinking things like "holy crap I'm seriously having a baby." You would think it wouldn't take 9 months to realize this but I had to cut myself some slack and understand that this resurgence of anxiety is normal towards the very end.

I have done a lot of research and read quite a few books and am no longer worried about childbirth or labor anymore--I feel totally ready (or as ready as I can be) for the process. It's more of what happens afterwards...
I'm going to have a baby. And then I'll take her home. And no one is going to tell me what to do next. I guess my worries weren't focused on having the baby but more about being a parent. Someday this baby will be five years old. I can't even wrap my head around that right now.

I'm doing my best to soak up these last few weeks, and feeling a bit more emotional that this part of the journey is coming to an end. Despite the sickness and the aches, and all the other strange things that accompany pregnancy, I have really really loved being pregnant. Often times, during my insomnia moments, I'll find myself in tears when I imagine the moment that Savannah will arrive into our arms. My heart feels touched at the miracle of developing a child within me. It's difficult to put into words the gratitude that I feel to be a part of bringing a baby girl into this world. Inviting her into the family that Aaron and I have built here together. I feel blessed for having a Savior that allows families to be together eternally.

I know all of the changes will be for the better, and I know there will be good days and there will be hard days. As the end draws closer and closer, I am becoming very aware that my world is going to change in incredible ways. I have watched this video a few times this week and have cried my way through it each time.

My favorites are "it's okay to be scared" and "you are the expert." And when I was scared, I was really just scared of the wondering and the what if's. Amc helped re-focus me into putting all of that energy into giving our little girl the best life we can give her.

What I'm working on most these days is just feeling mentally and emotionally prepared now. Doing yoga, reading pregnancy related books, and just generally trying to feel really peaceful and calm going into this final process. As a naturally anxious person, my instincts are to worry and obsess over details, but I've been working really hard these past few months to overcome all of that and simply live in the moment as it happens. I can honestly say that I feel more calm and excited than I do nervous or scared.

More nursery progress bit by bit, and I should have a final nursery update in the next week to share with ya'll! I am so excited!

Odds and Ends:
Total weight gained: 25 pounds
Gestational age: 37w 5d
Doctor appointment news: 1/2 cm dilated
Items washed: 0-6 month clothes and sheets
Signs of labor: zero
Maternity photos: Didn't they turn out fabulously?! Check out her site HERE

Yours truly, Me

Week 32: My Pregnancy Diary

Eight months down.

The thirties continue! Does anyone else think that is just really really crazy? Whenever I hear someone is in the 30+ weeks, I think that sounds like the end. In every respect--emotionally and physically--I'm becoming more and more aware that the end is near.

I find myself constantly reminding amc, "Ohmygosh...! Can you believe there's going to be three of us? Like, right now... there's even three of us in this room." It encourages us to cherish the spontaneous evenings that we find ourselves running to the car while dressed in our jammies to grab our favorite hot chocolate from the gas station on the corner and a blockbuster movie to spend the evening snuggled up with left-over halloween candy.

How Big is the Baby?
Weighing about 4.5 pounds and measuring around 19 inches, she is now as large as a cantaloupe.

Some days I would like a time machine and fast forward through the next 8 weeks, since pregnancy has felt like an eternity. Other days, I would like to hit pause and buy myself a little more time.
How I'm Changing?
Honestly, I'm huge. But in spite of what I see in the mirror, I haven't gained nearly any weight this past month and my tummy growth didn't progress as much as my OB would have liked. I have my follow-up visit on Monday and hopefully will find out better news about Savannah's growth!
In general, everything is just getting...bigger. It's funny that I used to think all of these body changes were such a big deal, and by now I just roll with it and laugh. My sports bras don't fit anymore and neither will my hips in all of my skirts with zippers, and honestly--I don't care. For all the aches and pains that have come with it, I am totally obsessed with my big belly. I love it. I rub it and watch it move all day long. Amc and I will spend time laying in bed just watching it jump around. Moments like that make me completely forget the extra flab on my thigh's and roundness is my cheeks. It's all about perspective. I'm happy and healthy and that's all that matters to me.

What I'm Feeling?
I can feel her moving ALL the time now, and the movements range from way down deep in my pelvis to high up under my ribs. The kicks are constant and big these days. Quite often I'll see Savannah's body make large and protruding bulges from underneath my skin. She is definitely taking up a lot of space! I hope that my belly and skin can keep up. My Braxton Hicks contractions always get worse the days while I'm at work. My stomach will instantly become rock hard and I literally feel like my skin is going to burst open. We have reached maximum capacity in here!
I'm still dependent on my daily nausea pills to keep the edge off. No extreme cravings or food aversions, but it takes me a long time to choose something to eat these days. Unless it's a McDonalds mcdouble, fries, and completed with a hot fudge sunday. I know! I know. I'm pregnant. Get over it ;-)
The Nursery
I am into the hard-core nesting phase of pregnancy where I want everything to feel ready and settled, and I'm itching to finish the nursery as soon as we can. I've recently entered the uhhh-mazing world of Pinterest. It's such a rush. I've been able to organize my random ideas and hopes for her room and my maternity photos that my cute cousin Kylie volunteered to do. Check out her blooming website here!

Woah. Only 56 more days until it's show time.

Yours truly, Me

Week 29: My Pregnancy Diary

Can you believe I'm already in the second week of my THIRD trimester? The middle part of the journey has literally flown by. I definitely feel like I'm in my last trimester, both physically and emotionally. I can sense that the end (and beginning!) is in sight.
How Big is the Baby?
This week, baby Savannah has grown to be about 17 inches long and she weighs in at 3 pounds. That's as long as a large bunch of celery!

I definitely agree with the size in regards to how big my belly is getting and with all of Savannah's movements. She's been taking up a lot more space than she used to! I'll simultaneously feel her twitches behind my left hip bone and karate kicks to my upper right ribs. She has GROWN.  She no longer fits in the round spot in front of my belly. The bigger I get the more excited I get at the thought of her having more room to swirl around instead of competing for space with my organs and ribcage.

How I'm Changing?

I'm feeling a little slower and more exhausted this week. Simple tasks are becoming less simple to do and I'm having to ask for more help from amc. I really do appreciate and love that his initial responses are to help me. Over Labor Day weekend, I traveled to California to visit my sister and the blessing of their first baby boy, Parker. 

The plane flight was wasn't too uncomfortable and the simple task of reaching down to my bag from my seat was nearly impossible. But, I will say that strangers are so much more helpful and kind to me when I look like I have a basketball strapped to my belly... Allowing me to cut in line...getting the door for me...asking how I'm feeling. Just as my sister told me, I can get away with A LOT more things while being pregnant than I could otherwise.

Suddenly, sleeping is very uncomfortable and simply turning from one side of my body to the other is an athletic event. I had been squishing a King size pillow between my legs but lately it hasn't been enough support for my upper body. And with JCP having their fabulous sales I am excited to say that I purchased a body pillow. I LOVE it! I'm actually shamelessly sprawled out all over it right now as I blog. I can imagine it will become a permanent fixture on our bed. Oh, and my belly button is poking out and I now have that super hot linea alba line running beneath my belly (it hasn't darkened yet.)

As far as nausea goes, I'm still nauseated if I haven't eaten in 2 hours but instead of the horror of earlier months, I only need to replace lunch/dinner on average 1-2x week. In all honesty, it could be a whole lot worse like it was in my first trimester. Little Savannah can be such a diva these days.

What I'm Feeling
My OB said this was right about the time that babies position themselves in preparation for birth (head-down.) Last week was an extremely active week for Savannah and I specifically remember one evening she was flipping and rolling SO hard. I couldn't sleep for hours because of her rough movements. So, when my OB confirmed at my visit this past week that she was already positioned head-down, I knew that my little girl had big plans for that active and oh-so-restless night. I feel less side-to-side movements and more kicks in the stomach and pressure under the ribs. Sometimes I'll find myself at work seated down while being bent over a patient and I'll have this awful pressure on my lungs and upper abdomen that will cause me to jerk up and I'll have to use my hands to press her strong legs back down. I just love feeling her and cannot get enough of it. Ten minutes doesn't go by without me feeling her shakin' things up. A few weeks ago, as amc and I were snuggled up in bed together I found myself whispering to him to be quiet because I could feel that Savannah was sleeping. Of course, he bursts out with a loud laugh, and after realizing how silly my comment must have sounded to him, we died laughing together. Sure enough, Savannah woke up and joined us with her powerful kicks and jabs.
Even though I have felt her movements many times and generally know when to expect them, they never get less exciting or feel less special. The kicks feel like a conversation. A connection. Something she and I experience together that I can't quite explain or share with anyone else. And just like that, I feel like I know the baby inside me. She is mine. And I'm her mom. On my way home from work, I'll talk with her. Tell her about my day. Apologize for being so stressed out. Tell her how wanted she is. How much we have already fallen in love with her. How excited her daddy is to snuggle with her and to have her in his arms. And how many times he has grabbed the stroller and pushed it around the living room while coo-ing and talking excitedly pretending as if she were along for the ride.

As anxious as I am to meet her, I hope she stays in for a while longer to continue getting big and strong for her big debut on New Years.

Yours truly, Me

Summer Photo Wrap-Up

Happy Saturday, Lovelies! I don't even know where to start. Can you believe that I haven't even posted any of our summer adventures or our efforts to dress up our new home? I have been absolutely lazy. And to be honest, it's purely because I really haven't taken the prettiest of pictures to share with y'all. However, I will give our home a walk through and snap photos of it all and post for you a tour next weekend. Secret confession; I have a major infidelity issue with my bedroom. She was the most expensive room with her soft grey walls, floor to ceiling heavy-sheen white curtains, crisp white/grey linens with a gorgeous pin-tuck duvet cover, ivory arched tufted headboard, a dresser and night stands refinished for a vintage flare by lovely amc, with a few crystal pieces to make the room sparkle. Completely drool-worthy. A special note of gratitude to amc for letting me decorate to my hearts content. I don't think I appreciate his total chill-ness in regards to having zero stubborn opinions as much as I should. Except when it comes to blatantly hogging the TV remote. But that's another story for another day.

Weekend in Galveston.

Melissa's Birthday Ball. Bringing in 40 lookin' fabulous!

So long, farewell Mr. Crosssley. His first day of teaching Reg, Pre-AP, and AP Chemistry left him nearly in tears. He felt in over his head! But in no time, he figured out his own method of discipline and rocked his socks at being a fabulous teacher without putting in any hours at home. The faculty, principle, and his students fell in love with him.

...obviously one too many girls ;-) 

4th of July at Nannies. Three years ago, amc bent down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. We were kids trying to grow into adults to prove that we are in fact two ordinary people, who are entirely blessed for finding one another, and promising to blend our futures together forever. And spending vacations with amc's supportive, kind, and crazy-fun family was spelt out in that future. Let the fireworks begin.

Weekend visit from our favs Brian and Becky. 

Famous Babe's BBQ restaurant. Dallas Aquarium.

Road trippin' through Austin, Tx.

San Antonio Temple.

First day of Dental School.

3rd Anniversary. Morning breakfast in bed. Swimsuits and water rides at Hurricane Harbor. Luxury Brazillian Restaurant. Fro-yo.

Yours truly, Me