Yolande

Twenty-six weeks: 2.22.12







Photo thoughts: That belly sure is growing, huh? Also, still not feeling the outdoor shots. And at least I have a teeny hint of ab muscles trying to hang on for dear life, I suppose. Just for fun, you should peek at my 26 week belly photo from Truman's pregnancy and compare it to this time. Boggles my mind.

 
Size of baby: An English hothouse according to BC, which I mistakenly assumed was a tomato. Thankfully I googled it and realized it's just a big cucumber, so I grabbed a plain ol' cuc from the store and called it a day. The Bump is getting lazy and has gone to the 'one fruit a month' thing now. Woah. That time already?

Cravings: Really digging Oreos this week. And diet soda of course. Still sort of grossed out by myself and my lack of restraint with food, but I'm just starving all the freaking time.  And against my better judgment I weighed myself at home and discovered I've gained 8 pounds in the past 4 weeks, bringing my grand total up to 20 pounds already. So basically, right on par with where I was at with Truman. Sigh.

What I love: Nearing the third trimester. It's starting to feel more real every day.

What I'm looking forward to the most: This sounds really odd and a little ridiculous but I'm really starting to look forward to the actual labor. Two of my besties had their babies last week and just hearing them describe their experiences the second time around is enough to get me all giddy with anticipation. No, it won't be 'fun' by any means. But it's just such a magical event and I hope my labor and delivery go smooth and quick, just like theirs. Anything will be better than my 40 hours/2 day induction with Truman. (Well, not ANYTHING, but you know what I mean).

Worries:  Still can't believe she isn't strangling herself in there with all of that crazy movement in every direction. Still hoping those super low kicks don't mean she's settling in breech for the long run. And I have my glucose screen on Thursday so I'm hoping my horrendous sweet tooth doesn't come back to bite me in the big old butt.

What is different this time around: At 26 weeks with Truman's pregnancy, I was having a mental breakdown over some jeans that shrunk in the dryer since my body was morphing at alarming speeds. I was also being a total annoying over-achiever in the nursery decorating department. And this time I don't really care that much about jeans that don't fit properly. In fact I'm wearing both of my maternity pairs just fine---both the 'too short' Old Navy ones and the slightly roomier Gap version, too. I'm not freaking out about the changes my body is making just yet because I know it's going to get a LOT weirder up in here. Also, I have a lot of work to do on her nursery but at least I've painted her walls. I feel like having 3 months left is a lot of time but in reality I know it's going to fly.

Symptoms: My back has been bugging me a bit this week, probably since I pushed it a little too much over the weekend and painted walls in our new house for a total of 14 hours. Whoops. But otherwise, I still feel really good.

Sleep: Had a few nights when I woke up really easily for no good reason, then had a little trouble falling back to sleep. But overall, I'm so freaking exhausted in the evenings that I'm bumping my bedtime up to 9 pm and sleeping like a pregnant rock.

Movement: Yes, lots. Up high, down low, in the vag....you know, like she's some sort of acrobat in there. I love it so much it hurts. 

The belly: I think it's getting more and more noticeable each day and yet, I'm not getting many stranger comments right now. Hmmm. Either people are still on the fence about whether or not I'm actually pregnant and they don't want to offend, or they just don't care that much. I did have one patient (who I haven't seen since last year at this time, but she is one of my faves) say, 'WHAT IS THAT!' when I took off my coat, pointing to my tummy. That really made me smile, like okay--I really am pregnant and people sometimes notice. Plus Nate had his first 'WOAH---your belly is huge' moment the other day when I got out from the shower. Pregnancy is just such a weird thing when you think about it---growing a human inside of another human, slowly but surely. I think sometimes I forget I'm pregnant and then look down to see this growing belly and I have to smile. Pretty amazing.  

Milestones: Baby girl is now 1 and 2/3 pounds and 14 inches long, and she is beginning to breathe in the womb. Her ears are better developed than before so I'm sure she can hear me talk to myself as I paint numerous rooms in our house. I really think she must have had a growth spurt in the past 4 weeks, too, based on my belly and my weight gain.
  
Amusing comments from the general public: As I said above, most people are not asking blunt questions and so I'm not offering up any answers.  

Best moment of the week: Picking a paint color for the little missy's nursery. Although it was totally painful to put down my light pink paint chips, I know I made the logical decision by picking a robin's egg blue. Since, you know, that allows free reign for TONS of pink accents throughout the room. It's been really fun and satisfying to get into the house and start working our fingers to the bone. I can't wait to bring baby girl home from the hospital and show her where she is going to grow up with her big brother!

26w5d is practically 27 weeks, but I'll do the post now anyway! I can't bring myself to combine weeks yet, but it could very well happen for this baby. I'm sure he won't care either way.

This was taken right at 26 weeks, actually. Again, because you care.


I had my OB appointment today and it went well, drank the nasty glucose drink and will hear back only if it's abnormal. Ute is measuring on track, baby's heart rate is145, my weight gain is 19 pounds which is spot-on for both Cecelia and Porter's pregnancies. I guess time will tell through this final trimester if I keep packing them on (like with T and C) or if things level off significantly (like with P) but I don't feel huge yet. BP is good, too, and now I'll go back every two weeks until 36 weeks when it's weekly. Holy moly.

This morning before work, before I had a million hot flashes and had to ditch the cardigan. Also, this post contains a ridiculous amount of belly selfies.


Post-hot flash, at the OB. Dresses are my jam lately, just so you know.


I didn't have a chance to tell my OB that I started listening to the Hypnobabies CDs and reading the home study workbook, but I'm going for it. I am all for trying to reign in the anxiety, pain, and worry that comes with labor for me and aiming for the most peaceful, calm, enjoyable birth possible sounds divine. Trying really hard not to feel like a skeptic, because I do believe the in power of positive thoughts. I don't want to earn bragging rights for going without an epidural at all, but mostly want to experience a peaceful and quick birth on this last go-round. So really, meditating for 30 minutes a night is a win-win situation because I usually pass out and feel incredibly relaxed within a few minutes.



Also, we picked a name!! I mean, I'm 99% sure we picked the name. I literally could not take going back and forth between two names for this child and ended up going with Nate's preferred pick. It feels awesome to identify this baby as more than 'baby' and naming him makes it even more real. Hearing the kids call him by name will never get old, either. This is really happening!! I guess there is still a small chance my indecisive hormones will get the best of me and we will change it to something else, but I doubt it. Yay for a name!

Comments from the public: 'You look so cute pregnant,' came from a nurse at work today, completely out of the blue. Thank you, dear nurse! 'You don't even look like you're going to have a baby,' came from my OB, which is awesome because she does not sugar coat things. And also, she just saw my weight gain;) 'Is this your first baby? Your FOURTH? Good lord, you look good for having four kids,' came from my lab tech during my glucose blood draw today. She is my new best friend, and I invited her over for dinner and a movie later. 'Oh, THERE is your belly, you really are pregnant,' came from both Truman and Cecelia's teachers this week. I'm not sure if I've popped or it was just wearing my coat unzipped that caught them off guard.

Changes!


House updates: it looks like we might be able to sit in front of the board to get all plans officially approved at the end of this month! That means we could potentially break ground in May and this makes us really happy. I mean, fingers crossed that all goes well with the structural engineer, then the board, and the appraisal. We are moving right along with the addition, and perhaps we will have a new roof by the time baby comes. YES!

Comparing pregnancies: with Porter I was working away on his nursery and felt hungry constantly. With Cecelia I was busy painting every single wall in this house, and was hungry constantly. With Truman I was freaking out over shrunken jeans, was reading baby books, and had basically completed the entire nursery. Sigh. I do feel satisfied with the progress we are making in the attic, taking more toys and clothes and JUNK to Goodwill. This will be how I prepare for baby: spend my nesting energy on purging everything we own, in order to have it cleaned out for the messy addition. Works for me!

This little guy remains quite active and will kick me with a 360 degree round-house kick. Literally, kicks to my cervix, my ribs, my belly button---he is doing cartwheels in there and I love it. I'm not sleeping great some nights and considered buying a pregnancy pillow one night when I laid awake for 2 hours. But some nights are heavenly and I am seriously paralyzed, I sleep so well. I still have that strange acidic taste in my throat and I CAN actually achieve 'belly is full' status, but mostly I'm pretty ravenous anyway. Exercising consists of chasing three kids and working part time, but also I do enjoy walks on the treadmill or outside with Henry dog.

Truman, Cecelia, and Porter are already so sweet to this child. My favorite moments are when Truman kisses my belly goodbye most mornings before school. Cecelia tells me that she loves her baby brother (this one, not Porter as much, depending on the day) and can't wait to hold him. Even Porter will get in on the 'gushing over baby bro' action at times. I still can't believe he is going to be a big brother and no longer our baby. I have a feeling he will rock that title better than expected!

That's pretty much it for this week. See you in about two days, third trimester!