Third Trimester (or 36 1/2 weeks) Recap

Since I skipped the weekly updates... this is my improvising with the third trimester recap!  Even though I still have 2-3 weeks to go this is one of those things to get done while I can!  Latest ob/gyn update since we now go each week- negative on the strep B test (yay) and "softening, but baby still high and no dilation yet."  So glad the little guy turned back around into the right position!    

How far along: Weeks 28- 36 1/2- WOO-HOO! 

Symptoms:  Lower back pain, especially if I'm in the same position or sitting too long.  Stuffy nose at night and experiencing a little tightening or crampiness here and there.  Iron supplements= constipation=  hemorrhoids= :[ 

Baby Related Purchases:  We have been so blessed with all things baby through two showers from family/friends and one from my co-workers.  The majority of my co-workers gave money towards our travel system.  It is this one and we love it!  We have already been practicing, lol.

Maternity clothes:  I used to look at all of those medium maternity tops and think, will those really be snug in the coming weeks?  Snug... how about I've had to go buy more size large tops and I'm down to about 3-4 that actually fit!!!   

Sleep: Clockwork bathroom trips at 11:30 p.m., 12:30 a.m., 1:30 a.m., 2:30 a.m., and 4:30 a.m., any sleep revolves around those trips... thanks goodness for night lights and a hubby who always puts the seat down!

Best Moment of the Trimester:  The baby showers and feeling the love and support from friends and family who are almost as excited as we are to meet this little one!     

Strangest Moment:  Just looking in the mirror is strange and puts me in awe at the same time.  There is a little person in there and it's almost time for him to make his appearance to the world, so amazing.

Movement:  There are no longer kicks but all of a sudden a little foot will push out the left side of my belly or a little bottom will root up at the top of my belly, strange and so comforting at the same time.
  
Cravings:  Ice, Ice, Baby:]  I don't know if it's associated with the low iron, but I want ice chips all day long.  I had to go buy a bag of ice to put in our freezer at work and thank goodness our fridge has the built-in ice crusher.  Eating has slowed down to regular meals and normal portions but I do crave something sweet off and on through the day, unlike the first and second trimester. 

Gender:  BOY and we are running out of time to come up with a name! 

What I miss:  Things that used to be easy to do and having to rely on people so much.  I know they are happy to help but I'm so stubborn and independent that it's a little hard to accept sometimes.  I wish I would have taken pictures of me painting my toenails recently, what a sight!  Tried to use some yoga poses but that still didn't help with getting my hand and foot to meet around this baby belly!

What I am looking forward to:  The arrival of this baby as soon as he's ready... we're ready! 

Weekly (or Third Trimester) Wisdom:  This is wisdom that I'm saying to myself right now-- time to figure out how a breast pump works, read instructions on the car seat/base system and finish packing!

Milestones: Five days from full-term, truly a reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving holiday!

Sticky Bun is the size of: Guessing he is around 5 1/2- 6 lbs since the last ultrasound! 

Maternity pics & some randomness

A good friend helped PC and I remember this special time by taking some really sweet maternity pics and I wanted to share a few here.  I also need to share pics of the nursery and do a third trimester update soon... I need a blog "to do" list too:]  I have a cold that's turned pretty nasty and have had to take my first OTC medicine in this pregnancy.  Just thought I would share the dr.'s advice that zyr.tec, muc.inex, s.udafed and tyl.enol cold are all safe but if I had to take two of them, not to take two in the "d" form. I'm taking just the muc.inex d, but PC decided to take the dr.'s advice for his sinus issues as well and has had some great relief... he said "maybe it has finally taken an ob/gyn to help me" and we've been getting a good laugh from that.   

We went to the ob/gyn on Friday and will now be going each week until the birth!  I had the group B strep test (not painful, but not pleasant) and he did my first check down there and the report was "softening but nothing else going on and the baby is still high."  Dr. B said he would try to slow any labor down until full term but that he wouldn't be worried if we had to deliver at this point.  We are 10 days away from full term... so blessed and thankful to God to be at this point right now.  So ready to meet this little guy we've been waiting on for so long!   

OK, enough rambling.  Here are some 34 1/2 weeks maternity shots!

Nesting vs Resting

I asked a good friend why I didn't have the nesting instinct and she told me she had nesting mixed up with resting and gave me some encouragement to hang in there and that if I had to gain 30 lbs I looked good doing it!  True friend, thanks LP!

I think my problem is wanting to accomplish too many things before baby gets here and then it becomes overwhelming... so I don't get anything done.

My "before baby" wish list would include things like...

• all Christmas shopping done
• all Christmas decorating done
• house clean
• make some frozen meals
• stock up on "stuff"
• finish filling out "before baby" parts in the baby book
• put the ultrasound pictures and other keepsakes in a photo album
• organizing all things baby
• getting the car seat/base together (of course this is not an option)  PC got this done as I was typing this post!  Yay! 

That's what comes to mind quickly... it's a longer list than that.  Really, does it matter?  Those things would be nice but at this point I just want to focus on getting this baby boy here safely.  My anxiety level is increasing daily and it's not about the actual birth, it's about being so close to something so precious and wanting it so badly.  Everyone says I will miss the kicks and movement and maybe so, but right now I can't think of anything better than seeing those kicks and movements with a little person in my arms.
5 weeks... until the best Christmas present ever and I'm having a hard time waiting!  I'm on an emotional rollercoaster right now and I appreciate y'all "listening" out in blogland.  So close...
  

Hallo-weenie-dog!

PC and I participated in our church's annual "T.runk or T.reat" this year by turning his sales-mobile station wagon into a (friendly) spider.  A cardboard face, styrofoam legs, webbing and a few decorations later... we were ready for all the kiddos.

We decided to take our biggest furbaby along for the adventure since he's the best with kids.  After an hour an a half of petting and greeting the little trick or treaters, he went over to the furbaby-mobile, climbed up in there and pouted... he had enough and was ready to go home.  Does this face say it all?

How a baby is going to fit in to these adventures I'm not sure, but it's going to be fun trying!!! 

Happy Halloween!

Birth Plans?

I really don't have a birth plan all written out and rehearsed in my mind.  However, with 6 weeks to go, I have started to think about what my ideal labor & delivery would be like.  I do not have the "only going all natural" mindset at this point... wish I did.  Being older and TTC for so long, I've heard all kinds of birth stories and I don't want to feel like I'm letting myself & the baby down if I totally have my mind set and it doesn't go that way.  I have been reading about Hypno.birthing and a lot of the theory and techniques just make sense.  My interpretation is that it's a way of "tricking" your mind and achieving a state of relaxation to reduce stress and tension that make labor pain more intense.  It also talks about letting your body and baby do what they are meant to do and using positive talk like instead of "d*mn you, contraction" the talk would be more "this surge will bring me closer to meeting my baby!"  I would have a hard time turning off the anxiety and mind-racing thoughts to get to the point of relaxation that the book describes... but it sounds so good and I'd love to try!  I do have some things in mind that I would/would not like for the birth experience and plan on talking through some of these things with the ob/gyn on the next visit.

I would like to...

• be free to walk, sit, stand, jump or whatever feels right during labor
• have ice chips or small snacks

I would not like to...

• be strapped to IVs or machines with limited movement
• be induced or given pitocin unless absolutely necessary

Epidural? It brings on a lot of 'what ifs' but -again- no definite mindset of yes or no.
I have already prepared my parents, close family and friends that I do not want them there until the baby is born.  My reasoning?  It's the one time I want to be able to be selfish... to totally focus on the baby instead of being distracted by worrying about others being comfortable or feeling guilty that they are not in the room with me.  Everyone except my mom is good with that plan.  Hopefully she'll come around.
The point of my post is to document my thoughts about the way I'd like to introduce our little one to the world but I will take ANY way that means getting him here safely.  That's the ultimate goal:]  

On another note, I am SO excited about so much good news with several IF blog sisters here lately.  Births & BFP's... doesn't get any better!