Baby H. Week 34

Six Weeks Left!

Size: Baby H. weighs about 4.75 pounds, about the size of a cantaloupe, and is 18 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Total of 33 pounds gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes!

Cravings: Still none, but for some strange reason my appetite increased this week. I guess the little one is going through a growth spurt.

Symptoms: I have been a little more uncomfortable in the afternoon this week. My right leg is also starting to bother me a bit more. The veins are still lovely to look at and I am starting to get some very minor swelling toward the end of the day. I have also been breaking out a little bit more the past two weeks. Not sure if that is from the baby or from stress.

Movement: Yes! I can tell things are getting tight in there. Hiccups continue to be a daily occurrence.

Sleep: Erratic this week. Some nights I slept great and others not so much.

Moments of the Week:

I found out that I know one of the labor and delivery nurses where I will be delivering. It will be nice to have a friendly face encouraging me.

I had two different people tell me that I do not look pregnant from the back. I find that quite ridiculous since I am VERY pregnant, but I really can't see myself from the back so I will have to take their word for it.

It was also nice to see several of the people I used to teach with at a wedding shower for my sweet friend Amanda. They seem to think that I am all baby as well.

What I Miss: Squeezing through what have become tight spaces. :) I take for granted how big my midsection really is. I have been bumping in to a lot more things lately.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Our hospital tour is scheduled and Baby H. will soon be showered with even more love from my Charlotte friends.

Baby H. Week 33

Seven Weeks Left!

These self portraits crack me up.

Size: The little one is about four pounds, the size of a pineapple, and measures about 17 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Official doctor weigh-in 30 pounds gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes!

Cravings: Still none.

Symptoms: General achiness...I can definitely feel the baby weight and the waddle is a little more prevalent, especially after a long day.

Movement: This week hiccups were a daily occurrence and I had to fight to keep the little one out from under my ribs.

Sleep: My new favorite times are 2am and 5am. I am glad my body knows to train me to get used to waking up. I am sure going to miss my solid eight hours of sleep!

Moments of the Week:

Hearing the little heartbeat on Wednesday. (156 for those of you who keep track - yes, that is considered girl range).

More packages arrived this week. Our garage is filling up!

I also went to a breastfeeding class this week. I think the class made me a little more nervous than confident, but I am glad I went.

What I Miss: Bending down. The rain has made our backyard a soupy mess. The dogs walk into our living room from outside and track lovely muddy paw prints as they enter. I keep a towel at the door for them to walk across, but the mud just sticks to them. We wipe their feet every time they come in, but it is not quite so easy to do with the baby in the middle.

What I'm Looking Forward to: No students on Monday (training day - ick!). I am also looking forward to making a nursery. It probably won't happen until sometime in February. Yes we will be cutting it close. Kona destroyed the wood around the window in the nursery when he was a pup and we need a carpenter to repair it. After the window is fixed and the carpets are cleaned, then a nursery can be assembled. Fortunately, we have almost everything we need in boxes in the garage. We just have to get a crib mattress and a glider and we will be set!

Baby H. Week 32

Eight Weeks Left!

Size: Baby H. weighs as much as a large jicama, about 3.75 pounds, and is almost 17 inches long.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Two more pounds gained for a total of 30 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes...and still wish I had more of a selection, but we are getting close to the end. I did find a bargain on two more shirts at Target.

Cravings: Chocolate...shame there was a very limited supply in the house.

Symptoms: Shortness of breath - this week I have been winded very easily. My leg cramps were also a little more prevalent, but thankfully were not long-lasting. Nesting has also begun. I have been dreaming of cleaning (not much has happened in reality), but Dave is going through it as well. We started a list of things we wanted to get done before the baby arrives and he has tackled most of the projects already. Now if only I could get him to clean we would be set!

Movement: Yes! The baby discovered my ribs this week and has spent a great deal of time on my right side just below them. Definitely not comfortable. The little one also had hiccups multiple times this week.

Sleep: Normal. I have been going to bed a little later than usual but sleeping great through the night.

 Moments of the Week: The heater being fixed in my classroom. It is so nice to be comfortable while teaching!

What I Miss: Sushi. It has been added to the post-baby list.

What I'm Looking Forward to: No school on Monday and our doctor appointment on Wednesday.

Baby H. Week 31

 

Nine Weeks Left!

I am definitely starting to notice more weight in my face...especially in this picture.

Size: Baby H. is about 16 inches long and is the weight of four navel oranges, about 3.3 pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Official doctor weigh in: 28 pounds gained.

Maternity Clothes: Yes...although some of the pants I bought early in the pregnancy get a little uncomfortable in the waist by the end of the day. I did not want to buy any more maternity clothes if I could help it, but it looks like it is inevitable. If only I could wear sleep bottoms to work...oh well.

Cravings: Still none, but still heavy on the dairy products.

Symptoms: Vein achiness was the biggest problem this week. They are not too painful, just uncomfortable. The itchy armpits have returned again, not as bad as earlier in the pregnancy. I guess my body is gearing up for our new arrival.

Movement: On Thursday and Friday there were constant movements. I am not sure when the baby took time to rest! It is neat to actually feel major movements when I am at school because before they were only happening at night.

I have started my kick counts. After dinner I have to lay on my side and count ten times that the baby moves and then record how long that it took. Fortunately the baby gets all the movements in pretty quickly; unfortunately I just want to take a nap while I am laying down.

Sleep: Good this week. I was able to fall back to sleep after my bathroom trips which was a huge plus. I also was able to 'sleep in' until 6:30 over the weekend.

Moments of the Week: Our doctor appointment. We heard the heartbeat at 163 - the little one was very active on Wednesday morning!

We also came home to several packages this week. One of the packages was the dresser for the nursery. As soon as we get the carpet cleaned we will have a nursery to set up. I have a feeling Baby H. is going to be very spoiled!

What I Miss: My energy. It was rough going back to school this week, but the week went by quickly. It is getting harder to be energetic in front of the class, but I am still putting forth the effort. I am pretty much useless when I get home. It also didn't help that my classroom was a sauna this week. Not very conducive to a pleasant learning environment - or fun for the very pregnant teacher.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Parking my car in the garage again. It is never fun to scrape windows at 6am, but much less fun when you can't reach the middle of the windshield! We are going to shift all of the "stuff" in the garage so my car fits. It will also mean I can get a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning. {Yes, we are those Northerners who treat their garage like a basement since we are lacking one. We even have the old couch in the garage right now.}

We usually have to fight to keep Kona out of the weekly pictures.
This week Dave took a picture of Kona by himself.
Sorry for the freaky eyes - I could not fix it.
Hunter hides as soon as he sees the camera. He is scared of the flash.

Gender Myths

Since we are getting so much closer to the anticipated arrival of our little one I decided to look online for the gender myths that surround pregnancy.

Belly at 30 weeks - high or low?

If you carry low, it's a boy; high, it's a girl.
If you carry in front, it's a boy; if you're wide at the middle it's a girl.
How am I carrying? I can't tell!

Belly at 30 weeks - carrying in front or wide?

Holding babies - The only baby that I held while pregnant is a boy and he squirmed everywhere - BOY

Dave has had no sympathy symptoms, hasn't put on any weight-GIRL
No sickness-BOY
Heartrate above 140-GIRL
Gender dreams - GIRL
Chinese Gender Prediction Chart-GIRL
Mother's Face (girl  = round, full, and rosy) - BOY
Even and Odd, Mother's age at conception and year of conception (both odd) - GIRL
Eating more dairy - GIRL
Break Outs (stayed the same)- BOY (Supposedly you break out more with a girl since they "steal beauty" from their mother - ha!)
Dry hands - BOY
Key Trick (how a friend picks it up) - BOY
Ring trick - belly (back and forth) - GIRL
Ring trick - wrist (circle) - BOY
Drano Test - did not try this one since we do not have Drano and I am not going to purchase it for a gender test :)

The results are in: We have a 50% chance of having a boy and a 50% chance of having a girl.

I can't believe they make  gender predictor tests. Most of them get really good reviews too. I would not buy one, but people do!

What gender do you think Baby H. is?
Are there other wives tales you have heard?

Baby H. Week 30

                                            

Ten Weeks Left

Size: Baby H. is 15.7 inches long and is about the size of a head of cabbage, weighing almost three pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gain of two pounds for a total of 28 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, yes, yes! I am going to miss my comfy clothes when I am back at work this week.

Cravings: Still no cravings. Dairy is still being eaten more than usual.

Symptoms: Lack of balance, congested, little achiness where my veins are not great.

Movement: All the time! The little one likes to make their presence known! I love to watch "the belly show" in the evening.

Sleep: Great this week - it has been so nice to relax during the day, stay up late, and sleep in. The only day I took a nap I had a horrible time sleeping at night.

Moments of the Week: Finding a dresser for the nursery and getting presents for the baby. I love packages :).

I also pre-registered with the hospital - yikes!

What I Miss: There is a lot this week - time off has given me the opportunity to do more than just work.

-my balance

-getting up from the floor without assistance or rolling over onto all fours

-going into a store without wondering if they have a bathroom I can use

-ability to walk around without needing to take time to sit

What I'm Looking Forward to: Our doctor's appointment on Wednesday. We get to go every two weeks now. I am just excited to hear the heartbeat again.