Head of Lettuce

Today marks 31 weeks 2 days. Apparently the baby is currently about 4 lbs and 19 inches long. If that's hard for you to imagine, just picture a head of lettuce! I love it when the app on my phone updates the fruit/vegetable that describes the size of the baby at that time, but I immediately think about trying to birth that fruit/vegetable... Then I want it to change back to the smaller produce from the week before!

31 Weeks

I had some maternity pics taken today in Cape. It was only an hour session, but it seemed like it lasted forever! "Stand up, sit down, cross your legs, lay back, smile, look at your belly, look at me, roll your shoulder back, change your outfit..." By the amount of direction the photographer was giving me, I guess I'm not made out to model, that's for sure! She had so many ideas and things she wanted to try that I was pretty worn out by the end. And who came up with the idea for "maternity pics" anyway? I feel slightly like a whale and the last thing I want pestering me for an hour is a dang camera!! Thomas sincerely requested to not be a part of these belly pics, and I generously let him out of it (in exchange for a back massage). Now I'm thankful he wasn't there because all he would have done is laugh at me in all the awkward poses/positions!

Not much has changed since last week except for my heartburn. I had never experienced heartburn until this pregnancy. I knew how people described it to feel, but I didn't really know how bad it was until now. EVERYTHING gives me heartburn. It's so hard to drink a ton of water each day when it results in my throat feeling like it's on fire! TUMS Smoothies are my new best friend :)

Thomas and I met with the Hospital OB Nurse Coordinator today for a scheduled tour of the Labor & Delivery Unit. I'm so glad we did it. They gave me a pass for a free 30 minute prenatal massage just for coming in!! I'm not quite as excited about the free pass for the fitness center though... The tour was actually fun, and it was nice to see the birthing suites and nursery. It was also really nice to find out there is a restaurant in the Labor & Delivery Unit. That's what I'm talking about! The floor seemed very calm, and we got to see some newborn babies :) They were all so calm and sweet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a baby like that!

Getting Ready for Baby!

Now that we only have 9 weeks left before this little boy is due to join us, I feel like it's crunch time! The nursery has been an absolute blast to work on. It's way more fun to design/decorate than any other room in the house! We have quite a bit done as I couldn't pass up a big Target sale for baby furniture months ago :) But we're still working on some homemade projects including a shelf, peg board organizer, and wooden sign. I will post more nursery pics as soon as we get everything finished up and the bedding arrives!

Jake made himself right at home!

We have a few items to add to the peg board... including the first initial of  his name! Any guesses???

Jake looks very nervous, and Maddie is just waiting for me to tell her I'm done taking
her picture so she can get back to trying to get the sock monkey off of the chair!

We've been having a little too much fun at the Carter's Outlet a few miles south of here in Sikeston. They always have sales and coupons that I just can't resist! And our two nieces on the way make it even harder to stay away from that store!

There's more in the dresser. I just don't have enough hangers!

We received our first baby shower gift the other day! And of course, I couldn't wait to get it put together :)

Thanks Aunt Linda, Meghan, & Melissa for the bouncer!!

Our travel system was also delivered recently. We had a practice session... with Maddie Moo!

And finally, here is a video to go along with my complaints from the last blog about how violent this child is inside the womb. All I had to do was take a couple gulps of cold water to get him to do this! Baby G Kicking!

30 Weeks

Somehow we are already 3/4 of the way through this pregnancy. Where has the time gone?? I just had my 30 week appointment today. Baby's heart rate was 138 - that's the lowest it's been yet! Thomas said he must have been sleeping. I said, "Are you kidding?!? He doesn't know how to sleep!" I know a baby is a huge adjustment in all new parents' lives, but I think this lil guy is going to ROCK OUR WORLD!

My belly is measuring right on target, and my blood pressure has been normal. I'm up about 22 lbs... but it feels more like 50!! Now that my stomach is smashed up into my lungs, I don't have much of an appetite all of a sudden. The doctor told me this would happen as the pregnancy progressed, but I sure didn't believe her. I could eat any amount of food at any time just a week ago! And that sure was more fun. :) Luckily, I passed the 1-hour glucose test a couple of weeks ago. Trista did hers right before me, so I got some pointers from her as to what I should eat the day of the test. Of course, she was told what to do and what not to do after she had already failed!

The main complaint I've had during this pregnancy is sciatic nerve pain on my left side. After switching around my work schedule so I work shorter shifts (instead of 12-hours), it has become bearable. I like to use it as an excuse to avoid the gym...

I guess I do have one other pretty big complaint. The little man in my belly is not very nice. When I first started feeling some movement, it wasn't the sweet little flutters that everyone else seems to experience. We skipped the flutters all together, and jumped right into kicks and jabs! Yes, they started out pretty weak and gentle. But it sure didn't take long for the painful kicks and punches to begin! Jackie predicted that I would be completely weirded out by a baby kicking in my belly, and boy was she right! It's pretty gross if you ask me! Everyone says how "amazing" it is. And don't get me wrong... I love to be reassured (every 5 minutes) that he is doing just fine in there, but I could probably go a few hours a day without the internal belly abuse! :)

All in all, it's been a pretty easy pregnancy so far. I'm hoping it continues this way right through the delivery!

30 Weeks Baby Bump!

No Better Time Than Now!

Thomas and I had recently thrown around the idea of starting a blog to keep everyone back home updated with our lives and the new baby on the way. After Trista requested we do so, we decided to go ahead and get it up and running! So here goes...