31 Weeks: Birth 101

How far along?  31 weeks. 9 more, we are in the single digits!

How big is Audrey? We don't have another growth scan until next week so I'm not sure how big she is but she's definitely getting bigger and stronger.  

Audrey's Health? I think she might have flipped halfway.  I feel like she's transverse now with her head on my left and but on my right.  Only because there is something hard on my left side that I think HAS to be her head.  I guess we'll find out next Tuesday!

Health of Momma? Lately my heartburn's been getting worse.  More frequent and more painful.  I'm going to ask my Doctor next week if he can put me on something more than Tums.  Other than that, as long as I make my self rest often enough, I'm doing OK. 

Weight gain? 14lbs.      

Weird Cravings? I haven't been able to eat what I want for almost a month now.  With my stomach being squished I have all I can do to eat enough protein let alone have room for something as silly as cravings...I'll tell you what though, I'm getting sick of greek yogurt and string cheese!

Sleep? This is getting more difficult.  I've been spending more time on my sides so when I wake up in the morning my arms and shoulders are usually sore.  Fun.  

Best moment of this week? We got our Maternity pictures taken!  It was a lot of fun!  I'm so excited to see how they came out!  Afterwards the three of us went out for ice cream.  It was nice to spend some time together as a little family. 

What I miss? Cute shoes.  I don't have a pair of shoes I can still get into other than flip flops.  Last weekend when we went to that wedding I went to put on some cute black pumps only to discover that my feet were replaced by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man's.  I did manage to squeeze a pair of boots on for our maternity pictures but I definitely couldn't wear them for a whole day.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do when it gets colder.  I certainly don't want to have to buy maternity SHOES!!   

What I am looking forward to? A free and open Saturday.  We have no plans on Saturday other than watching the football game.  I'm so excited I can barely stand it! 

Milestones? We went to our first birth class.  It was OK.  I got bored during the "relaxation" lesson.  My brain just can't stop and think about nothing besides waterfalls and breathing for ten minutes.  I pretty sure J fell asleep.  I guess at least one of us is able to relax... 

Fears? Everything about ripping my vagina open and squeezing a baby out.  We watched a delivery video in class this week.  I was prepared for the baby coming out part but I was not prepared for the after birth part!  GROSS!  In my head placentas were about the size of a fist.  THEY ARE NOT.  More like the size of a pumpkin.  Not a ripe healthy pumpkin though, a rotted squishy deflated pumpkin.  I'm not afraid to actually deliver the placenta but I was caught off guard by it's size and grossness.  SICK. 

30 Weeks: Wedding Bells and Ironing Boards

How far along?  30 weeks.  10 more to go!

How big is Audrey?  The doctor gave us an "unofficial" weight of 3lbs 9ounces. She still just a little thing but I'm glad to know that while I might be losing weight Audrey is gaining.  

Audrey's Health?  Her fluid looks good but the little brat is breech! It explains why all of her kicks are really low but she's going to need to do a somersault soon! I've been doing, or rather attempting to do, what they call, the Breech Tilt. In short it's lying with your hips elevated 12 inches higher than you heart. The idea is that gravity will pull her down out of my pelvis and encourage her to flip over. You are supposed to do this three times a day for 25-30 minutes. I'm shooting for twice a day and the longest I've been able to lay like this is 20 minutes.  I guess we'll see.  

Lets rewind a little though, it's easy to say you've been laying down with your hips in the air but lets talk about the actual execution of such a feat. While pregnant. I tried pillows first but do you have any idea how many pillows it takes to get this a big ole butt 12 inches off the ground. More than my pregnant self can balance on! After tipping off of my personal Mount Kilimanjaro a half dozen times, I took to the internet for suggestions.  Several sites suggested leaning a ironing board against your couch with a pillow on the floor at the base for your head.  I waiting until J got home to attempt this side show! 

J brought down the ironing board and propped it up against the couch. I'm not sure if we have an unusually squishy couch or what, but the ironing board was most definitely not stable. After trying several different approaches we did manage to get me up there but I was pretty sure I was going to fall off at any moment. Good news is, I didn't. I think it might have been easier if I did though because after about 20 minutes I had to figure out how to get off....lets just say rolling wasn't the best option...   

Health of Momma?  I'm good.  I do have a new pregnancy symptom I'm not thrilled with. Leg cramps. They wake me out of a dead sleep!  I actually feel a little bad for chastising athletes for lying on the ground and rolling around like babies over something so small as a little cramp...guess what?  Leg cramps are not little and are no joke people!!!  I totally get it now.  Luckily all I have to do is stand on it and it goes away.  Simple.  Getting out of bed to do so on the other hand gets pretty interesting...

Weight gain? 13lbs. Yes, still.      

Weird Cravings? I would have given anything last night for a pumpkin cup cake.  Dam you Bath and Body Works for your delicious smelling hand soaps!! I settled for a puffin instead.

Skin?  At this point I'm just hoping to make it out of this without too many scars.    

Sleep? Other than waking up in the middle of the night desperate to get out of bed to relieve the stabling pain in my calf while being tangled in sheets, blankets, and two dogs that refuse to sleep on their Dad's side of the bed?  Great..

Best moment of this week?  I actually got to return two pairs of jeans because they were too BIG!!  It's been YEARS since that's happened.  I swear they fit the day I bought them...

What I miss?  Booze. Yeah, I said it. I'm tired of being everyone's DD.   

What I am looking forward to? Friday we are getting our maternity photos taken.  I'm pretty jazzed about it.  I'm attempting to make an appointment to get my make-up done.  I, of course, waited till the last minute so we'll see if I can find someone to get me in. 

Milestones? Tonight we have our first child birth class.  I'm excited and terrified all at the same time! 

Fears? Nothing new here but I'm sure they'll be more than a few new fears after a few of birth classes...

Weekend review: This past weekend one of our good friends got married! We got to see a bunch of friends we hadn't seen in quite a while and do some catching up.  Followed up by a Husker win, all in all a pretty great weekend!

29 Weeks: More Football

How far along? 29 weeks

How big is Audrey? Who knows, but I hope she's getting nice and chunky!

Audrey's Health? She's been active again.  I've been drinking tons of orange juice lately to nurse a nasty cold so maybe she just really likes it.  Hopefully it's a sign that her muscles are getting bigger and stronger.  Anyone know how to make a baby in the womb exercise?

Health of Momma? My wonderful husband gave me a cold.  I read that most women get sick at least once during pregnancy but I really thought with just three months left I just might have dodged that bullet.  I was wrong.  Colds suck normally but when you can't take any medicine they SUPER suck!  

Weight gain? 13lbs.  Yeah, I actually lost some weight.  I starred at that scale in disbelief!  I've been stuffing my face with enough protein to sustain a body builder!  I'm thinking that since I've upped my protein intake by so much my carb intake has gone down pretty dramatically.  My limited knowledge of nutrition tells me that less carbs equals less water retention.  I guess we will see how the next few weeks go.

Hair and Skin?  Enough about it already       

Weird Cravings? I don't have enough room in my stomach for cravings.  Everything I eat these days is calculated.

Stretch Marks? I have to be jinxing myself by writing about not having any every week. Maybe I should stop... 

Sleep? An untreated cold makes this basically impossible.

Best moment of this week?  MB's football game!!  It was his first tackle football game ever and he did great!  Afterwards we went to lunch with my family and then MB got a very much needed haircut.  For the grand finally we went to Target and drank latte's while we browsed the new Halloween stuff.  Halloween is right around the corner people and our family couldn't be more stoked!   

27/28 Weeks: GBR!!

How far along? 27/28 weeks that's right folks it's a two-fer

How big is Audrey? The doctor says she's 2lbs 9ounces and in the thirtieth percentile.  He wants me to be extra sure I'm getting all the protein I can.  I'm supposed to shoot for 100 grams a day.  I don't know if you've ever tracked your protein before but 100 grams is a LOT.

Audrey's Health? Nothing New here, she seems to be pretty quiet these days.  I wonder if she's like her brother.  He seems to get more sleepy right before his growth spurts!

Health of Momma?  Good news people, I passed my three hour glucose test!!!  It was freaking awful, but I passed.  This time around they gave me a red drink.  I think the sugar content must have been higher because it was definitely harder to get down.  It was also warm.  Gross!  I guess the doctor's office had spoiled me with the ice cold orange one.  Anyway, I chugged it down without too much trouble but my stomach was not happy about it.  The next three hours I laid down in the waiting room with my eyes closed trying not to puke.  It must have been quite the sight.  A 32 year old woman who is 27 weeks pregnant, curled up on one of those 5 foot wide vinyl couches using her purse as a pillow.  Did I mention the Lab is right next to the chapel?  I also got to unwillingly attend my first circumcision.  Sorry nice Jewish family for the miserable looking pregnant lady in the background of all your family photos.  She WAS there first.

Oh yeah, new fun pregnancy symptom, I started lactating.  So that's super.  Three more months to go and my boobs decide it's time to kick into leaking mode.  The worse part is that it took me three days to figure out what was going on!  I took off my bra at night and stood there dumbfounded trying to figure out how I spilled something down my shirt.  It didn't dawn on me that it was coming from ME until the THIRD night.  Serious pregnancy brain going on in my life right now.

Weight gain? 14lbs.  I really thought this would have gone up more considering all the carbs I was trying to pack into my body before they were forbidden.  This is what I had for lunch one day.  Believe me when I tell you I was completely gorging myself!

Hair? I'm so over it.  The only time it's not in a pony tail these days is when I make an effort to look presentable so J can take my picture once a week.  Also, a few dear friends of mine (you know who you are) SWORE that they didn't have to shave their legs while they were pregnant.  They CLAIMED that it stopped growing.  I call BULLSHIT!!  my whole body is covered.  the old stuff is growing faster than ever and I get new hairs everyday.  Seriously, I wont go into any wooded areas because I'm afraid I'd be accosted by a confused Sasquatch.  Seriously if Bobo and the gang need some bait, if they offer enough cash, I might be available.        

Weird Cravings? Nah, not this week.  I have rediscovered my love for Starbucks though.  Decafe of course.

Stretch Marks? Still lucking out so far.  My belly button has gotten dangerously shallow though...

Skin?  I think I angered it...my neck and back are gross.    

Sleep? I'm not made to sleep on my side.  I keep waking up in the middle of the night on my back.  I roll to my side but inevitably wake up a few hours later on my back again.  I must be spending some amount on my sides though because every morning my shoulders and arms are sore.  

Best moment of this week?  I've started having Braxton Hicks contractions.  That means I'm getting closer!!

What I am looking forward to? FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE PEOPLE!!!  Thanks to Grandma,Audrey's already got her first few outfits!!  GO BIG RED!  I don't remember exactly what my husband said before I gave him this look. Most likely something inappropriate.  Either that or he pinched my but.  It's just a shot of us in action.

Weekly wisdom?  Nurse Carol came over on Friday and she had me watch a breast feeding video.  I learned a few things I didn't know.  I mistakenly thought it was pretty basic.  Boob goes into mouth...nope.  Apparently it's not that simple.  There is a whole dang process just get that far!  Clearly I still have a lot to learn!

Milestones?  Hm...I got some PJ's for my hospital stay.  I'm pretty stoked about them.  I'm not sure that it's a mile stone but it is the first thing I've bought to go in my hospital bag so that's something right?

Fears?  A woman on a ds message board I follow posted a thread about how many people comment to her on how her son doesn't have any of the facial characteristics of a baby with down syndrome.  I believe what the person actually said to her was that her sons didn't look like a "downs baby." (Side note:  I hate that term.  Her son is not a downs baby.  He's a baby who also happens to have down syndrome.  Uhg!  So annoying.)  Anyway, I already find myself offended by the idea of people trying to minimize Audrey's extra chromosome like it's a bad thing.  I feel like I've accepted it (the best I can at this point) I want other's to accept it too.  I'm worried about how to respond to people who will say things like "maybe she just has a little downs".  I know these people will have good intentions but it cuts pretty deep.  How do I set them straight without being rude?  That question was nor rhetorical.  Seriously.  I'm known for not thinking before I speak.  I need to have some of these answer prepared and in my head before she comes and I actually come face to face with some of this kind of stuff!