28 Weeks

We are now in the third and final trimester!

How far along: 28 weeks

How big is baby: My weekly email said, “Your baby is 16 inches and 2.5 pounds. Go grab a random chihuahua off the street to get an idea of what you are dealing with.” (I don’t get the normal baby center emails..). Chihuahua baby. I like that. Much more squirmy than a cauliflower. Accurate depiction.

Weight Gain: 17 pounds. Woof. Thanks to the 5 pound gain the week I was in Destin. How is that possible? At least chihuahua baby can finally start claiming some of these pounds. 

Symptoms: 

·         I’ve been feeling the low iron. But that should be corrected shortly.

·         I have this cool symptom where it feels like the top half of my stomach is, not just sunburned, but … on fire. Apparently she can sit on a nerve that controls the feelings in the skin (and skin only) of the top half of your stomach. Who knew? It was all the time for a few weeks, but now it’s much more sporadic.

·         When I sit for a while – which is all the time: work, commuting to work, the couch – she moves to this position where feet, or a head, or something is under my right rib cage. It causes rib pain and this feeling like I can’t breathe very well. If she’s super comfy, she can stay. But, if there are a number of equally comfy positions, she should choose another one. Apparently this is likely to just keep getting worse.

·         Not sleeping as well. I flip from my right to my left a million times per night. This flip is now becoming more effort with the weight of her and “all her luggage,” as Dan puts it. I like to consider sleeping a workout these days. Exercise? Check.

·         All signs that she is growing big and strong! As long as she is healthy, bring on the symptoms!

Cravings:  Apples. Mmm. The fuji apples in Harris Teeter right now are so sweet and about the size of a softball. Cut up, the slices don’t all fit in a sandwich baggie. It’s my favorite part of the day.

Aversions:   I no longer want chocolate milk. I wouldn’t say it is an aversion, since I never liked it, but it was obviously something she liked for about a week – and then things went back to normal.

What I miss:  Nothing. Sure, I’ve got my list of things that I can’t wait to have post baby, but that’s only 2.5 months away! We are so incredibly lucky to be having a child (unfortunately, it is something that not everyone gets to experience), so you won’t find me complaining. Trying to just enjoy being pregnant – even though I also can’t wait for her to get here!

Looking forward to: My baby shower in Atlanta this weekend! Getting a bigger dent made the on nursery. And deciding on a name. Internet – will you name our child?

Best moment this month:  So many! Being on vacation for an entire week. Not having to suck in my stomach at the beach. Receiving the first present in the mail for our little chihuahua. Starting on the nursery. Passing my glucose test. Dan having mono and wanting to go to bed with me super early (this is my list, not his).

Worst moment this month: I’m choosing two this month. 1) Getting stuck between the grocery cart and the candy wall in the checkout line. I was in the checkout line and tried to move from the back of the cart around to the front to unload the items easier. I thought I was smaller than I was. And turns out, you can’t just ‘suck in’ baby. 2) Getting out of the pool in the deep end. I went by the wall, thinking I would be super cool and pull myself I up like I have done a million times. First, 17 pounds makes me heavier than I remember. Second, the belly gets in the way. I looked like an idiot and it took me a solid minute to wiggle my way up. I also did it right next to the ladder. In super crowded Destin. Once I started, though, I was committed. There was no turning back.