TWENTY-EIGHT

Eliana is 28 weeks.

We're less than 3 months from her due date.

2 months and some change.

Insert mini freak out moment here.

 

 

Eliana is filling out. She's close to 15 inches and over 2 pounds. Baby girl fills out = Mama fills out. Oh, joy! Please know that while I may make sarcastic and not so pleasant comments about weight gain, I also totally know that it's necessary for Baby Girl. My body is doing exactly what it needs to do in order for her to be healthy and I'm 100% okay with it - even if I end up gaining 40 pounds.

 

Eliana is constantly blinking and responds to light and dark outside of the womb. She's now producing estrogen, which stimulates my body to begin milk production. This should be fun. Hopefully my new found milk makers will refrain from resembling that of a milking cow until after birth.

Knock on wood, please.

How far along? 28 weeks

Baby's size? cabbage

Total weight gain: 20 pounds
Maternity clothes? Yes. I can still fit in quite a bit of non-maternity, but I worry about stretching things out. I finally bought a pair of maternity jeans today. It was not my proudest moment.
Sleep: On a scale of 1-10, I'd say it's an 8 with 10 being the best. This is much better than a couple weeks ago, which was maybe a 4 at most.
Best moment(s) this past week: This weekend was pretty great. We went to a Halloween party on Friday (pictures to come!). It was fun, but I'll be completely honest - Halloween parties just aren't the same without a drink or two. We also celebrated our 5 year dating anniversary. While the wedding anniversary will trump all, we enjoyed going out to dinner at the Melting Pot.

Miss Anything? If the above answer didn't give it away - I missed the jungle juice during the Halloween festivities.
Movement: All the time just like her mama! She's moving as we speak. :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new. I'm getting better about adding protein (meat) to my diet, but I still can't stand the thought of a whole chicken breast and even worse, the smell while it's being cooked!
Cravings: I've been on an egg kick lately. I think I eat an egg salad sandwich for lunch almost every day.
Labor Signs: nope

Gender: GIRL!
Symptoms: Nothing new or crazy. The leg cramps are becoming more frequent though.

Belly Button in or out? It's still technically in, but continues to become more stretched out and flat.
Wedding rings on or off? on (although I do realize they're off in this picture)
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm very happy! :)
Looking forward to: Passing out candy on Halloween. Annnd wearing my baby skeleton shirt on Halloween that I'm 100% obsessed with. I'll make a Halloween picture post later this week. Oh, and the pumpkin pie that's currently baking in the oven.

28 weeks: Mama

28 weeks: Ellie

Congratulations!

....to ME!

 

I passed my glucose test.

 

I honestly did not think I was going to pass. Those that know me know that I have a serious, serious sweet tooth problem. I always have, it's not new. I've tried to control it's since becoming pregnant (keyword: tried).

 

If having dessert (or candy) 3-4 times a week is "controlling" it, then I'm a rockstar. Really, I'd eat dessert every single day if I was okay with gaining 70 pounds during pregnancy.

 

Anyhow, I tried to lay off the sweets the weeks leading up to the test. It didn't work.

 

Two days before the test I went to a wedding. When they placed cake on the table. I found myself scanning the table of 50+ slices. Why, you may ask? I was looking for the BIGGEST one I can find.

I succeeded.
I don't even like cake.

 

Less than 24 hours before the test I had a HUGE snow cone (yeah, you're thinking ice? no big deal. wrong.). This particular snow cone booth let you put your OWN flavored juice on top. Big mistake. I'm pretty sure I put at least a cup of the fruit punch juice on top of my so called ice.

Oh...and this was the day before the test. Smart.

 

The day of the test, I was (finally!) able to lay off the sweets. For breakfast...and lunch.

 

Well, folks, it worked.

 

I now intend on rewarding myself with each of the following over the next week.

I specifically avoid the candy aisle at the grocery store because I know that I'd pick up a bag of these. An entire bag of these will not make it a week in our home. Oh, and JP doesn't eat eat candy corn.

The one on the left. Melt in my mouth.
Only, it's obviously missing the cone bowl.

 

A pumpkin spiced latte.

It's been almost two weeks and I'm straight up going through withdrawals.

 

Last, but not least, my all time favorite treat.

 

 

27 weeks: 3rd Trimester

Hello Third Trimester!!

 

I can't believe we've already reached the 3rd trimester. Some women say they feel like the time goes by slowly. I 100% disagree. I feel like it's flown by much, much too quickly. I know I've talked about this before, but it still saddens me and I think about it more and more often. I can't wait to hold our sweet girl, but at the same time, I don't want this time to be over. I definitely think I'm going to miss being pregnant. I'm going to miss feeling all of her jabs and high kicks - even the bad ones. I'm going to miss having her all to myself. Selfish, yes. But true. :(

 

The books say Eliana is at least 2 pounds and 14.5 inches. Although I'd still be willing to bet she's ahead of this curve. We have another detailed anatomy scan in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to hear all of her new measurements. I'm pretty sure she's made the move down south, which we'll hopefully confirm at tomorrow's regular appointment. While her lungs will continue to develop (even after birth), they are technically capable of breathing outside air now. They say she should be sleeping and awake at regular times as well, but I can't seem to pinpoint them. She seems to be awake all. of. the. time. I'm assuming she sleeps as I move around throughout the day, but I wouldn't say it's on a particular schedule. When I move, she sleeps. When I stay still, she decides to dance (and tumble, kick, jab, roll, and all of the above). Her brain is still very active and developing rapidly, into our little baby genius of course.

 

How far along? 27 weeks

Baby's size? a rutabaga (google is your friend)

Total weight gain: 17 pounds - no gain this week
Maternity clothes? Yes, more so than regular. Boo!
Sleep: It's actually been better this past week. Per my chiropractor, he recommended taking our 6 inch body forming pad off the mattress. Genius! I slept for 6 hours straight - it was amazing. Not every night has been as great, but I definitely wake up less often and sleep for much longer stretches. Ironically, now JP can't sleep. Poor guy needs more padding. He's been a really good sport about it, although we are trying to come up with a solution.
Best moment(s) this past week: We finally ordered all of our nursery furniture from Buy Buy Baby. We were lucky to have every piece in stock, other than the glider. We ordered one to be custom made, so it should be here in 8-12 weeks. I'm obsessed with our furniture, but I didn't love the pricetag. It will be worth it I suppose. :) We had our fall carnival at school on Friday and I loved it. It's probably my favorite event all year long. I love seeing all my kiddos dressed up in costume and teachers getting soaked in the dunk tank. :) We also went to a beautiful wedding last night. I absolutely love weddings (especially when I don't have to plan them!). I would seriously consider being a wedding crasher. Any takers? Disclaimer: Our wedding was hands down A-mazing and a complete dream come true! I was just happy to see the planning stage over.

Miss Anything? Champagne. There have been very few times I've missed alcohol since being pregnant. Ironically, I've loved not drinking. However, there have a been a few occasions in which I would have loved to participate - champagne toasts at weddings, beer at Oktoberfest, and tailgating. Above all else, I think I'm going to miss wine over the holidays.
Movement: Baby Girl is still her ADD self and constantly on the go. I absolutely love it, but I also worry that she doesn't get enough rest! I'm pretty sure she tried to back her butt up and on out of my belly a few nights ago. Half of my stomach became almost completely flat and this huge round shape took over and stuck out an extra 4-5 inches. It was SO bizarre. I can also feel movements across my belly. It's so weird, friends.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new - still trying to sneak more and more protein into my diet.
Cravings: I've been eating a lot of hummus this week, in addition to my pickels and lemonade. :)
Labor Signs: nope

Gender: GIRL!
Symptoms: I'm still peeing like it's my job and the back aches are improving thanks to my chiropractor and husband for giving up the mattress pad! My legs and calves cramp up once in a while, it's annoying, but it usually only lasts a few minutes. I guess that's what happens when you add 17 pounds of belly to your upper half!

Belly Button in or out? It's still technically in, but the inside part seems to be popping a little more and more each week. My guess is that it pops within the next few weeks.
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm very happy! :)
Looking forward to: My doctor's appointment tomorrow. Sort of. I'm doing the glucose test (yuck!), but I'm hoping he'll want to do a little ultrasound. While I can feel the area she is in (it does change), I can't tell which direction she's facing and it really bothers me. I'm also SUPER excited for a Halloween party on Friday and mine and JP's 5 year dating anniversary on Saturday.

27 weeks: Mama

27 weeks: Ellie

26 weeks

Today marks the start of my 26th week - only one more week until the 3rd trimester.

Can you believe it?!

 

Eliana is close to the 2 pound mark, if she isn't already, and she's at least 14 inches from head to toe. Don't you worry, she puts her ever growing size to good use. In case you were wondering, she uses all 14 inches to practice her karate moves - into the walls of my uterus and all those other vital organs, no big. Her ears are even more developed and sensitive, which was very evident Saturday night. The music was a little too loud for her taste at Oktoberfest. She made sure to let me know she wasn't a fan. She continues to inhale and exhale amniotic fluid, which prepares her for breathing outside the womb. Her brain is still rapidly developing, her hair continues to grow, and she even has little baby toenails. :)

 

There is a very exciting and NEW development that will happen this week if it hasn't already.

This week will mark the first time she learns to bat those pretty lashes. :)

She can officially open and close her eyes. Baby Girl can see, my friends! Caaarazy!

 

How far along? 26 weeks

Baby's size? a head of lettuce

Total weight gain: 17 pounds - although at times I feel like it's more like 27 pounds!
Maternity clothes? I've finally reached that point. The point of no return. The point where I wear more maternity clothes than my regular clothes. I still try to fit into a lot of my normal wardrobe. Some things work. Others, not so much. I look ridiculous even trying.
Sleep: Eh, still so-so. I wake up too frequently. The boppy really helps, but sleep still isn't wonderful. I think I just need to accept the fact that nights of quality sleeping are long gone. Even post baby belly, I'll have an out-of-the-womb-baby keeping me up at all hours of the night. Yet, another point of no return that I've reached much too quickly.
Best moment this past week: The entire week was absolutely amazing. I can't even pinpoint a best moment. The one thing that was not so amazing - registering for my baby shower. Seriously, it was 10 times more stressful than I could have ever imagined. I did hours upon hours of research beforehand and I still didn't feel prepared. It was really overwhelming. I really hope people refer to my registry because I might have a mental breakdown if those four (yes, FOUR!) hours ended up being a waste of my time.

Miss Anything? Deli meat. I went to a birthday party today and my mouth was literally watering at the sight of the subs. I have had deli meat 3 times since being pregnant, but I've always steamed it in the microwave. Even then, I felt guilty. I want a freaking turkey sandwich, y'all!
Movement: Baby Girl is definitely getting stronger. Some of these kicks literally take my breath away. Not because she's kicking an organ necessarily, just because they are SO powerful. I'm amazed at how quickly this little HUMAN is growing inside of my belly. However, I suppose by the size of my belly I shouldn't be all that surprised.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing new. Although since this question is so boring, I'm adding a craving question. :)
Cravings: I've found myself wanting the same items over and over -  lemonade (obvi), black olives, zesty dill pickles, cereal, and the most interesting - Chef Boyardee Mini Raviolis. Random? I think so. I use to eat these as a kid. I've now had them more times than I can count on one hand.
Labor Signs: nope

Gender: GIRL!
Symptoms: The back aches seem to overpower any other symptom that I may be having. I still pee like it's my job as well.

Belly Button in or out? Appearance wise, it's still really, really weird. It remains really sensitive.
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm very happy! :)
Looking forward to: All of the upcoming events this month. I think I'm booked solid for the next 4 or 5 weekends and I'm excited for every minute of it.

26 weeks: Mama

26 weeks: Ellie

 

To Each Their Own

First and foremost, let me just say that I respect women and the choices they make about methods of delivery and nourishment for their baby. While I see the overwhelming benefit in doing things such as a vaginal delivery and breastfeeding, the reality is that it just doesn't work for every woman. Even for those that intend on doing one or the other, or both, it doesn't always work out that way for one reason or another. Regardless, I will not criticize a woman and the choices that she makes in regard to these practices and in fact it really bothers me when others do behave in such a manner.

I personally plan on breastfeeding and my goal is to breastfeed for at least 9 months. Just about everyone I talk to says that if you can get past the first 6-8 weeks, it gets so much better. 8 weeks is a long time, but I think I can do it! :)

I also plan on a vaginal delivery and unless absolutely medically necessary, I do NOT want a c-section.

Well, my friends. This woman, HERE, took c-sections to a whole new level.

Holy craziness.

25 weeks down

25 weeks down - 15 weeks to go

It's hard to believe that I'm already 25 weeks. Just about three months to go. Two more weeks until I enter the 3rd trimester. 104 days left. Time is seriously flying by folks. Our sweet girl will be here before you know it!

Eliana's proportions are pretty spot on by this point. The majority of the next 15 weeks will be spent gaining weight and lots of nervous system development. Her hair now has a distinct texture and color, which is of course probably blonde. I did this little test online that takes our genes, in addition to our siblings and parents' genes, to predict the color of your baby's eyes. It predicted green eyes. A blonde baby with green eyes - LOVE!

It's around this time that she will begin to move from the breech position into the head down position. There isn't a specific time this will happen, so she could have already made the move or it may happen within the next few weeks. However, we definitely want her making that move at some point. If she's breech, I'll likely need a c-section, which I definitely want to avoid at all costs if possible.
 

How far along? 25 weeks

Baby's size? an eggplant - oh, and how about the size of my uterus? Wait for it...

It's the size of a soccer ball. A freaking soccer ball!!! No wonder nothing fits and I 

look insanely pregnant! I'm constantly getting comments from strangers now, which 

I 100% love. I think pregnant bellies are the cutest thing. Although I'm sure it won't 

be long before I want to hide myself away from the world because it will no longer 

be "cute" and I'll be .025 pounds away from toppling over.

Total weight gain: I am boycotting the scale this week. We fully indulged ourselves during our staycation this weekend. Much to my dismay, the scale doesn't seem to understand how to cut us (me) some slack.
Maternity clothes? The number of non maternity outfits are narrowing rather quickly. This is obviously not exciting news. I still have three months to go. NO ONE is allowed to judge me when you start seeing the same five outfits over and over and over again.
Sleep: I seriously got the BEST sleep this weekend. I don't know if it was because I was staying up later than normal and therefore super exhausted or the uh-mazing bed. The bed at our resort was so unbelievably comfortable. I may or may not have tried to accidentally slip the blanket into my suitcase. Unfortunately, it wouldn't fit.
Best moment this past week: JP and I had the best babymoon staycation weekend we could have asked for. While we decided to stay in town rather than going out of town, it turned out to be totally worth it. We had a wonderful time! I'm one lucky girl. :)

Miss Anything? I miss being able to sleep on my stomach. While the bobby pillow helps, I would seriously give anything to simply lay on my stomach for 5 minutes without being in pain or causing harm to my little girl.
Movement: Baby Girl is still cray cray, y'all. She's started to push up into my rib cage a lot more often, which to be honest, really hurts and I'm not a fan.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I still can't handle the sight (or smell) of a chicken breast. However, it's becoming easier to eat in things. I had an amazing salad by the pool this weekend and it came with chicken. I think I ate maybe a 1/4 of it, but hey, I need to start somewhere! :)
Labor Signs:  nope

Gender: GIRL!
Symptoms: I feel like a few new symptoms have decided to grace me with their presence over the past week. My belly is constantly itching and it's really annoying. I've been getting lower backaches. I can't wait to see the chiropractor on Wednesday! *TMI warning: I think the bathroom trips double daily. I feel like I'm about to BURST at least once an hour. When I actually go, maaaybe a tablespoon or two comes out. Really? It's obnoxious.

Belly Button in or out? Appearance wise, it's still really freaking weird. However, it's starting to become suuuuper sensitive.
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm very happy! :)
Looking forward to: This week! I was in desperate need for a vacation and I'm stoked  to have the whole week off. I have a few lunch dates planned and I'll spend a lot of time simply relaxing! I also have a dinner date with two of my oldest friends, neither of which I've seen in forever. One just found out she's pregnant and I'm beyond excited for her! :) She's due just 4 months after Ellie. So, Ellie will have a little best friend or boyfriend.
 

25 weeks: Mama

25 weeks: Ellie

 

I know it's a little early, but if she's already made the move from breech to head down, this could very well explain the pain I've been feeling at the bottom of my ribs. I can just imagine those little (long) legs jabbing me!

The Great Hospital Debate

WHY?

Why, oh why, are there SO many freaking decisions when it comes to have a baby? I'm not even referring to normal baby topics that I spend a super embarrassing amount of time researching like cloth diaper vs. disposables, the Moby vs. the Ergo, a Chicco car seat vs. Peg Perego, etc. 

I'm talking about the delivery. 

Who knew that you can't just walk into a hospital and have a baby? It's not that easy, unfortunately. There are WAY too many decisions to make. While I try to navigate through the wealth of great (and not so great) information out there, I keep asking myself if I need to compose a legit birth plan. I don't have a million insane requests. There are things I want and don't want during delivery. However, there is one question that has been eating away at me!

Which hospital will I deliver at?

My doctor delivers at two different hospitals, we'll call them A and B for now. Since I obviously don't have any first hand experience at delivery, I'm basing these observations off of my friends that have delivered at both, my personal feelings about each (I've visited friends/newborns at both), and things my doctor has mentioned about each.

HOSPITAL A

30 minutes from our current home (although closer if we move in time)

very large and luxurious

well known

big rooms

30 minutes from my OB's office (and his home)

I'll likely be checked on by the on staff OB if it's a long labor

if I'm induced, it will likely be done by the on staff OB

NICU

takes longer for my OB to get there in an emergency

HOSPITAL B

15 minutes from our current home

very small and more personable 

also a great hospital

small rooms

right next door to my OB's office

my OB can pop over and check on me more frequently

my OB will induce me

no NICU

easy access in an emergency

While I liked the idea of my OB being close to me, I think the fact that Hospital A has the NICU has won me over. In a worst case scenario, I want the best equipment and staff there to help our little girl. There are so many things that can go awry during and after delivery, I don't really want to take the risk. PLUS, if I were at Hospital B and they had to take Ellie to Hospital A's NICU, I'd be stuck at B until they could check me out. That's CLEARLY not going to go over well with me. So, while my OB isn't going to be thrilled with my decision, I've decided that I will definitely give birth at Hospital A.

Uggh. Such a weight off my shoulders!

Now, back to that birth plan....

24 weeks!

Ellie is 24 weeks and growing away. For real. I can't help but think she must have gone through a major growth spurt this week based on several things - the size of my belly, the powerful kicks, and the unfortunate numbers on the scale. She's at least (she's an overachiever, remember?) 1.5 pounds and 14 inches in length. We were able to see her last Tuesday at my checkup. She's SO big friends. I love that she's growing and healthy, but I'm secretly sort of sad that she's so big already. I know many women say time goes slowly, but I feel like it's racing by at lightning speed. Sloooow down, Time! We'll see if I still feel this way in a two months!

In other news, our little girl's brain is quickly developing (into a genius, obvi.). Her taste buds continue to develop, her skin is still rather translucent, and she has yet to gain all the little chub I'll fully enjoy once she's here. However, she'll start packing on the baby fat rather quickly! While our little bean is busy growing (and kicking mama!), she has reached the point that if I were to go into labor from here on out, the doctors would do anything and everything possible to help her thrive and continue growing in the real world. I know it seems silly, but this is really good to hear. :)

How far along? 24 weeks

Baby's size? a cantaloupe (for real this time!)

Total weight gain: 13.5 pounds (umm I'm just going to pretend that this is Ellie's growth spurt  and that I didn't have dessert four times in the past week.)
Maternity clothes? Half-half. My clothes are getting realllly snug though. I've already had to hang quite a few pieces up for the next 3-6 months, especially pants/shorts/jeans.
Sleep: It's getting better, especially with my Boppy Cuddle Pillow that I am l-o-v-i-n-g! I'm still up several times to use the restroom, which is annoying, but if this is the worst of my symptoms, I can deal.
Best moment this past week: JP was out of town for the weekend, which I wasn't a total fan of, but I was able to get a lot done. By a lot I mean I spent all of Saturday shopping with my mom and it was full of all sorts of great moments. Especially the one that included me purchasing my new diaper bag! I got to see some of my absolute favorite teachers on Sunday for a baby shower. I love my team at Imagine, but I seriously love and so desperately miss my Papago team!

Miss Anything? Not peeing every five minutes. Even after I go, I still feel a constant pressure on my bladder, so I basically feel like I need to go all. day. long.
Movement: So much movement, still loving every second! I keep trying to get it on video, but our little babe is apparently camera shy. She's a freaking nutcase and as soon as I get out the camera, she's sound asleep.

Anything making you queasy or sick: chicken!
Labor Signs:  nope

Gender: GIRL!
Symptoms: The neck aches and headaches are basically gone. I had an appointment with a chiropractor last week, but I needed to reschedule since I was basically immobile from my toe surgery. I still plan on going to my rescheduled appointment next week.

Belly Button in or out? Still just very shallow, wide, and kind of poking out on the inside. Because I'm feeling extra ballsy at the moment, here's a picture.

Weird, right?

Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm very happy! :)
Looking forward to: FALL BREAK! I absolutely love my class this year, but who doesn't enjoy a paid week off from work? We've decided to scratch the "babymoon" idea since we're just about to purchase a second home. Plus, it's better for JP to save up as much vacation time as he can for our sweet girl's arrival. However, we've decided to take a mini staycation over the weekend in place of a real vacation. I can't wait to indulge in yummy food, lay by the pool, and spend the weekend away from the real world.

24 weeks: Mama


Eliana doesn't know it yet, but fall will be her favorite season. She'll love October, pumpkins, and Halloween just like her mama. Who am I kidding? With the amount of candy corn I've already consumed and the pumpkin scent constantly lingering in our house, she's probably already getting use to it.

24 weeks: Baby