thirty-three weeks

 
Had another appointment this week.  Both girls got to go with me, it was a blast, naturally.  Haha, honestly they weren't that bad until like the last few minutes, but I'm thankful I've gone this long without having to take them both with me.  Everything is still looking good, and we discussed an induction at 39 weeks.  Again I know elective inductions aren't approved by all, but I refuse to miss the first day of kindergarten (which is basically my due date) so I'm over it.  Not to mention I've yet to make it to 39 weeks before needing to be induced anyway.  So, if baby girl hasn't made her debut by August 6th that will be her birthday!  6 weeks or less to go.  Craziness!
    
how far along:  33 weeks (compare to 33 weeks with Ryann, 33 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:  according to my What to Expect app, baby girl is weighing in around 4.5 pounds and measuring somewhere around 19 inches long.

weight gain:  24 pounds.

maternity clothes:  Yup.  Although pajamas are preferred.

symptoms:  Restless legs and swelling are by far the most prominent right now.  And the giant belly.  Truthfully this week has been hard.  I'm starting to get really uncomfortable and a lot of times my urge is to lay on my stomach to feel better.  But that isn't an option, so I just wanna cry.  I hate that I'm not really enjoying the pregnancy at all right now.  It very well could be my last one.  But I'm so done.  I've been nauseous a lot, and getting headaches, but the few times I've had Chris take my blood pressure it has been fine, so everything just adds up to being pregnant.

exercise:  84,251 steps this past week.  I'm still averaging over 10,000 steps a day, but each day it gets a little bit harder.  I need to spend more and more time resting or my legs ache and swell.  It's annoying, but it's life.

cravings/aversions:  Watermelon.  All the watermelon.  I've had giant bowls of watermelon for lunch at least three times this week.

movement:  Occasionally she hits a nerve in my sides or something and holy cow.  It definitely makes me gasp.  She gets the hiccups a lot too.

sleep:  Still regularly relying on half a benedryl to get the job done.  I usually wake up at least once a night to go to the bathroom.

gender:  Girl.  And honestly that is another part of the pregnancy that is just getting old.  Not that we're having another girl.  I'm thrilled.  I can't wait to meet her.  Just like I was with both of her sisters.  I love shopping for headbands and cute little rompers and oogling all the little baby girl things.  But I'm so over every single person asking if we know what we're having, and then having to have a full conversation about the fact that we're not having a boy.  My poor husband.  Will we keep trying for a boy?  I'm sure plenty of you know how it goes.  There are some women who will tell me they came from a family of girls and how much they loved it and I do enjoy hearing those things.  But, I just... Oy.

looking forward to:  Moving in to our new house next week!  I mean, I think I'm looking forward to it.  There is going to be a lot of chaos and craziness going on in the next few weeks, but I really am looking forward to start settling in to our new home.

worries:  I don't really know what I'm worried about right now.  There are so many big things going on, and it is stressful and crazy and exhausting.  But I'm not particularly worried.

what's different this time: Apparently I was swollen with Ryann.  I don't really remember it.  But I know there is no way I was this swollen with Elsie.  Thankfully it is only from the knees down that I'm aware of.  I'm still able to wear my rings.

best moment this week:  Getting the nursery painted!  I'm loving watching it come together.  And the rest of the house in general.  But baby things are always especially fun.

this and that + some nursery progress

::  My blog is annoying me.  The fact that I barely post anything and the fact that I haven't changed the look in FOREVER.  I keep wanting to, and start designing something, and then I hate what I've come up with and give up for a while.  The lack of posting is simply because I can barely sit still long enough to come up with a complete thought.  Restless legs are just no freaking joke and I am starting to lose my mind.  Hence the tidbit like post with crappy iPhone pictures.  You're welcome.

::  In less than a week the movers are coming to start packing up all our stuff.  I'm still in denial.  Partially because I don't want to move out of town and partially because our new house isn't finished yet.  How this renovation is taking so long I have no idea.  I'm 90% sure it will be in a state that we can move into next week, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bitter that it is coming down to the wire.  But uh, yeah.  Moving in a week.  !!!!!!

::  Speaking of the new house, some of the progress!  I am absolutely in LOVE with our master bathroom.  I can't wait until it is finished.  The floors are awesome, the shower is going to be awesome (and huge!).  After spending the majority of this pregnancy attempting to shave in a tiny little shower stall you better believe I'm going to be taking some long showers in that thing as soon as I can.

You just have to pretend that you don't turn around and see this right now...

It will be done.  It will be done.  It will be done.  Maybe if I keep telling myself that it will actually happen.  My mom said all the kitchen appliances were installed today.  That is certainly a bonus!

::  This past weekend we were back in town checking on some things, and spent some time working on the nursery.  I am so excited to get the furniture in here and see the whole room take shape.  My mom had already painted the walls, but with Christopher and my Dad's help we got some stripes on the walls.  We did these stripes in Elsie's current room and I just think they are so pretty.  So the poor guys got stuck helping me with them again.  I'm lucky my dad and my husband love me so much.

And my dad, wow, he definitely wins bonus points.  After seeing this on pinterest I decided I really wanted to put heart decals in the closet.  Yes in the closet.  That still has doors on it.  My dad didn't really see the reason.  But he helped me measure out all the spacing for the hearts on father's day and I'm incredibly grateful.  I mean closets full of little baby clothes are adorable.  Closets full of baby clothes with little gold hearts all over it?  Exactly.  I purchased my decals from Wall Dressed Up.  Her prices were slightly higher than some I've seen on etsy, but her customer service is top notch and she is local.  She dropped the decals off at my door step just two days after I ordered them.

::  I wish I could sign up for a daily delivery of fresh watermelon.  That is all.

thirty-two weeks

how far along:  32 weeks (compare to 32 weeks with Ryann, 32 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:  What to Expect tells me that Babs is the size of a head of lettuce, measuring 19 inches long and weighing 3.9 pounds.  I'll believe it when I see it, Ryann and Elsie were both 19 inches at birth, and while I know they don't do much more in the length department, I highly doubt she wouldn't grow at all.  Or maybe this kid will be giant.  You never know!

weight gain:  23 pounds.

maternity clothes:  All of my non maternity stuff has pretty much officially been retired.  I attempted to wear a semi longer stretchier shirt, and the bottom of my belly kept peeking out.  Whoops.  And there is no hope for any of my regular t-shirts.

symptoms:  Hip pain, restless legs, swelling, extreme irratibility.  Yikes.  My mood swings are like whoa and I feel bad for my family.  I know they more or less understand, but I'm kind of a bitch.

exercise:  92,502 steps.

cravings/aversions: I want lots of fruit, some sweets, and nothing heavy.  I've had a slice, A SINGLE slice, of pizza a few times in the last few weeks and it makes me so sick every time.  Too much grease and cheese?  I dunno, but I want nothing to do with pizza.

movement:  Sometimes she is absolutely crazy.  I just look down at my belly thinking WTH are you doing in there?  And then sometimes she is pretty calm.  I'm still impressed at how high her body parts seem to get.  Like I'm pretty certain a foot is going to come out my armpit or something.

sleep:  I was doing alright, but this week, ohmygawd.  I was waking up for 2+ hours at a time, super uncomfortable, needing to pee, etc.  So I tried taking one benedryl two nights in a row.  While I slept, I felt like a groggy monster during the day.  The third day I took half a benedryl, and that seemed to be the magic dose.  I didn't take any last night and wouldn't you know, I was up from 2:30am-5am tossing and turning.

gender:  Girl.

looking forward to:  I want to sleep on my stomach so bad it is ridiculous.

worries:  That our carpet won't be installed and our house won't be finished when we go to move in, two weeks to go and the house is still a huge mess.  I mean we're at the point where it is pretty much livable, so it shouldn't be a huge deal.  Just the carpet.  I'm not having all my furniture moved in to a house without any carpet.  So hopefully we can get that done.  Also, the appraisal on our current house never came back.  It is the only think we're waiting for and it is starting to stress me out.  As easy as the whole home selling process has been for us, I'd hate for the appraisal to screw it up.

what's different this time:  Again, everything sounds pretty similar.  The huge difference to me is being pregnant in the summer, and dealing with heat and swelling.  I was never noticeably swollen with the other two.  This time my sandals look like I'm trying to strangle my feet.  Poor feet.

best moment this week:  Wednesday evening one of my sorority sisters, who recently moved back from DC, hosted a girls night.  It was absolutely wonderful to see some of my favorites, and the food was perfect.  I was such a happy camper.  Thank you so much Laura!

Also, we decided on a name... :o)

thirty-one weeks

Thirty-one weeks.  I'm legit pregnant now, right?  Haha, but 31 weeks sounds a lot closer to the end than 30 weeks did.  And I'm feeling quite pregnant.  So there's that.

I had another doctor's appointment this week.  My regular OB is out of town so I saw one of the male doctors in the practice.  He was actually recommended to me by more than one person early on with Ryann, but I was super anti a male doctor.  Turns out he is super nice (just like everyone said) and I really like him.  I still prefer a female doctor, but I wouldn't be upset if he was on call when I delivered.  The appointment was incredibly uneventful, aside from the TDAP vaccine, and he thanked me for being most likely his easiest patient of the day.  #winning

Something I'm not so much winning at lately, I feel like anyway, is parenting.  The mommy guilt is in full force, because I'm tired.  I want the girls to entertain themselves.  But they want me.  They need me.  And I feel like I should be giving them lots of attention before I completely rock their world.  But bending over sucks.  Getting up and down off the floor sucks.  Ugh.  Most days I suck it up and do my best, but I know I yell to much and tell them to wait a minute too much and overall just expect them to be more independent than they really need to.  I know it is just a season of life, but I still feel bad.  And seriously, poor Elsie isn't going to know what to do with herself when baby sister is here.  She is still very much a mama's girl through and through.  I think she is going to hate me.

how far along:  31 weeks (compare to 31 weeks with Ryann, 31 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby: A coconut perhaps?  About 18 inches long and 3.2 pounds.  For some reason Ryann thought the idea of a coconut in my belly was hilarious.

weight gain:  22 pounds.  Not at all surprised after not gaining anything for three weeks.

maternity clothes:  I'm actually wearing a non maternity shirt today, but it's really stretchy.  So it doesn't count.  Yes, maternity clothes.  And some of those shirts are nearing the too short end.

symptoms:  A big f-you to restless legs.  I'm exhausted in the evenings and I just want to lay on the couch and watch HGTV, but I can't freaking sit still.  Broken record much?  Also just some nausea and exhaustion sitting in here and there.  I'm just starting to feel very, well, pregnant.  Not that I really remember what it is like to feel normal.  Some braxton hicks here and there.

exercise:  86,572 steps this week.

cravings/aversions: Chris is referring to me as a 'fruitivore'.  It is all I truly want.  The girls and I went through one cantaloupe, 2 mangoes, 3 pounds of strawberries, 4 peaches, half a pound of blueberries and 4 apples in about 4 days.  That is absurd.

movement:  According to my app Babs (as Chris and I have taken to calling baby sister, sorry girl!), is starting to develop a more regular sleep and wake cycle, and I would say that is consistent with how movement has been.  When she is active she is very active, but there are more calm quiet periods now.

sleep:  The laying down to go to sleep part SUCKS.  It's miserable.  But once I'm actually asleep I'm usually good until 5am or later.  I'll take it.  My hips have been very sore when I wake up and I am counting the days until I can lay on my belly again.

gender: Still a girl as far as I know.

looking forward to:  Decorating the new house.  I'm so anxious to get stuff set up.  Better uh, pick out carpet first!

worries: My mom caught my mistake.  I copy and paste these from my posts with Elsie and just change out the stuff for this pregnancy.  Apparently I was worried about Christmas last time.  Right now I'm just worried that three kids are going to make me completely lose my mind.  Haha.

what's different this time:  The only time I've ever experience swelling like I have been, was after Elsie was born because they had pumped me so full of fluids.  A summer pregnancy is very much different than a winter/spring one!

best moment this week:  Totally blanking on this one and I just don't care.  I'm so lazy right now I don't want to make my brain work.

thirty weeks

how far along:  30 weeks (compare to 30 weeks with Ryann, 30 weeks with Elsie)

size of baby:  Approximately the size of a butternut squash, 17 inches and 3.1 pounds.

weight gain:  19.5 pounds.  In the last three weeks I've actually lost half a pound.  Again I have no doubt baby sister is growing.  I was still measuring two weeks ahead at my last appointment.  She's fine.  I just have WAY less interest in food.  There is no room for food + baby.

maternity clothes:  Yep.

symptoms:  Restless legs from hell.  Indigestion.  Super sore hips.  Swelling.  Oh the swelling.  I truly never noticed the swelling with either pregnancy before this, but man, one hot day and I can feel it.  July is going to be the death of me.  My rings are currently stuck on my finger.  My feet hurt to walk on.  I'm a mess!   

exercise:  I walked 93,546 steps.

cravings/aversions: Fruit fruit fruit.  Give me all the fruit.  Especially strawberries and watermelon.

movement: She is still a pretty active little thing in there!

sleep:  Restless legs make it hard to fall asleep.  My hips aching make it hard to stay asleep.  Sad story.

gender: Girl.
 
looking forward to:  Moving.  Less than a month!  As much as I don't really want to move (to a different city), I'm excited to have a new house to organize and decorate and set up.  I want to go through all the newborn clothes and have them in drawers and I just can't do it yet!

worries:  I know it will happen.  I had these same worries going from one to two kids.  But I'm scared that I won't connect with baby sister.  I don't know her at all.  I already have these two precious little people in my life.  How is there room in my heart for a third?  Again, this is silly.  I felt the same way before Elsie was born, and my heart just doubled in size when she came along.  It will grow again.  But at the same time it feels so strange to be bringing another little girl into the world.  And terrifying to change up what we already have, to completely throw our little family for a loop.  It will all work out though, I know it will.

what's different this time:  I have more food aversions right now than I remember having in my third trimester with Ryann and Elsie.  I'm no doubt still eating, but everything just sounds gross except fruit or salads.  And cookies.  But when do cookies every sound bad?  Also no blood pressure issues yet to speak of!

best moment this week:  I feel like all the weeks are blurring together.  I can't remember what happened two days later.  Thank goodness for instagram to remind me what we do with our days.  Getting a beautiful progress update photo from my mom was definitely a highlight.  I can't wait to get over to the new house and see it in person!

Gah!  So in love with my master bath floors.  We still need to pick light fixtures and mirrors for in there, and after seeing how awesome the floors are I feel pressure to find the perfect ones.  Oh man.

an exhausting (but fun) weekend

I had full intentions of getting this post up on Wednesday, but restless legs + lack of motivation make sitting and blogging one of the last things on my to-do list.  I did decide that I was at least going to throw some pictures up before typing up my weekly pregnancy post though!

Last weekend was quite the whirlwind.  We were busy busy busy!  Ryann and Elsie were flower girls in Christopher's cousin's wedding Friday night, so Thursday we had the rehearsal and dinner.  All of that was about 30 minutes from our house, and by the time we were home and had both girls settled they didn't fall asleep until 10 or 10:30.  And then they were both up by 7am Friday morning.  Punks!  The actual wedding was Friday at 5:00pm.  We needed to leave our place no later than 3:15pm, and I worried whether or not I'd be able to squeeze Elsie in a long enough nap.  Thankfully she was so tired from the previous days activities, that she fell asleep very quickly at nap time.

The girls looked absolutely adorable (but of course refused to take any 'cute' pictures for me), which is good because it kept me from killing them minutes before they walked down the aisle.  They decided with the ceremony music playing and the bridesmaids going, it was a great time to have an all out brawl and my pregnant self was trying to corral them without spilling all their rose petals and then Elsie was crying for Christopher and it was quite the spectacle.  BUT they made it down the aisle and looked cute so we'll call it a win.  Elsie lasted through maybe 3 minutes of the ceremony before I had to take her out of the room because she just wouldn't stop talking.  When it came time for the dance, the girls were loving it.  We had to drag Elsie kicking and screaming off the dance floor when it was time to go.  Watching them have a good time was so much fun.

always being goobers!

On Saturday both girls did me a favor and slept until almost 8am.  That evening we had rehearsal for the recital, and then Sunday was recital day!  The girls had quite the fan club.  Chris, myself, my parents, my sister and her boyfriend, Grandma 'Nita, Great Grandma Ladonna, and Chris's aunt and uncle all came to watch.  Seeing the girls on stage was so much fun and Elsie absolutely loved it.

When we move, at the studio we'll go to Elsie won't be old enough to start class, and they don't have girls in the recital until they are four.  So sad.  She did great on stage for a 2.25 year old, can't believe I'll have to wait at least two years to see her up there again!

Ryann still claims she doesn't want to really do dance next year.  Well, she wants to take class but doesn't want to practice for competitions or a recital.  So I'm not sure what we'll end up doing with that.  I feel her.  All the girls in her class are pretty burnt out on practicing the same dance all the time.  We'll do a camp this summer and take some classes and see what happens.

After all that, both girls slept until after 8am Monday morning.  I didn't have a clue what to do with myself!