Trying to eke in this late entry while I'm still in my 34th week! (35 weeks tomorrow!) We've been growing big and strong and have been very busy - the days have flown by and every night I had something going on and neglected this precious update. Alot of big milestones hit: baby is the size of a (large) cantaloupe, I hit 30 lbs of weight gain, had another doctor's visit, decided when I want to leave work, and the culmination of our social calendar....Baby Boy Lovelace's Baltimore Bonanza!
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| I'm thinking homeboy is more like a solid 6 at this point |
After a nice respite from the wonky sick feeling, I got hit like a ton of bricks midweek. I felt nauseous and dizzy again...and something that felt suspiciously like period cramps. Nothing too painful, but..."different". It was one of the busier weeks I have had in awhile work-wise and I had been doing alot of prep for getting myself/the house ready for guests to come into town for the shower. I think I over extended myself and with this ginormo baby's big growth and being so busy at work I couldn't eat my bevy of healthy snacks, everything just took the wind out of my sails.
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| Sunburned and pink, an excellent combo |
We did work out a few times this week (including a nice 3 mile walk in beautiful West Virginia!) and I think that helped alot with our (my) mental stability and general feeling-goodness. I feel so much better as long as I do some sort of exercise. With it being Easter we spent some time with family doing a ton of projects at Niter's house, as well as finishing the cornice for the nursery! The only thing left to do is have her come hem and put up the curtains! HOORAY!
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| Baby Boy will be riding trikes down Grandma's hill in no time! |
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| Glenn made the wood part of the cornice, Mom did the fabric (made out of an Ikea crib sheet) |
I had my 34th week appointment with the only doctor I hadn't yet met at the practice I've been going to. He is a teeny tiny Indian man who weighs about 92 lbs. soaking wet. He came in and said, "ooh, multiples?" in reference to this bump and I for a moment was afraid he had the wrong patient. He did say I seemed to have alot of fluid and that the measurements are big. Just how big you ask? Well, seems that earlier ultrasound may be on point, because Baby Boy is growing large and strong ahead of his gestational age.
For the longest time (well, since I've been pregnant) each week my fundal height matched perfectly for where I was gestationally. 17 weeks was 17 cms. 24 weeks was 24, etc. For the first time I am measuring large, which seemed pretty telling to me. At 34 weeks he is measuring 36 weeks, which is why I think he may be a good 6 lbs in there already. The Doctor didn't seem too concerned about my feeling ill and crampy, because "you're already so big already and measuring ahead"...so I guess that must explain it? He wouldn't make any guesses at the baby's weight, saying that he delivered a 10 lber that morning but didn't realize how big the baby was until it was on the scale. Well then.
Although I have been doing my hypnobabies quite religiously and steady reading my Ina Mae, I am getting nervous. The bigger I get, the feeling of sickness, the measurements being high....I'm worried that my hard work will be for naught and I will end up with a dreaded C Section from a 10 lb baby. Trying to stay positive and calm for the duration because he's the one in charge...he is the one in there growing and mashing my bladder and rocking and rolling about. He will decide when and how he wants to come and I am just the carrier for this whole process.
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| Baby might have got a spray tan |
I really do feel like the bump is getting alot bigger...and pointier if at all possible. I'm really curious as to what I am measuring at now, but unfortunately won't know until week 36, which seems like forever from now.
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| Good golly.... |
Usually for ultrasounds they give you a specific week on the prescription - but this Dr. did not. I want to sneak ahead and see if I can go at 35 weeks...I will call the practice tomorrow and play dumb like they didn't "tell" me 36 weeks, cross your fingers for us! My emotional state sort of depends on the measurements right now, because if he really is as big as they say...mama is going to need more than some self-guided hypnosis.
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| I don't feel like he has "dropped" into my pelvis like people talk about, but I'll be damned if he isn't pointing "down" |
How far along? In these pictures, I think 34 weeks 3 days...today is 34 weeks 4 days. SO BASICALLY I'M LATE AND ALMOST 35 G.D. WEEKS PREGNANT. WHAT.
Total weight gain: up to my total of 30 lbs. It's been steady at 180.6-180.8. Large and in charge, indeed.
Maternity clothes? I wore a size small maxi dress to my shower....so no, not all maternity clothes this late in the game.
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snacking on some carrots and gatorade to help with nausea pre-shower
Some other shower favorites: |
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| Glenn and I before the big party! |
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| Some sweet ladies who have awesome matching abilities |
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| baby has alot of sassy uncles! |
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| We had visitors in all the way from NY, friends from college and beyond, and perhaps my favorite coworker ever! |
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| Dean and Meredith and their baby to be (I'm guessing niece!) came through as well! |
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| Tom and Dan have a beautiful house, and some beautiful friends! |
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| We had some special "Blue Punch" made of rum, lychee liquor and soda water that gave people some raging hangovers! |
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| We are so blessed to have so many great friends from NY who are part of our lives and excited for us....really thankful to have them travel our way to celebrate! |
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| Baby wore blue and looked all sorts of big! |
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| The gorgeous Shineza who gifted baby an expensive ass Northface! |
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| Seriously so spoiled! |
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| The gorgeous decor via Tom & Dan's fireplace, Tanner's planning skills, and Niter's pennants! |
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| My amazing hostess, Tanner! She went all out for Baby Love and we are thrilled with how everything turned out! |
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| Ridic attractive baby favva |
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| Jackie is an awesome friend from Clarion & beyond! |
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| Darling Michael who traveled in from Philly! |
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| Uncle Bee Why helped Bodie get his balloon! |
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| And this crew shut the night DOWN! :) |
Stretch marks? Verdict is out. I have no stretch marks (that I can see) on my body to compare them to...but I see some faint lines that are sort of a light purple (?) below my belly button. I had Glenn look at them tonight and he tried to pull at my skin to see if they changed (apparently this is his test for stretch marks as he has some on his chest/arms from lifting weights) and said they didn't look like legitimate stretch marks to him. They still feel smooth like my normal skin. Regardless they are very light and not big and red and scary like I thought they are supposed to be, so if they are indeed stretch marks, mehh so be it. I did also get a spray tan and I think my big veiny belly could be making things look different.
Best moment this week: Getting to spend time with so many great friends, and family! We had multiple people come in from out of town and it was really special to us to be able to have one big room full of lovely people celebration the upcoming birth of this baby boy!
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| Awesome Twilight Turtle and Humidifier we got as gifts! |
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| Just a little glimpse at Baby's Loot! |
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| Almost all unpacked! |
Miss Anything? Feeling calm? Wait, that happens never. My team and I met earlier this week to discuss what will happen while I'm out. Originally they were supposed to hire someone new because the team is so busy they essentially NEED a brand new person. That unfortunately fell by the wayside due to a low talent pool and lack of good talent/time to recruit. SO...the current team will be inheriting my clients. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. I don't want the birth of my child to be a burden to others in the form of extra work. We are working on transitioning my clients shortly...I just don't have enough hours in the day. I am trying to update client files, book client conference transition calls, all while arranging things for the month of May and still conducing trainings and events. Somehow it will need to be finished. My last official day is May 4th! I have 12 working days to get this accomplished. I know it's best for me and baby stress wise to be home once I hit full term the 1st week of May, but I'll be darned if it isn't going to be a bear getting ready. Wish me luck!
Movement:
He is still super active, I feel him alot when I am hypnobabying it up...maybe because I am more in tuned with my body when that happens? Alot of people wanted to feel him kick at the shower this weekend but he gets shy in big, loud social situations I think.
Food cravings: sweets (surprise!) Mama and baby have had something chocolate everyday. Other than that, pineapple and fresh fruit of the citrus variety taste amazing to me...still going ham on the salads as well.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Baby has chilled out with the nausea, but I have a feeling with as busy as I'm going to be, that it may come back. I also managed to bonk myself in the head with a metal pole this week which was quite painful. I have a super sweet bruise above my eye now.
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| day 1 | | |
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| Day 3 |
Gender: Girl. Made ya look.
Labor Signs: Nahh. Hoping to keep it this way. Everything is READY for him to come, minus some replacement parts for a breast pump...but I don't WANT him to come until May 20th or later. GEMINI BABY ALL THE WAY.
Symptoms: Just feeling like a crazy person running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Seriously not enough hours in the day.
Belly Button in or out? She's still a halfer
Wedding rings on or off? On...for now. Doctors are still impressed with my lack of swelling.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy now that I have a gameplan for my end of work schedule....and the showers are all done and most of everything is unpacked! And of course crazy excited, with a mix of holy crap, 5ish weeks more to go!!
Looking forward to: Winding down at work, and hopefully being able to fully just concentrate on my health, and baby! Final ultrasound booked 04/26 at 2:30PM....I think this will be the big determiner of how the rest of things will go! EEEEEEEK!
Hopefully things calm down and I can be better about updating for week 35 -- thanks as always, for reading and for your feedback!
Love the updates, looking forward to the 26th, too!
ReplyDeleteThey told my sis her first would be 10 lbs at birth and he was 8. Sometimes they just don't know until delivery day. And you are strong and healthy, so I hope you'll be able to avoid a C section, but if you can't, what matters is a your health and having a healthy baby boy!
ReplyDeleteSorry you're feeling ill, but you are looking super great and, yes, glowy. :)
Love this whole thing. I show it to people who don't even know you (or me). The shower was awesome. Can't wait to hang out with BBL in the most amazing baby room in the world, and tell him lots of baby-style jokes.
ReplyDeleteThe shower was so great -- what a truly nice bunch of friends you have, and it was wonderful to see the girls from New York too! I am getting super excited for our little guy to arrive too, and please try not to worry about the labor and delivery. You are one heck of a strong healthy woman and your body is gearing up to make it a good birth. Hope it is one of the highlights of your life :)
ReplyDeleteI was 10 lbs 9 oz when I was born and my mom had a vaginal delivery...so even if baby boy is big, it is not out of the question! :)
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