34 1/2 weeks

 

The photo on the left was 12/24. Photo on the right was 12/27. Corbin got a SMIDGE lower.

 

 

How many weeks today: 34 weeks, plus 3 days. When strangers ask me how far along I am though, I say “almost 35 weeks!”… because dammit, I am.
Baby is the size of: I don’t know anymore. An average cantaloupe or honeydew or something? I have given up on the fruits and veggies size comparisons. Corbin is what Corbin wants to be, and this week, that is a big chunky pain in my cervix. I still love him dearly though!
Total weight gain/loss: I have purposely not weighed myself since last week, and I will continue to avoid our bathroom scale since I baked banana bread and dove into chocolates and truffles and mashed potatoes and pork with gravy and did I mentioned the PIZZA Conner and I shared? I don’t think I have eaten anything healthy in the last week. Oh wait, yogurt. I had yogurt. And lots and lots of water.
Maternity clothes: Still rockin’ the maternity clothes, and my makeup has dwindled down to just bronzer/blush combo and some mascara. “Ain’t NOBODY got time for that!”
Cravings: I have been wanting a baked potato…. Haven’t fixed myself one or purchased one. I am still enjoying breakfast foods and been sort of “blah” about lunch, and easy-to-please with dinners. What’s that? Cereal for dinner? Woohoo! 
Aversions: I really loathe my toothbrush. LOATHE IT.

Mood: I’m losing my mind, slowly but oh-so-surely. I think the proper term is “stir-crazy”. I am very anxious to get Corbin outta there and hold him and kiss him and inspect his facial features and count all of his long toes and fingers and nurse him and change him and take endless photos of him (oh just you WAIT). I have finally felt what third trimester moms-to-be feel… that anxious and impatient urge to induce, whether medically or naturally. I wonder if other moms also try to justify it the way I have been though…… I have so many pre-labor symptoms (please see next section), this baby boy has been measuring 1-3 weeks ahead at EVERY ULTRASOUND. Not just lately, not just in the beginning…. But every single ultrasound. 40 weeks is the average length of time for a baby’s gestational development, but some mature and grow at faster rates, some slower. Every little milestone we have experienced with this pregnancy has been “early”. I saw his heart beating super teeny tiny at an early week when I was told I would be lucky if we even saw a speck. We found out his gender early-ish. I felt him kick for the first time at 13 weeks when everyone around me doubted me because it was “too early” to feel him. I even felt pregnant early. I felt everything. Maybe he was further along than we calculated? Maybe my LMP of April 30^th, which was at the wrong time and wayyyy too brief, was not a real period. It was the week of our wedding, five days before our wedding, and I only remember the date because I woke up that Monday morning and said, “SHIT! Of all days. SHIT SHIT SHIT why did it start TODAY? It has to be gone by Saturday.” And it was gone less than three days later. What WAS that? Stress can do a million things to the human body, and apparently, so can being ALMOST 35 weeks pregnant. Corbin, how old are you, little fetus? Are you just over 34 weeks, or maybe closer to 37? Mommy is going nutso!

Physical symptoms: I think this sums it up perfectly….. Kelly was feeling my belly, waiting for movement, and I was telling him how to push down a little, and he pushed down, and I yelled out, “Don’t push hard! It hurts my butt!” Yes, I feel him EVERYWHERE. My ribs and lungs are quite content for the most part. My hips and pelvic bone have seen better days. Really though, the pelvic bone separation is so excruciating and so unbearable sometimes… walking is painful, sitting is more painful. Climbing in and out of an Astro van is downright ridiculous! I have some days when I experience what many women refer to as “lightening crotch” haha. Fast, jabbing, stabbing sharp pains in my cervix when Corbin is just torturing me and head-butting me, or wiggling a fist in there to punch me. It’s sort of evil! My lower back is now in constant aches and cramps. My Braxton Hicks, though no longer regular or painful, have started up again. Menstrual-like cramps are pretty regular for me now. There is so much pressure and pain in my lower nether-region that I sometimes don’t know if I have to poop, pee, or get ready to catch a baby. It all feels the same. (For some reason, a common occurrence for many women at this point is accidentally peeing themselves. I am proud to say that I haven’t lost control of anything… yet.) It’s pretty crazy how gross and miserable the third trimester gets in the end, compared to how pleasant and wonderful the second trimester was! There are so many symptoms that people don’t tell you about. Ahhh another new one for me this week…. Upset stomach, swollen fingers, and my throat has been swollen for three days. It isn’t sore, just swollen like I am having a slow allergic reaction to something. And it’s not continuing to swell, not struggling to breathe, I don’t feel the urge to rush to the ER for them to clear my airway or anything…. It’s just swollen. My ankles are slightly swollen, fingers are only slightly swollen and I notice it when I make a fist. I go back to my doctor on Friday, but in the meantime, Dr. Conner is going to take my blood pressure tonight.

Miss anything: I miss sleep…. I miss sleeping comfortably through the night, without any bathroom breaks or uncomfortable backaches or belly readjustments or BH’s.
Showing yet: Oh yes.
Labor signs: Just the usual BH cramps, upset stomach that I have had for a few days, and lots of pressure.
Baby movement: Lots of regular movements! The movements are slow, and I know it’s his knees and bony little legs I am feeling adjust once in awhile. He’s folded up like a turkey, waiting for his big launch.
Wedding rings on or off: My wedding rings CAN go on, but not comfortably. I am swollen. Conner bought me a beautiful white gold chain for Christmas that I am wearing my wedding band and engagement ring on… bling on my neck!
Items purchased for baby this week: Nada, but he got some wonderful Christmas presents from family who all love him! Some outfits, swaddling blankets, socks, pajamas, a mobile, his STROLLER AND CAR SEAT, gift cards to get the rest of his furniture, and Mommy got a really sweeeeeet glider that my mom painted grey and is in the process of re-covering (cushions) to match his nursery. It’s sooo comfy! I spent most of Christmas day and night sitting in it, gliding with my feet up on the ottoman. Oh oh oh I did find a potential going-home-from-the-hospital outfit for him.

How is Daddy doing: Daddy is doing great! He is starting to understand that the phrase “due date” doesn’t mean February 4^th for sure, and saying things like, “We have plenty of time!” is becoming less and less of a part of our conversations. Last night, he sort of helped me pack one of our hospital bags…. It’s the Mommy’s-clothes-and-our-toiletries bag for AFTER we are moved into our room and are resting and healing and getting to know Corbin. The other bag we will pack is Conner’s, and it’s more of a labor-and-delivery bag with his clothes, swim trunks to get in the shower with me during labor, tennis balls, gum and mints, massage oil, etc. All that fun stuff that we will probably not even use during labor. Conner is very much on board with our plan to NEST all weekend, starting with putting Christmas decorations away and hopefully ending with some solid rest after we put more of Corbin’s clothes away and move our furniture around to accommodate a pack-n-play. He is very much aware of my increasing symptoms, my aches and pains, and the red flag labor-related symptoms that seem to come and go and intensify one minute and disappear the next day. He’s watching me, and he’s ready! Yesterday after I got home from work, I napped for almost four hours, woke up at almost 8pm, and Conner had been checking on me…we ate dinner, we hung out for just a little while, and then I was ready for bed. (Did I mention I am EXHAUSTED these days??) Conner was all pumped to put his music on and keep his earbuds in and fall asleep to his music, so he got set up and I got in bed, with two pillows under my head, one pillow between my knees, one pillow under my belly as I laid on my side trying to breathe the aches and pains away. Corbin was moving quite a bit! (“What do you mean by ‘bedtime’, Mom? I’m ready to play!”) And then, my dear sweet loving husband that I adore so much started to rub my back, and my legs, and massage me all over, and even Corbin got a massage that he actually responded to…. And Conner spent a good hour just making me feel better, and laying his head on my belly to kiss Corbin and feel him stretch and roll over and readjust his knees and elbows, and I fell asleep feeling soooo much better. I also told Conner, “It’s almost over…. I am almost done complaining about being in pain.” And he reminded me that it’s just beginning! Not the pain, but everything else… it’s all just now beginning. I told him soon we can both complain about lack of sleep. :-)
Favorite moment this week: Christmas was fun… last night’s massage was fun and very relaxing… my favorite moment might have to be a tie though. Conner really enjoyed the gift that I got him (pictures below): a toolbox that he has been wanting, plus I filled it with “tools” for our labor day- gummy candy, granola bars, Vitamin Waters, a roll of quarters for the vending machine, a custom Daddy t-shirt with Yoda on it and a phrase about starting training with his new young Padawan (thanks, Mom!!!), some new pajama pants because the hospital specifically requested that new dads NOT sleep in the nude if they are to room in, some batteries for the camera, etc… and not in the toolbox was another small gift: a photo frame that holds a 4x6 photo, but to the left is another big space that has the words “Daddy & Me”, and in the photo slot I put a cardstock card that says “Reserved for the first photo of Corbin with his D.A.D.D.Y.!!” Conner LOVED the whole gift, and said it was very creative and he looooves personal gifts like the photo frame. Seeing him open it all was a favorite moment of mine, tied with seeing Kendall open her gift (I will explain in a minute), and tied with all of the wonderful new things that Corbin received as Christmas gifts this year…the glider, his new stroller and car seat travel system, gift cards to get his dresser and nightstand from Ikea, outfits, pajamas, swaddling blankets, thermal blankets, toys, mobile, etc… it’s all so much fun to open and know that it’s for HIM! He will get to enjoy it so soon! :-) Every year since we were young, my family has done a Secret Santa system for the five of us kids. Our group has grown to five “kids” and their significant others now, and this year, I drew Kendall’s name. I was pretty excited about her gift…. I couldn’t stop thinking in terms of wedding stuff, bride-related, bride-to-bride, Catalina, beach, ocean, etc. so I made a mini relaxation gift box of fuzzy socks, chocolate covered pretzels, and sea-or-ocean scented skincare (lotion, hand treatment, etc.), and a diamond cleaner stick for her new shiny engagement ring. Also in the box was a beachy ornament….clear glass bulb with sand and small shells, and all wrapped up in a brown “fish net”. I painted “TOBIN 2013” on it. Her other gift was a framed black and white photo of the two of us on my wedding day, each with a drink in hand, smiling huge and having a good time… it’s a very nice photo of the both of us, in my opinion, and Kendall loves stuff like that. She was very happy with her gift! :-)

Looking forward to: I am looking forward to my doctor appointment tomorrow, but I have no idea why. It’s nothing exciting, I have probably gained weight, there is no ultrasound planned, and even if I do get checked, I probably haven’t dilated or effaced even a little bit….. and if I so much as hint at a baby coming early, my doctor is quick to burst the bubble so that moms don’t get their hopes up. He doesn’t even like to tell me how big my belly is measuring because he says it can be off, baby could still come past my due date, etc. BUT I am still excited.

33 Weeks...with a new love/hate for pregnancy!

How many weeks today:  Today, I am 33 weeks, plus 2 days. I am skipping the questions for 32 weeks because I am a lazy person these days.  
Baby is the size of: a pineapple! I don’t know why I bother with this question, when they are just averages, and Corbin ain’t no average baby! (So we think.)
Total weight gain/loss: It still depends on the day, but I am staying about the same at +13 pounds…and so proud of that!
Maternity clothes: I am so comfortable in my maternity clothes, and they make me feel good about my appearance, and I proudly strut my stuff, belly out… until this last week. I suddenly care less about my clothes, I barely bother with makeup anymore, my hair ends up in a ponytail almost every day, and I have more of a waddle than a strut.
Cravings: My mind and my hormones and my tastebuds all think they are back in the first trimester, I guess. I am back to needing fruit, bagels, avocados, spicy foods, and LOTS of milk. Also, cereal is now perfectly acceptable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Aversions: Did I mention I hate brushing my teeth?
Mood: Panic has set in. Ehhh sort of. I am excited as usual, happy as usual, and enjoying being in the midst of the holidays…. Lots of great food, visiting with family and friends, holiday movies, decorating our apartment and my desk at work… but then I am brought back to reality when I think of how soon January will be here, and how I will be considered full term mid-January, and how crazy close our due date is. When people ask me when I’m due, and I say, “February 4^th”, they immediately say, “Oh February…you’ve got time!” And I want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them and scream, “I SAID THE 4^th!!! THAT IS BASICALLY END OF JANUARY! I AM DUE IN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH! THAT’S ONLY IF THIS BABY DECIDES TO STAY IN THERE THAT LONG!” I think I am feeling unprepared more than anything else. We cannot WAIT for Corbin’s arrival, but my empty stash of diapers and wipes and inability to know where to even begin with breastfeeding all make me feel unprepared. Corbin has some clothes, and some toys, but I don’t think he will want those right away. He might want a place to sleep. And my nesting instincts have kicked in big time, in full force, and I want nothing more than to have a spare room right now that is set up for Corbin to come home to. I like to plan things, and it is setting in that I can’t plan what day he will arrive exactly, and I can’t plan what day we will be moving into the condo just yet, and I don’t like that the only thing I can control at this time is what to pack in my hospital bag. So I have started on that, and am trusting that everything else will fall into place when it should and just like it always does.
Physical symptoms: The end sucks. It straight up sucks. Just when I thought I was feeling amazing and had escaped certain symptoms that all of the books talk about, 32 weeks hit, baby fully dropped, and I am in pregnancy hell. I now see why many women get impatient in the end and start inducing and opt for medical inductions. I also see why women take maternity leave BEFORE the baby comes. Duh. Why didn’t I think of that?? Okay so my symptoms these days…. Exhaustion. Absolute exhaustion. I blame that partly on my work schedule and inability to sleep through the night, so for being 33 weeks and carrying a little heffer baby around, I’d say my energy level is pretty great. I wake up every single night, sometimes multiple times, sometimes only once…. It’s usually for a bathroom break, except last night it was for a bathroom break AND then because Corbin’s hiccups kept me awake. My sciatic nerve is hit and miss with pain, as is my general lower back area. My hips still ache, as Corbin invades them, and my pubic bone…or pelvic bone… or whatever it is… hurts more than anything else! Sitting for too long usually irritates my pelvic bone, and then any separation of my legs causes wincing and flinching in pain. You should see me climb in and out of the Astro van! Sitting for too long causes pain, walking or standing causes lower back pain. I’m perfectly happy lying down, but I still sit at work, and still walk a little bit. At night, I have to eat dinner fairly early and I have become a fan of milk and Tums. If I eat late, I wake up choking on acid. Lovely, right? It is by far my least favorite symptom throughout my entire pregnancy so far. It has happened a few times, and then went away, and now it’s back in full force, so I do everything I can to avoid it. My skin is back to itching, especially my belly, chest, and legs…. There might be no reason for that. I am no longer cursed with headaches and I find that funny, because I recently noticed that I don’t really drink coffee anymore. I have had it once in awhile, but I don’t like the coffee at work and have been so focused on drinking my pregnancy tea that I didn’t even notice I had cut my major source of caffeine out. *High five to myself!* As far as pains in the baby-maker area…. I get cramps every day, and Braxton Hicks contractions have suddenly become a major part of every day. Since last week’s crazy amount of back-to-back BH’s though, I have felt pretty good and had minimal contractions.
**Just to clarify, I still LOVE being pregnant, I am still very very lucky, Conner and I are extremely fortunate to be in the position we are in, my pregnancy has been very healthy, and I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. That doesn't mean I don't get to bitch and moan about it once in awhile. ;-)

Miss anything: I plan on buying ingredients for a mean margarita to keep on hand for the day we come home from the hospital.  
Showing yet: Oh yes.
Labor signs: Braxton Hicks last week that were actually painful (although bearable), lasting about a minute long, and were five minutes apart…. For THREE DAYS! On the first full day, I went to my doctor and he checked everything out and assured me that I was just having some painful BH’s, that I am NOT dilated, and not even a little bit effaced (darn!). I was happy to not be dilated, but not happy to hear “high, firm, and thick” for effacement. Then again, as more preemies from our birth month group are announced, I am thankful that Corbin is deciding to stay put for now.  
Baby movement: I am positive that the regular Braxton Hicks contractions wore Corbin out, because he seemed to be sleeping more than usual by Friday and it continued into Monday. He would move once in awhile, but we both felt exhausted, I’m sure. Monday night, he woke up and threw me some knees and bony little body parts and twisted and stretched and readjusted like he enjoys doing. Yesterday was something new…..I came home from work, ate a bowl of cereal, sat down on the couch, and started watching a show. A few minutes later, Corbin started hiccupping. Cute, as always. But 15 minutes later, he was still hiccupping. He finally stopped a little while before Conner came home, and I told Conner about it, and we both admired and “aww”d and went on with our evening. I fell asleep around 7:30 or 8 (it was an accident, but I did happen to be lying down in bed), and woke up at 2:30 for a bathroom break. Back in bed, little man started hiccupping again, and this time, he didn’t stop! I couldn’t go back to sleep for a long time… hiccups are cute, but very distracting. More distracting than kicks or elbows, because they are rhythmic and sometimes constant… like a nagging annoying tick. I wasn’t annoyed though, because they are from our baby boy, and because I know (from books and Google) that hiccups are a wonderful sign of maturing lungs. Today at work, Corbin had MORE hiccup spells that lasted for way too long. I love it! I love that his body is doing what it’s supposed to in preparation for breathing air outside of his current home. You know who else loves it? Ellie and Dwight. They want to be near my belly and on my belly and cuddling my belly all the time now, and the biggest jumping movements that come from Corbin don’t seem to bother either of them. Dwight has picked his head up, looked at my belly, and then laid back down… then ignored the bony knee that followed. They are ready for their brother!
Wedding rings on or off: I’m still not swelling anywhere (except my huge belly now), but have not worn my rings in about a week… my skin has been sensitive again. But they DO fit!
Items purchased for baby this week: Nothing this week yet, but I did browse online for some going-home-from-hospital options and am thinking about going to Babies R Us to pick one up…. You know, because I have to pack a hospital bag ASAP in my mind.
How is Daddy doing: Excited as always! He is ready, and very interested in the “signs” and symptoms of whatever has been going on. He was scared last week when I was having regular BH’s, and he even panicked about me needing to leave work and go to the doctor right away. When the real labor comes, he will be ready. ;-)
Favorite moment this week: When I came home from my doctor’s office and Conner had made me soup and decorated our apartment with Christmas lights…. Our MINI tree is up, our stockings are up, and it finally feels like Christmas.
Looking forward to: I will take it one week at a time… looking forward to tomorrow (seeing Grandma & Grandpa), this weekend (Ramstead holiday party), and then Christmas Eve and Christmas (our usual group, and Kelly & Vanessa are in town all weekend!).

32 Weeks...Scary Braxton Hicks

For our 32 week entry, I am skipping the Q&A and just going to update whoever is reading this on what happened this week….

I wouldn’t say anything HAPPENED really, and everyone is okay. I am perfectly fine, Corbin is perfectly fine, and Conner is perfectly fine (although he is now on watch).

This last week, on Wednesday night, I started feeling LOUSY. I felt sick, like I was not quite over my cold, and my stomach was really bothering me. I was eating fine, normal appetite, but had more aches and pains than usual. My lower back was hurting pretty badly, and my belly ached with round ligament pains and frequent tightening (Braxton Hicks contractions). I wouldn’t say I was in extreme pain, but definitely uncomfortable. Corbin was moving like crazy though, so all was well! I continued to drink plenty of water, and I even got around to washing and drying a couple of loads of baby laundry…. Yayyyy nesting! Hooray for tiny shorts and baby socks and the smell of clean onesies!

I woke up quite a bit on Wednesday night, with some round ligament pains, some Braxton Hicks, and some bathroom breaks. On Thursday, I got up and went to work as usual, but this day was a little different. My back was in SO MUCH PAIN, still very low, and was coming in a throbbing, wrap-around kind of way. By late morning, pain was coming in waves and reaching my front, and soon, I was having noticeable contractions. They weren’t just a quick tightening feeling, or even a constant tightening in my uterus…. These were a wave of tightening, peaking to a few seconds of pain, and then fading out. I was talking fine, walking fine, and going about my workload just fine. It occurred to me late morning that I might be having true contractions. After all, we have heard all about Braxton Hicks, read all about labor pains and personal experiences with true labor contractions, and I could very well be in the range of “baby might be coming soon” time.

So I timed my contractions. And I continued to work, I continued to get up, take breaks, walk frequently, adjust my positions, take bathroom breaks… nothing interrupted a contraction. Without fail, they came every five minutes, peaked, and then faded away. They were painful, but not unbearable, and they never really worsened. I called my doctor’s office and informed them of what I was feeling and asked if I could come in that day instead of the following Tuesday evening for my routine appointment. I explained my symptoms, and that the contractions were NOT getting stronger or closer together, but they were consistent and they did hurt a little. The nurse said it was up to me… I could come in now, or I could come in later that day. I was very hesitant to leave work early, as I was feeling pretty decent overall, didn’t feel the urgency to rush in, and I am still in my probational period with my new job. Meanwhile, my boss was monitoring me, talking to me about her own personal experiences with false labor, kept asking me how I was doing, etc. She has been SUCH an amazing boss to me since I started my new job. She is a mother of four, and she’s a professional and very cool woman to work for, but also a sweet and compassionate person to have in the workplace. She has been supportive of my pregnancy and often asks about Corbin. I can’t say enough nice things about her! Oh and her name is Julie.

Anyways…. Julie was keeping an eye on me and was very much okay with me rushing out if I needed to. When I finally DID decide to leave work in the afternoon, she asked that I text her later with an update. So I left.

And did I go straight to my doctor? Nope. I went home. I packed a bag SUPER quickly (JUST IN CASE), and I showered (JUST IN CASE). I kept thinking “just in case” all day. Googling pictures of babies born at 32 ½ weeks “just in case”. Telling Conner every little update, “just in case”….and he responded with some anxiety and nervousness, “just in case” this was the real thing. He was panicking, and urgently asking me to leave work and go in.

My mom (and Conner) decided that driving myself was not a good idea, so she picked me up from our apartment, overnight bag in hand, and we went to my doctor’s office. I knew there was no rush. Even THEY didn’t rush me once I was there….. I waited about an hour to be seen (which is standard at the end of the day for his office, but ALWAYS worth the wait). The front desk nurses and staff were watching me and talking to me, and everything was fine. Still having contractions every five minutes, still lasting a minute long, still not super painful.

Dr. Poliakin had me in one of his standard rooms, asked me what was going on, then without batting an eye, without seeming surprised in any way, he set me up in the ultrasound room and calmly explained what happens next….

They did a fetal fibronectin test, which basically is a quick swab to send over to the lab, who tests it for some type of fetal cells to be present. To sum up, if the results are positive, there is a 60% chance I could go into labor in the next two weeks. If it is negative, then there is a 90% chance that I will NOT go into labor in the next two weeks. We didn’t know results at the time, but it eventually came back the following morning with a big fat negative. (*Woohoo!*) After they did that test, he did an ultrasound to check my cervix. The best way to describe what I saw is to write down what I told my mom when I came out. I laid my hand out flat, and said, “Here is my cervix.” Then with my other hand, made a fist and punched it onto my outstretched palm and said, “Here is his head.” If Corbin’s head was any closer to my cervix, it would be through it. He has dropped even more, and he’s still ready to go. Great news! And the better news…. My cervix was closed, and thick, and firm. Gross right? But thin, soft, mushy, or open would be bad at this point. Well, not bad, but it is definitely a good sign that I am 0% effaced and 0cm dilated, and it proved that these contractions that I am feeling are just practice labor… false labor… Braxton Hicks… whatever I want to call them (try, “annoying”!). They are nothing to be alarmed about. So I asked Dr. Poliakin, “Then what am I watching for? Your Bacardi 151 rule does not apply now…” He told me a few appointments ago to watch for contractions that last a minute or longer, are five minutes apart, and that frequency for at least one hour…. THEN I can call him, go to his office, or go to the hospital, depending on what time of the day it is. He smiled at me and simply said, “Just come in when your water breaks then.” He dubbed me as one of the lucky ones who gets painful BH’s. Awesome.

Many positives came from this though…. No early baby (great!), the exit door is looking like it’s almost locked closed (awesome!), Corbin is still head-down and engaged (yay!), and I do not have anything weird going on that would require me to be on bed rest (thank you!!!!). Also, I have lost one pound since my last appointment. I was surprised that I hadn’t gained, as this is supposedly the last big weight gain for Corbin.

The Braxton Hicks continued every five minutes, for a minute long each time, until Saturday night.

31 weeks... Weekly update

How many weeks today:  Today, I am 31 weeks +5 days.
Baby is the size of: FOUR navel oranges! We had an ultrasound at 31 weeks exactly, and Corbin's estimated weight is about 4 pounds 6 ounces, and he is a long baby, with no guess on his length. Only a couple of short months until we find out! :-)
Total weight gain/loss: I gained a few pounds after our trip up north, but I am back down a little... I think. I might be about +12-15 pounds total?
Maternity clothes: Still in love with them, still embracing my big baby bump.
Cravings: Sweets this last week. I want chocolate and ice cream. And I got it. Aversions: Still not enjoying brushing my teeth. My stomach seems so squished and in the wrong spot, so my appetite is not AS great as it used to be, but nothing grosses me out.
Mood: Super happy and excited for February, as always. I feel very much at peace with the way our lives are going. I know this is going to sound awful and probably sound like I am bragging or think very highly of myself, but here goes. Yep, I'm going to write it anyway: I feel super lucky! WE are lucky. We are so loved and so fortunate for everything that has happened so far, and so so so lucky and loved by the people in our lives. I can't stress enough how EASY this pregnancy has been, how healthy it has been, how afraid we were before each milestone (and still are for his birth), how great it is that we are both employed with good benefits, how nice it is to get in to one of the best OBGYNs in the area and after that, how great it is that Corbin is in the system for the top pediatrician. How LOVED we feel when my family or Conner's family talk about "when Corbin comes", or buy him an outfit or baby gift. How great it feels to hear people talk about life with a baby.... a wedding next year, but with a baby there. A trip to Vegas, but bringing the baby. Corbin getting to know his cousins via Skype accounts. Baby shower plans, gifts being purchased for a little boy that we don't even know yet.... it's amazing! Feeling so much safer and confident driving a big Astro van instead of my Focus, knowing that the car has been taken care of and will be reliable for us as a family and have plenty of room for baby gear. We are lucky. We are surrounded by so much love, and I love it.
Physical symptoms: 31 weeks, just like 29 and 30 weeks, is still rough. Still easy enough, still healthy, but holy cow is this kid getting big! The pressure in all of those wonderful "lower parts" is insane sometimes. I'll just come out and say it. My hoo-hoo hurts. My hips hurt, my lower back hurts sometimes, my sciatic nerve sometimes hurts, my cervix hurts, the front low-end of my uterus feels heavy and painful sometimes. I say "sometimes" because it is rare that all of these are hurting at the same time. Up high, Corbin has learned to stretch out..... it's almost cute, because he doesn't KICK.... he just extends a leg, nestles it into my rib cage, and then I feel a slight burn. Like heartburn or something, or....I dunno... it just burns a little right at the bottom of my rib cage. If I rub it downward, he usually curls back up and gets his giant feet out of there. The only time this is NOT cute is when I'm asleep... I lay flat, and almost always end up on my back, and I have woken up many times gasping for air. I shoot out of bed gasping for air. GASPING. When Corbin stretches out, I get this claustrophobic feeling that I am suffocating. Other symptoms have seemed to disappear.... no major issues, just symptoms related to carrying the weight of our child. :-) Oh yes, and I have to pee every hour, it seems like. Maybe every two hours is more accurate. Depending on Corbin's position, sometimes I don't even know if I have to pee or do something more. Too much info? Hey, it's pregnancy.
Miss anything: I miss sleeping through the night.
Showing yet: Oh yes.
Labor signs: Pressure, cramping... nothing alarming yet. All pretty normal.
Baby movement: He had about a week of minimal movement, just tiny wiggles from what I am assuming are his hands down low, and now he is quite the mover again. In the middle, we get to see all kinds of crazy limbs poking out... most likely his knees. They feel like knees, and a little booty. I can almost tell how he is laying at any given time. He responds when I push on my belly, and he is VERY active when I lay down. I'm thinking of getting it on video in the near future.
Wedding rings on or off: No swelling here... at least not yet. Rings are on, and they spin a little.
Items purchased for baby this week: I was at Home Goods, and on one of their display tables were a bunch of gift baskets, all Christmas themed, and right in the middle were a few ROBOT cookie jars, that were packaged with jelly beans in them. How perfect.... we are working on a robot-themed nursery, and Corbin's dad happens to LOVE jelly beans.
How is Daddy doing: He gets a little freaked out by my belly movements now, and that cracks me up. It freaks both of us out, actually.... but it's still awesome and fun for us. Daddy has been sick this last week, and then I caught the cold, but we are both on the mend, and we are both looking forward to a quick-but-fun Christmas and New Year, and then a short countdown until Corbin arrives. Every week, it's as though Conner gets a little bit more into the idea of "holy cow, I'm going to be a dad!" He comes home from work telling me about a guy at work who was talking to him about how great it is to be a father. He gets so excited after a long weekend with our nephews and how happy he is to be adding to the brood.. it's mind-blowing to see old pictures of the boys and how much they have grown up and how much fun they are to play with, converse with.... Conner is stoked!
Favorite moment this week: For 31 weeks, I will say my favorite time was the entire time we were in Washington. It was so so so much fun and we did a lot, and it was a little exhausting, but I wouldn't change any of that. We saw so many loved ones and the next time we will be up there, we will be taking our baby boy.... what a trip!
Looking forward to: Christmas.... New Year's Eve.....counting down the weeks!

30 weeks - MATERNITY PHOTOS!

 

 

 

Because I failed to do a 30-week update, and I am too lazy to fill out the usual questions for each weekly countdown, our 30 week mark is going to be about our maternity photos! We hit the 30 week mark on Monday, November 26th. The day before, on Sunday, we took the dogs and Cameron (for extra help) to meet my best friend Beasty at a trailhead in Oak Park (near Westlake, on the way to the beach). Most of the people who read our blog know who Beasty is.... she's my wonderful and amazingly talented friend who also doubles as a photographer. She has photographed so many events for us, including our wedding, and soon..... Corbin's birth! Yes, she is one of the few who will be in the labor and delivery room, and she will be taking pictures. Tasteful pictures. :-)


The photos included below are a small handful of what she was able to capture that day.. we love them! There was a lot of belly-holding, lots of kissing, gazing into each others' eyes... you know the drill.

Enjoy..... AND THANK YOU, BEASTY!

Quick update at 31 weeks......Corbin's measurements tonight!

I know, I know.... I failed to do a 30-week update. I will, I promise. We are at 31 weeks today, and I am not doing a full update right now either, because I am just...too...tired. Ugh! So exhausted! I have plenty to update our readers with, but to sum it up, we just got back from our Clancy Christmas in Seattle. It was sooooo much fun, and while I didn't ever feel like I was overdoing anything, or constantly going, I did have some long days and restless nights, and traveling between states and cities to get to the next place and event...... All in all, it was a ton of fun, and we loved every moment of being with our family, but holy cow does it feel amazing to be home and sitting in my spot, wearing pajamas way too early, drinking a tall glass of ice water, and looking forward to sleeping on my pillow in our bed. There is nothing like home. Even when we are home at my mom and dad's, or home at Conner's mom and dad's. Home is many places, but HOME is positioned just right, with just the way we set things up, with our a/c temperature set, with our doggies napping in our laps... it's just Home.

We flew home today, rushed to get the car, then rushed to get the other car (from the train station), we were greeted with a flat tire (the Focus has had a slow air leak that we need to get fixed, and it sat for an extended weekend), rushed to an ultrasound appointment (but were called beforehand, our doctor wanted to let us know he was running very late), we sat for an hour waiting for him, and then had a quick ultrasound......

If you tilt your head to the right, you can see Corbin's profile.

 

 

 

Dr. Poliakin only took a few measurements, but my uterus is a big size, and he gave us a nice, loud, "WOW" when he measured Corbin's head and femur and some other spot. We were informed that Corbin's weight is approximately 4.6 pounds. The average size for this week is about 3.3 pounds. I have heard a million times that doctors are never accurate, their guesses can be off by a couple of pounds. But I have also heard from many people that they have never seen an ultrasound with so much detail. And look at Corbin's mommy and daddy. Better yet, look at Corbin's grandparents and aunts and uncles. Of course he is going to be big! I am choosing to believe that Corbin is at least 4 pounds, if not a little bit more. Our doctor jokingly said, "His head is 2 of those pounds though." He asked which one of us has the big head, we both said, "I do." But we both really do have big heads, and both come from a family line of big heads. As Betty Ann put it, "our big heads hold our big brains." It's all good! A big healthy baby, who was moving a little bit during the ultrasound.

 

 

Another bit of news that I am very happy about is his position.... Corbin is head down, ready to rock, and according to Dr. P., it is very unlikely that he will get out of that position. He seems to be settled in, and low, and that would explain all of the pressure and pain that I have been feeling in my hips, on my cervix, in my separating pelvic bone, on my sciatic nerve, in my tailbone area, and just in the EXIT in general. The teeny tiny wiggly movement I have been feeling very low and in the center could possibly be his hands, but are certainly not feet (which is what I was worried about). Corbin has indeed found the exit, and now it's just a matter of time, and more weight gain, before he decides he is ready.

 

 

The countdown continues!

 

 

 

 

 

Conner has slowly been feeling crummy and lousy and now has a raspy voice, sore throat, and a cough tonight. He's been in bed since 7:30pm. I am on my way there now. Goodnight!

 

 



29 weeks...a little late!

 

 

 

 

 

***I have no idea what is going on, but Blogger suddenly links some of my words... please do not click on the orange links. I can't seem to get rid of them.***

 

 

 

 

How many weeks today:  29 weeks + 5 days. SOOOOO CLOSE TO 30!!
Baby is the size of: a butternut squash, and how appropriate for Thanksgiving?! :-) 
Total weight gain/loss: On Thanksgiving morning, I was 8 pounds over my starting weight. This morning (Saturday), I am 9 pounds over my starting weight. A couple of weeks ago, I was 13 pounds over at my heaviest... I think it's safe to say that while I am still eating PLENTY (no diet here), my stomach and other organs are just higher up and getting squished and I guess I'm not as hungry as I used to be. Or, I get full faster, but hungry more frequently, so my meals are much smaller. It has worked out nicely!
Maternity clothes: Still in love with them, still embracing my big baby bump. 
Cravings: I was lovin' stuffing and cranberry sauce this week, and was sooooo excited to eat Thanksgiving dinner (mashed potatoes and gravy mmmm!).

Trader Joe's white bean hummus with cranberry sauce, on pita chips!

 

 

Aversions: Brushing my teeth, but yes, I still do it.
Mood: I am so happy, but also feel like I am getting more irritable as the third trimester progresses. I feel like I have less patience with people. I am anxious about our Birth Day, excited to experience childbirth, and slightly impatient about the next two months going by faster. The often-unwanted advice and tips from everyone around me are still pouring in, but are more about newborns and raising a baby now, not so much about pregnancy. Even after debunking every pregnancy myth you can throw at me, people are still telling me, "Just wait until ______!" or "You won't be able to handle _____, because I couldn't!" It's still annoying, but I am getting better about just taking it all with a grain of salt and trying to be polite about it....and remembering that I have never done this before, and some of the "unwanted" advice is actually wanted and may come in handy. 
Physical symptoms: 29 weeks sucks. Corbin has found the exit and was punching or head-butting or kicking it (I'm not sure because I don't know what position he is in almost all the time). He has done it a few times, and the biggest rapid-fire punch fest was when I was sitting at my desk, in a quiet room of people who were working quietly and contently. I actually had to squirm a little and yelled, "Ahhh!" because it hurt! There has been almost-constant pressure, very low and very heavy, and I feel it in my front, in my cervix, in my hips, everywhere in that general area. Nothing up high... no rib kicks, no pain, able to breathe just fine. My hips and lower back hurt towards the end of the day, and after standing for too long to chop and prep our Thanksgiving sides, I felt like I had a pinched nerve in between my shoulder blades. My sweet, darling husband fixed that with a nice long massage using my new Eucalyptus Spearmint oil from Bath & Body Works. Have you smelled that stuff?? It's amazing! Not only did I get a massage, but Corbin got one too.... upward circular motions on my belly to sort of guide him up a bit (barely), but Baby and I slept pretty well after that! Other complaints.... I have started getting very mild cases of heartburn. They are so mild I almost don't notice, and they don't last long. My legs get achy and need to be stretched as I sit at my desk, so I get up to walk quite a bit still. I still get cramps...actually most days, I am just crampy throughout the day. They are mild, but they are there, and have been there since the beginning. My energy level is a little lower these days, but that is so hard to measure, as I work full time and am up at 5am every morning, we are constantly go-go-going, it's always a full weekend of events, birthdays, holidays, or baby-or-birth-related things we are doing. I don't sleep 14 hours like I was in the first trimester, but then again, I don't have time to either.  
Miss anything: I was missing my feet, until I actually positioned myself on our bed to give myself a pedicure on Wednesday. :)
Showing yet: Oh yes.
Labor signs: Pressure, cramping... nothing alarming yet. All pretty normal.
Baby movement: Our little ninja boy is always up to something. He jabs a lot, pushes a knee or elbow out, stretches, turns, adjusts his position, waves his hands in the air like he just don't care.... but no big kicks. I appreciate that about him. I think Corbin is a little lazy, and I am very much okay with it if it continues into infancy and helps us all sleep on a regular schedule. Sometimes my belly is very hard all over, sometimes only on one side, sometimes it's more squishy.... all depending on where Corbin is and how he's positioned. We love it!
Wedding rings on or off: No swelling here... at least not yet. Rings are on, and they spin a little.  
Items purchased for baby this week: I bought Corbin a reeeeally soft "minky" material blanket that is more of a decoration for his nursery. It's a slightly-burnt pumpkin color (like the color orange in his crib bedding) and it is chevron stripes on one side, solid orange on the other. It's a 50"x60" throw, and I plan on draping it over whatever chair we put in his room... to decorate a little more, and to have a coordinating blanket nearby for when Mommy or Daddy wants to wrap up too. I also bought Corbin his first ornament.....

 How is Daddy doing: Daddy is great! I didn't think it was possible, but he somehow gets more and more excited as our due date approaches. He is soooo stoked! And he loves my belly, loves feeling Corbin, and is quick to take care of me... he makes me sit and rest, lay down and put my feet up, he rubs my back, gets me ice water refills..... Daddy is so great! He is going to be an incredible daddy because...he already is!
Favorite moment this week: Spending Thanksgiving with my family... always fun, always filling, always the best.
Looking forward to: Our upcoming trip to Washington! Yayyy more family time. I miss the Clancys and Finnegans so much!

Laying down with one of the loves of my life...my Dwight!

28 weeks! 3D ultrasound!

Confession: I am wearing pajama jeans here.

 

How many weeks today:  28 1/2...a few days late on my weekly update.
Baby is the size of: a Chinese cabbage, roughly 14.8 inches (average) and about 2.25 pounds. Gettin' there!
Total weight gain/loss: I have not gained anything since my last doctor appointment, but on Tuesday when I stepped on our scale, I was about 12 pounds over my starting weight.
Maternity clothes: I would be lost without them. I have made a mental note to not buy anymore maternity clothes with a DEMI panel over the belly... no way. My gut is just too big and hangs over! FULL panel pants only for all future pregnancies.
Cravings: This week, I kept smelling ramen at work, throughout the entire floor.... I wanted it so badly! So I am having some chicken flavored ramen tonight om nom nom nom. I also had chili today, and have been eyeing some soup. Hmmmm.....
Aversions: Brushing my teeth, but yes, I still do it.
Mood: Ohhhhh my mood! Where to begin.... I am OVERJOYED! I am thankful, happy, excited, relieved, anxious, nervous, scared, but did I mention EXCITED?! Always always always excited about how far we have come and how close we are to being "Mommy" and "Daddy" to our son! (Okay, yes, technically we already are.)
Physical symptoms: Last weekend, I had a little scare overnight. We had a busy Saturday morning, and then I napped most of the day after that, and I didn't realize that I had failed to keep up with my regular water-chugging that Friday and Saturday, and I was feeling achy during the day. That night, I kept waking up to strange pains... "strange" as in, they hurt like HELL! My uterus kept tightening up and I was having some contractions that were pretty painful, although I am sure they were mild compared to what's to come for the real event! I slept very little that night, self-diagnosed myself as being dehydrated, and I spent Sunday drinking sooooo much water, elevating my feet, and resting as much as I could. It worked! Sunday night was not only comfortable and healthier, but I slept through the night. I SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT. As in, didn't even wake up to have to go to the bathroom once. I woke up feeling awesome on Monday, well-rested and ready for a full day of work. So.... note to self... don't underestimate the power of water, rest, and taking care of myself! Aside from the weekend scary pains, I have been feeling pretty great still. Every once in awhile, I get a very mild case of heartburn. My uterus-belly-Gigantor feels incredibly heavy and low still, and as I worded it to my doctor, "It feels like he is going to fall out of my butt at any moment." He informed me that the pressure is very normal. ;-) I also started something new and annoying in the last two days.... my legs (especially my ankles and feet and calves) get really sore and achy and I constantly have the feeling that I need to stretch my calves.... I spend my workdays with my feet propped up on trash cans under my desk, pointing my toes straight, then pointing them up, pointing them straight, then up... and I find every excuse in the world to get up: bathroom break, fill my water bottle, walk to the printer, and I take actual breaks (spent walking/wandering around the parking lot or walking to our on-campus park and walking trail). I feel like my appetite has decreased a tiny bit in the last few days as well... maybe Corbin's rising location is affecting my heartburn and hunger now. *shrug* 
Miss anything: Yeah! Being able to comfortably bend over.
Showing yet:  Oh yes.
Labor signs:  Pressure, cramping... nothing alarming yet. All pretty normal.
Baby movement: Conner and I get such a kick out of laying in bed watching my belly move now. :-) Corbin is sort of head down, at an angle, with his head towards my right side and his butt on the left, legs bent with his feet curled up. Knowing this (from ultrasound), I feel his hands moving quite a bit, some elbow jabs (that we can see), and barely feel his feet (I think).
Wedding rings on or off: On! And today they have been spinning. Still no swelling in my ankles, feet, or hands.
Items purchased for baby this week: Nothing this week. Sorry, Corbin.
How is Daddy doing: We had a very excited email chain going back and forth today while we both worked... always talking about how excited we are for his arrival, how cute his new ultrasound photos look, how amazing it is that our family is growing! Daddy was SLIGHTLY disappointed to see Corbin looking more like me and less like him (although we agree, it means nothing at this point because he will change so much and be some of both of us, of course), but he falls more in love with Corbin every day. Even if Corbin looks like Mommy.
Favorite moment this week: Our ultrasound on Tuesday night! I apologize for anyone who did not get the link to work. I don't know what the issue was, but it was hit and miss, as some people informed me they were able to see it just fine, while others saw a page requesting a password..? But either way, we had our ultrasound, and it was..yet again..amaaaaazing seeing him move around! Seeing his face with more fat on it, his chubby little elbow bent as he is still trying to hide behind his cuddled hands on his face. We love him so much.
Looking forward to: Mmmmm turkey day. Washington! Our last ultrasound with my doctor on December 3rd. Switching appointments in December to start coming in twice a month, and then the first week in January I will be in there once a week, and then oh wowwwwww February is almost here!


Here are a few photos from Corbin's 3D ultrasound on Tuesday night. We will hopefully have some better ones on Saturday when we do our re-scan. (Our tech on Tuesday was not happy with the photos because Corbin was "shy", so she offered us a free re-scan.) Enjoy!!!

P.S. If you click on the photos (and any photos in any of my blog entries), the photo will open full size.

152 beats per minute! Still up there :)

 

The "braid" is the umbilical cord... not around his neck, just in front of his face.

"Please just let me sleep, guys!" Left hand on his forehead, right hand near his ear (elbow bent).

That left hand is still resting on his forehead (on the right in this photo), umbilical cord still in front of his face.

 

I could have cried when I saw this. I have been wanting a profile view of his face (in 2D like this) for so long! He never cooperates though, and then we saw this. I absolutely love that view of babies in utero. And Corbin's profile is so stinkin' cute! By the way, that is not a bubble..it's a single-layer side view of the umbilical cord that is in front of his face.

 

That is a foot... in his eye.

 

Umbilical cord, you really do linger.

I thought I saw a hint of a smile. I definitely see my nose and cheeks and lips though! This photo is currently my background on my phone, my profile photo on Facebook, part of a collage of Corbin photos on my work computer, and the printed version is hanging in my cubicle. Hahaha I love this guy!

WATCH OUR 3D/4D ULTRASOUND!

Really quick blog tonight.... I wanted to post the link for our upcoming 3D/4D ultrasound. At first, it seemed a little creepy to be able to broadcast the contents of my uterus live to everyone, but then again, I write about some intimate body details on here, so...really, what's the big deal?

We are having an elective "fun" ultrasound on Tuesday. I find ALL ultrasounds to be quite fun, but of course some are quick ones performed by my obgyn or perinatologist, and they are busy quickly searching for body parts, measurements, etc. This Tuesday, we are seeing Corbin for about a half an hour and we get to see whatever we request that Corbin will allow. (Daddy and I are really hoping to get a better idea of what his face looks like, as well as how big he is at this point!)

So, if you want to join us in spirit, please feel free to visit the link below. Our appointment is at 6:30pm on Tuesday, November 13th. Please keep in mind that while our appointment time is 6:30, we may have to wait a little while before any of the action starts. And when I say "action", I mean I will be stopping at Starbucks on my way to the ultrasound for something sweet and exciting and full of caffeine to get Corbin moving. He might also want nachos.

Here is the link.....(It will open in a new window when you click on it.)


Baby Corbin's Ultrasound - Tuesday 6:30pm



This link will be live during our actual appointment, and then afterward it will be unavailable for 24 hours. Then, on Wednesday evening it will be available again for one week. I know, so many weird little things to remember. But if you watch it live on Tuesday, it will be LIVE. Yay!


Enjoy!

27 weeks, and feeling humongous!

How many weeks today: 25 +2 days
Baby is the size of: a head of cauliflower, or roughly 14.5 inches and just over 2 pounds. Tonight though, I had an appointment, and my uterus is measuring at 30 weeks. Woooo! That could mean anything though... big baby, lots of fluid, big mama...
Total weight gain/loss: I was so nervous to step on the scale tonight at my doctor's office, but it was better than I expected, and my doctor high-fived me and said, "Wooo! Only 13 pounds total!" It's more than what I want or what he wants, but he said it's still good, so I feel good.
Maternity clothes: Loving them! Currently looking for a couple of pieces to supplement maternity/holiday photos we are having done in a couple of weeks. :-)
Cravings: Same ol' stuff!
Aversions: Brushing my teeth, but yes, I still do it.
Mood: Happy, relieved, thankful, excited, but so so so anxiously awaiting the happy holidays and the arrival of our behbeh!
Physical symptoms: Super sleepy but hangin' in there. My big uterus is achy and heavy, but overall, I feel amazing and cannot complain. My feet and hands and legs are starting to feel the effects of carrying some extra weight (I guess) so I am making a point of getting up more frequently during my workday to go walk around the building, or at the very least, walk to the furthest bathroom.
Miss anything: Not so much.
Showing yet: Yep! I recently ballooned into a huge-bellied beast.
Labor signs: None yet.
Baby movement: Oh boy oh boy oh boy does he move! He's a kicker, karate chopper, flipper, somersaulter, and wiggler.
Wedding rings on or off: On!
Items purchased for baby this week: Nothing this week. Sorry, Corbin.
How is Daddy doing: He's stoked about how fast time is flying and how close our due date is. Life is moving quickly and awesomely.
Favorite moment this week: My favorite moment in the last week was my return to my normal job, in my normal work location, with my normal department that I love.... I am sooooo happy to be done with training in the other location!
Looking forward to: Thanksgiving! Traveling to the Northwest to see family and friends! Christmas! Our DUE DATE!!! And probably a later date after that when he might actually show up.



***Other Highlights This Week***

-We voted! And we are so stoked for the state of WA!
-Kendall & Matt set a date, and they are having a fairly small wedding weekend on Catalina. Kendall asked me (in the cutest way ever) to be her Matron of Honor!
-We are meeting Corbin's future pediatrician tomorrow night....to meet n' greet, have any questions answered, and get our info in their system.
-We received the most adorable invitation from some very sweet Cushman Family who are throwing a baby shower for the Clancy Clan when we are up there in December! SOOOO EXCITED! And we feel so incredibly loved!

Our view from our polling place...the Reagan Library