33 Weeks!

How far along: 33 weeks
Weight gain: 24-25 lbs
How big is baby: A little over 4 pounds and over 17 inches long. 

Maternity clothes:  Yes.

Stretch marks: No.
Sleep: While I am still sleeping just fine, I am now noticing more aches when I wake up throughout the night.  After sleeping on one side for a long period of time, my body actually hurts so much that I need to switch sides....which seems to align perfectly timing wise with my frequent bathroom trips.  I also think I overdid it a little while taking yoga pictures this week, and now I have an additional ache on my side/low back :(  #Idiot

Best moment this week: This week has been VERY low key, which has been exactly what I needed.  I feel like the third trimester of pregnancy is preparing me for what life will be like when Ben first arrives, which is that I will not have the energy to do much of anything.  My friend Brooke was kind enough to offer to do a pregnancy yoga photo shoot with me on Wednesday night, which was SO much fun!  As much as I am looking forward to being sans belly, I just had to capture a few asana + belly shots before my pregnancy was over :)  I also taught my last yoga class (for awhile) on Thursday night.  It was a little sad to say goodbye, but it certainly was time for me to cut back on my extra curricular activities!

Movement: Yes - tons!  I was not prepared for how intense the pressure of him moving would be.  Sometime he will press his (butt, back, head?) so hard against my belly button that I feel like he might burst straight out through my skin!  (Okay, maybe that is a little dramatic, but be warned pregos - ouch).

Food Cravings: Nothing stands out this week.  Heartburn is now a daily occurrence.  It still is manageable, but I'm ready for it to be a thing of the past.

Labor Signs: No, but I am starting to feel my body preparing for the big day.  I'm starting to experience some pelvic pain, and I think the pains I'm feeling throughout the night are related.  My assumption (and from what I have read/heard) is that this is part of the whole "loosening joints" thing that needs to happen in order for Ben to make his way out...
Belly button in or out: Out. 

What I miss: Having energy and my old clothes tops the list this week.
What I'm looking forward to: My baby shower this weekend!  There is absolutely nothing better than a room full of girlfriends, delicious food, and the celebration of Ben's upcoming arrival!   My friend Kate has offered to take some maternity photos of me and Greg while she is in town, which was so nice of her!  We are doing that on Sunday :)

Taking a Long Savasana

Prego, Wife, Employee, Yoga Instructor.

Dang it.  I thought I was going to be able to teach right up until Ben was ready to come out.  The plan was to continue teaching through the end of August and then take a two week "vacation" prior to Ben's birth, but after my appointment yesterday things have changed.  While everything is healthy and fine with Ben, the brief concern over his well-being and my "fluid" (amniotic) level has sort of stuck with me.  I also have to admit, I'm getting TIRED.

My doctor suggested that I "start to take it easy", which was not necessarily an order to not do anything physical, but perhaps the permission I needed to give up teaching right now.  At the end of the day at my 9-5 job, I am usually more than ready to come home and put my feet up.  I'm going to use this extra time off in the evenings and on the weekends to get more short walks in, do my own seriously modified yoga practice and enjoy these last few weeks I will have all to myself.

I'm already looking forward to teaching and taking some classes when I'm back in action post-pregnancy, as I know that they will probably be few and far between and something that I appreciate even more than I already do :)  For now, it's time to take a break.

Namaste.

32 Week Appointment and Impromptu Ultrasound

I had my 32 week prenatal appointment this morning.  I'm up 23 pounds and feeling great!  This was a pretty uneventful appointment in terms of what we went over.  She covered all of the things I need to watch out for that might indicate preterm labor, and said that if I should experience any of these, that they would do everything they could to stop labor until I hit 35 weeks.

At the end of my appointment when she measured my belly, she had concerns that I was measuring small.  I think she said she measured me around 30 weeks and not 32, but I can't quite remember.  She said as a precaution that she wanted me to get an ultrasound today, which worried me and excited me at the same time.  I had not had a chance to see Ben since I was 19 weeks along, so while the circumstances had me a little nervous, I was happy to take the opportunity to go!

Greg had to work, but I my mom was able to join me.  After all of the measuring, it was determined that everything was just fine!  I'm wondering if I measured small this morning due to the fact that I hadn't had much to drink and nothing to eat yet....but I haven't really been given an explanation, other than this can happen sometimes.  So - phew!

Ben's Face!  (The black parts are his eyes - for those of you

who can't quite tell what you are looking at....Rachel)

Is it just me, or does this kid look EXACTLY like his dad?  Those cheeks?  His chin?  SO ADORABLE! 

The only thing about him that does not quite resemble Greg?

Ben has hair.

Weird Dream #3

Last night, while dreaming about something non-baby related (teaching a yoga class, to be specific), I woke up to the sound of a baby crying!?  I mean, I didn't really wake up to that sound, as when I was awake and coherent, there clearly was no such noise happening, but how strange is that?

Adding to the Picture Collage

I have picked up a few more items to add to the picture collage that I will hang above Ben's crib.  This part of the decorating has been equal parts stressful (wanting to find the PERFECT pictures) and fun (I love Etsy).  I'm waiting to have all of the pictures together before I decide what frames to purchase and which ones look the best together, but eventually they will all be hung on this wall:

Here is what I have to add to the other pictures I already have:

I have memories of singing "You Are My Sunshine" with my parents when I was little, (and having them sing it to me) so I absolutely loved this last one. 

32 Weeks!

How far along: 32 weeks
Weight gain: 23 lbs
How big is baby: 3.75 lbs and about 16.7 inches long.  My source says that the baby is going to start gaining about 1/2 a pound a week now, and that 1/3 - 1/2 of his total birth weight will be gained in the upcoming weeks.
Maternity clothes:  My full panel maternity jeans arrived this week, so it's been nice to have a more comfortable pair to wear.  I am officially done with purchasing new "maternity" clothes now.  It's been fun, but Greg reminded me how much more fun it will be to shop for "skinny" clothes once I'm back to my normal post-belly size, and I have to agree with him :)
Stretch marks: No.
Sleep: I'm dreaming almost every night - so strange!  This week I have noticed an increase in my night time bathroom runs.  I also have been waking up SO incredibly thirsty several times throughout the night, so I've made it a habit to keep 2 full bottles of water on my nightstand.
Best moment this week: I had a delightful prenatal massage this week, which felt awesome.  Greg has been working hard and has gotten a few more things done in the nursery, and I have purchased a few more items to hang on the wall.  I will save that for another post.  Otherwise this week has been pretty uneventful as I have been trying to take it easy and get over my cold.  I did visit my friend Shauna, who is due approximately 3.5 weeks before I am, and got to see her adorable nursery all put together.  I have to say, it kicked my nesting urge in BIG TIME and now it is all I can think about.  I want to get as much done as I possibly can RIGHT NOW.  I need to chill out.  (I always need to chill out).  Check out the picture of us below.  We constantly are cracking up over just how differently we are carrying our babies.  I told her that Bronson (her son) might have to be Ben's bodyguard ;)

Movement: All the time, and it seriously is starting to hurt more and more.  This week we tried playing a little Enya for Fetus Ben on Pandora Radio.  Greg thought it might settle him down a little, which it actually kind of did...
Food Cravings: I had been craving seafood mac and cheese towards the end of last week, and was able to satisfy that craving at Semiahmoo!  Otherwise, I really have not been craving much.  I have been more into just finding SOMETHING to eat and satisfy my hunger when it hits, so my desk is currently stocked up with chocolate mint zone bars, yogurt covered raisins, pretzels, etc.  The work fridge is also loaded with fruit.  It looks like I live there with the amount of food I bring in to the office.
Labor Signs: No
Belly button in or out: Out.  (It will go back in, right?)
What I miss: Being in control.
What I'm looking forward to: We are seeing Harry Potter this weekend with Lisa and my parents.  I'm also looking forward to getting a few nap in.

Next up, "Mom Jeans"?

There is absolutely nothing "sexy" about these "Full Panel 'Sexy' Boot Jeans" from Gap Maternity, but damn are they comfortable.

Added bonus: They provide an extra layer to cover my belly button. 

I think I will be living in these for the next 2 months.

Mom's First Shopping Spree

For those of you who know me well, you may be surprised to hear that I have not bought one single clothing item for Ben yet.  I'm a gal that LOVES to shop for clothes, but I have somehow managed to hold back in this area!  We have already been offered and given so many hand-me-downs and new items from friends, I have not really had a reason to shop yet - that is, until the Nordstroms Anniversary Sale started this weekend!

I really wanted to pick up a few items for my little boy, so I stopped over after work today and picked these up:

2 Months To Go...

...Actually, less than 2 months.  I'm still in shock over how fast my pregnancy has gone by (and yes, I realize I say that a lot on this blog).  I just thought it would feel like it was lasting FOREVER (and maybe it still will feel that way as I reach the final month), but so far - it still seems to be zipping by. 

We are feeling pretty prepared for the most part, at least in terms of "what needs to be done".  Ben's room has come together nicely, which was all part of my master plan in the beginning :)  I'm so glad we have the big projects out of the way and that we aren't worrying about finding time to take care of them now.  There are still a few things I would like to do in there, but we have plenty of time left for that.  I have started ordering a box of diapers each month from Amazon in efforts to stock up a little.  We have also started making our future weekly daycare payment directly into our savings account so we become used to paying that bill, (and so that we have a little extra saved up).  All in all, we are crossing things off our my list and are getting really excited about having him here!

Mentally, I'm starting to think more about what it is going to be like in the first couple weeks - starting with labor (when will it happen, what will I be doing, how much pain will I be in, will the epidural hurt?) and going all the way through the first few weeks.  I would have to say that I'm mostly concerned with the lack of sleep and if Ben and I will do okay with breast feeding.  But other than that, I'm REALLY excited to have a little guy to snuggle with and stare at :)  I'm also wondering if Greg will cry when he sees his son for the first time, haha.  I have NOT seen him shed a tear ONCE in the nearly 7 years we have been together.  I think this may be my last shot.

Physically, I can tell that I'm approaching the end and starting to reach the "totally over being pregnant" phase.  I'm lucky that I still feel really good 90% of the time.  I feel bad complaining about anything because I know how much worse it can and has been for others, but here are a few observations/complaints anyway:

• Record number of night time bathroom runs.  I think I counted 6 last night.  It is SO irritating when you are comfortable and feel as if you JUST went, to have to get up yet again!  I realize that with Ben's size and position, it's very possible that each time he moves it is effecting my bladder, but it is still annoying. 

• Painful baby movement.  I know he isn't trying to, but sometimes his kicks, rolls or booty-bumps are seriously uncomfortable.  I notice it the most at night when I'm lying on my side, and have had to get up and get onto all fours a couple times now to make him stop it. 

• ZZZZZ - I'm still more tired than usual, similar to the first trimester, but I think different in the sense that I am VERY aware that these are my last few months of carefree slumber.  I am clinging to my bedtime like crazy and always trying my hardest to ensure that I get as much sleep as possible each night.  I'm typically ready for pajamas by 7pm ;)

• While I have *so far* avoided swelling, leg cramps, and back pain, it is noticeably harder for me to get up from a reclined position (grunting is often involved) and my belly just feels HEAVY.  Yoga, at least the kind I'm used to, is getting more and more challenging.  I'm also still experiencing pain in my tailbone after sitting for longer than an hour.

• I've finally determined the cause of my heartburn - lemonade!  I NEVER used to drink it before getting pregnant, and it really wasn't until the middle of my second trimester that I became obsessed with it!  It seems now that the only time I experience heart burn is on the days that I have lemonade (and yet, that still isn't enough to stop me from drinking it all together).

• My hormones seem to have leveled out a little bit.  I still find myself getting more impatient than normal (and I'm already very impatient).  When a waiter takes too long to take our order, or if traffic is backed up for no apparent reason, I feel like I might lose my mind.  (I should probably dig out my old copy of The Yoga Sutras and practice the art of being zen...)  It seems the second I get overwhelmed, my response to that feeling is to be highly irritable.  I'm working on it...

That's about it for now.  Stay tuned...

Semiahmoo

This last weekend, Greg and I went up to Semiahmoo for a mini getaway.  We were gone for just a little over 24 hours, but it was GREAT to get out of the house and do something different!  Semiahmoo is about 1 hour and 45 minutes north of us, so the drive was quick (even though it felt like forever because I was STARVING), and we arrived there in the early afternoon.

Before even checking in, we went straight to the restaurant that sits right on the water and had lunch. 

Next, we took a nap.  I know, I know - what a way to spend vacation, right?  I'm still getting over a cold that I came down with last Wednesday and neither of us slept well the night before, so a nap felt amazing :)

We hit the pool, walked around the resort, snooped on the wedding that was being set up, had dinner and got a great night's sleep! 

On Sunday morning, Greg got up EARLY and hit the golf course while I slept in a little and hit the spa for a manicure/pedicure.  In efforts to save money, I've tried my hardest to do my own nails as much as possible, however with this growing belly, it's getting more and more difficult to do a good job on my toes ;)

Below are some of the pictures I took from our trip:

Beautiful Views

View from our room

View of me enjoying the view

Greg got a birdie from 79 feet (and took a picture for proof) ;)



Funny/Sad side note:  On Saturday night, probably around the time that the wedding on site was wrapping up OR when the bar closed (either one was WELL after we had gone to bed), we could hear what sounded like 15+ girls SHRIEKING outside.  It was non stop "wooo hoooooooo's" and it was SUPER annoying.  The next day when Greg and I were talking about it over lunch, I asked him, "so, when did we switch from being the loud partiers having fun to the lame people inside wanting them to shut up"?  Kind of an eye opener just how quickly that phase of your life starts to disappear...

...luckily, we still know how to have a good time....it's just that those times are not happening every weekend these days ;)

31 Weeks!

* I spy a very obvious outtie : /

How far along: 31 weeks
Weight gain: 22 lbs is my guess.  This week I have made more of an effort to watch what I eat.  I'm not cutting calories necessarily, I'm more just trying to choose more nutritious foods - (i.e. a glass of milk instead of a glass of sugary lemonade, or a mashed up banana and peanut butter instead of a bowl of ice cream)...although that plan went out the window when I came down with a cold on Wednesday and the only thing that sounded good on my sore throat was popsicles ;)
How big is baby: 3.3 pounds and a little over 16 inches long.
Maternity clothes:  Yes.  I'm sad to report that some of my maternity jeans are feeling less comfortable.  I didn't realize this before, but they make these jeans with different "panels" on the top.  The ones I bought earlier in my pregnancy have the "demi" panel, but they also make "full panel" jeans for later in pregnancy to accommodate the growing belly (and other growing areas I suppose...).  More info here (if you care).  Anyway, I mulled it over a bit, and decided to purchase ONE MORE pair of maternity jeans.  I wear jeans almost every day to work and on the weekends, plus - I am assuming I won't be wearing my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans immediately upon leaving the hospital, (dang it) so it's a good investment.  I will be offering them up to my friend Kate to use for the last 1/2 of her pregnancy, so they should get some good use out of them :) 
Stretch marks: Nope, although I haven't been examining myself carefully to look for them.  What I do have are obvious blue veins all over my belly.  I really could use a tan...
Sleep: Sleep is good again.  I'm dreaming a lot, which is a little unusual for me, but only have had 2 significant baby dreams so far.
Best moment this week: It has been a really great week.  Over the weekend we not only scored some like-new baby clothes from a garage sale thanks to my friend Kristin who attended it, but we also were given a TON of stuff from my coworker Rhea and his wife Janet!  I'm blown away by how generous the people in our lives have been!  I cannot wait to share our things with others in the future :)
Movement: All the time - it never gets old!
Food Cravings: The past few weeks I have had a serious craving for lemonade (hence me needing to consciously try to consume other beverages in its place).  Popsicles are still at the top of my list as well.
Labor Signs: No
Belly button in or out: So out.
What I miss: My husband!  After moving on from his job at the Post Office a few months back and giving a sales position a try, (not a great fit) Greg is back at Canyons both managing and bartending.  His plans are to spend the rest of the year determining what job will be the best fit for him in the future, however, I have to admit - the timing of all of this is actually working to our benefit.  While he is working 3 nights a week (and several days), he has had weekends off - and the flexibility that they are giving him is really going to come in handy when Ben arrives - and for the rest of the year while I'm on maternity leave!  On the days that Greg is at home, I will be able to go in to work as needed to take care of some projects that are too difficult for me to hand off completely.  Anyway, that was the long explanation of "what I miss"!  It's a slight adjustment for me to not be with Greg during the week nights, but it makes me appreciate the time we have together that much more :)
What I'm looking forward to: With this weekend being the last one where we don't have plans for awhile, we decided to take advantage and go away for a night!  We are heading up to Semiahmoo and are both looking forward to a little relaxation (and golf and a trip to the spa) :)

Yoga - August Teaching Schedule

I just CANNOT give it up!  I thought I might be "over" teaching yoga by now, but August is just a few weeks away now and I am not ready to be done teaching.  I am officially on the schedule at Hot Yoga of Mill Creek until my 38th week :)

Below is my teaching schedule, (which as you can see is a lot lighter than usual).  I might add classes on a week-by-week basis, depending how I feel, but for now I thought it would be best to stick with the following:

August 3 (Wednesday): Hot Power/Vinyasa at HYMC - 5pm (60 minutes)

August 10 (Wednesday): Hot Power/Vinyasa at HYMC - 5pm (60 minutes)

August 17 (Wednesday): Hot Power/Vinyasa at HYMC - 5pm (60 minutes)

August 24 (Wednesday): Hot Power/Vinyasa at HYMC - 5pm (60 minutes)

August 30 (Wednesday): Hot Power/Vinyasa at HYMC - 5pm (60 minutes)

You can find my remaining classes for the month of July here.

Weird Dream #2

The other night I dreamt that I was out on a lake, floating on an intertube.  The only other person on the lake was my doctor.  We were just casually chatting, and then all of a sudden she said to me, "I think it's time for you to start pushing".  I wasn't even in labor and felt absolutely nothing in terms of that "urge to push" that I have heard about. 

I remember giving it my best shot, but NOTHING was happening.  It sure got me thinking about how hard that aspect of labor might be...

30 Week Prenatal Appointment

2 weeks ago, I saw a different doctor in the practice as mine was out on vacation.  Today, I got to meet with Dr. Hollister again - who I love - and things still are looking great!  She has commented a few times now about how nice it is to see someone with such an easy pregnancy - and I tell her that I am VERY happy to be the one to show it to her :)

The highlights:

• 30 weeks along
• 21 pounds gained.  It's funny, because mine and her calculations are off by 3 pounds.  She is measuring me from my weight last September when I had my last annual check up, and I am measuring from my weight in January - apparently I had put on a few holiday lbs ;)  But my official pregnancy weight gain IS 21 pounds.
• Ben is HEAD DOWN - good job Ben!  She said that he could move still over the next few weeks, but that it would be a very noticeable (to me) somersault to get him out of this position. 
• I'm measuring right where I'm supposed to be (whatever that means)
• We discussed the fact that Greg and I have decided to not participate in child birth classes.  We went back and forth on the matter a few times, but eventually we sort of want to enjoy these last few weeks and not add another obligation to our already busy schedules.  She said that she was totally fine with that, and was happy to hear that I have been reading up on the subject.  I also am very lucky to have had several friends who have had babies, some of them very recently, who have shared their experiences.  We will not be going into this experience without a general idea of what to expect.
• She asked if Greg will want to cut the cord, to which I responded, "oh God, no".  Then I realized that I don't think he and I have discussed this?  My assumption is no, but shoot - he can cut it if he wants.  She said she will ask again at the birth - no rush to decide.
• We discussed my birth plan.  I would sum it up as "very loose" (I've since been told this may be a poor choice of words....let's change that to "very go-with-the-flow") and "highly medicated".  She seemed to like the fact that I was really going into this trusting her opinion on what needs to be done without a specific and detailed idea of what I think "should" happen.
• She asked if we want to have him circumcised, which we do, and said she would be doing that before we are discharged from the hospital - apparently about 8 hours after his birth.  Rough day for Ben!
• We talked about breastfeeding a little, which I plan to do (or attempt).  I'm reading a book on the subject in efforts to prepare myself ahead of time.

I think that about covers it! 

30 Weeks!

Hippie Prego

How far along: 30 weeks.  3/4 done with this pregnancy.  10 weeks to go (or as several people have reminded me...maybe 9, or 8, or 7...or shoot, maybe 12!).  Insane.
Weight gain: 21 lbs.  (Okay, 21.5) ;)
How big is baby: 15.7 inches long and 3 pounds (and surrounded by a pint and a half of amniotic fluid - no wonder my stomach feels heavier)!
Maternity clothes:  This doesn't even need to be a question on my survey anymore.   
Stretch marks: So far, no.
Sleep: Sleeping good.
Best moment this week: It was really, really nice to have 3 days off - from both working and teaching yoga!  My mom and I went out and purchased some cubbies and bins for the closets in the nursery, which was something I needed to get checked off the list.  I have organized his current wardrobe into sizes, and I'm looking forward to organizing the rest of his things once we get them!

We purchased and have installed an air conditioner (YAY) to keep the upstairs cool over the next couple months, and we spent the 4th of July hanging out with our friends.  I also have made a point to get lots of exercise in this week in an attempt to clear my increasingly cluttered, chaotic and emotional brain :)  Side note - walking long distances has become a challenge!  I have had to slow my pace WAY down.  On Wednesday night, I was able to make last minute plans to walk Greenlake and have dinner with my best friend Lisa, who recently moved to Seattle!  Lisa and I grew up essentially sharing a backyard in Brier, and this week we were talking about how we have not lived this close since before she went off to college at Gonzaga!  I'm SO happy to have her close to me again - and Ben will be happy to have his Aunt Lisa just a short drive away.
Movement: Seemingly constant.
Food Cravings:  With the beautiful and warm weather we have had, popsicles have been a favorite! 
Labor Signs: No, but I am experiencing an occasional braxton hicks contraction while out on my walks.
Belly button in or out: Out.
What I miss: Feeling normal.
What I'm looking forward to: Even though it is a month away, I'm starting to really look forward to our weekend trip to Victoria!

A summer pregnancy - the silver lining

Greg FINALLY agreed to buy an air conditioner!  (Did he really have a choice)? ;)

Picture Collage

We are in the final stages of the nursery now.  A few more things to hang or paint, a few more things to move around, a final deep cleaning (from a yet to be scheduled cleaning service that I purchased on Living Social awhile back - YES) and all we will need is baby Ben to put in there.

There is one more project that I would like to do, and that is to create a picture collage on the wall above the crib.  Back in an earlier post, I had mentioned that my friend Rachel was helping me to come up with a vision for how I wanted the nursery to look.  She had come across this blog and loved the collage that they created, and I do too!  Check out a few pictures here:

I already have 3 framed pictures to include in this collage, and a few other small items that I plan to frame.  I'm now in the hunt for a "B" and any other cute pictures (similar to what is shown above) that would fit in nicely.  I would also like to frame a photo of Ben's hands or feet (once he is out) and include that.

Hormone City

Oh boy.

It's probably common knowledge that pregnancy can lead to "mood swings", "irritability" and being extra emotional overall.  I had kind of expected to have a few moments of this, but I had No. Idea. what I was in store for.  I would say that the last few weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster in my brain.  Go ahead and ask anyone that I talk to on a daily basis for verification of this, and I'm certain they will back me up. 

For the first two trimesters, I felt normal (mostly).  I think during the first 12 weeks, I was still getting used to the idea of being pregnant!  I had not told work yet and was a little stressed about what their reaction would be.  Plus, while extremely happy and excited, I was very aware of all of the changes that would be happening in our lives when a baby arrived.  I can be a bit of a control freak, and all of these out-of-control situations were about to become part of my life.  Once my maternity leave plan was established, my return-to-work situation was somewhat mapped out, and we were able to have some reassurance that things were developing healthfully with Fetus Ben, I was able to relax and enjoy myself a lot more.  (And I still maintain that yoga and making sleep a top priority has been the key to my feeling physically good for so long). 

Fast-forward to now (and the past couple weeks):  I feel like I am going crazy a lot of the time.  It's as if I am sitting on the edge of tears, and I never know what will make me cry, (or utterly tick me off).  I'm having a hard time relating to this person I have become.  It can (okay, it HAS) been something as simple as receiving a poorly phrased (yet well intentioned) text message from my poor husband, or being unable to find the tape measure I needed around the house, that will nearly send me off the deep end.  I constantly find myself asking Greg, "what is that supposed to mean" when he says something in a tone that I didn't like, or being totally irritated that he ate the rest of the salami (gross) that I had wanted to have for a snack later.

I'm blogging this in hopes that I can look back on it and laugh and how ridiculous this all really is.  I also hope that any of my friends who are or who become pregnant will be able to read this and relate to it if they  when they go through something similar.  I am lucky to have some of the world's greatest friends and family who have been able to listen to me, allow me to vent, and most importantly share their own experiences with this.  They have all reassured me that I am NOT crazy, that a lot of the burden of being pregnant (obviously) falls on us as women, and that there can be some tough times (and likely more to come).

I am lucky to be married to someone as amazing as Greg.  While he may not completely understand how my mood can swing from high to low in a matter of seconds, he is always there to give me a hug, make me laugh, rub my back, and tell me that everything is going to be okay.  He also is going to make for a spectacular father, which I cannot wait to witness.  I honestly could not (and would not) have done this without him.

So, there you go. 

My therapist friend Rachel, after hearing me out for the millionth time on this subject, reminded me of this quote from Knocked Up:

"F you, hormones.  You're a bitch, hormones".

Dreaming of Baby

I hear all the time about how crazy your dreams can be while you are pregnant...but so far, nothing has seemed too out of the ordinary.  I don't tend to have weird dreams in general.  As Greg sleeps next to me, dreaming of packs of wolves chasing him and other types of random physical attacks, I tend to dream more about normal, every day things that happen - like arriving at work, answering emails, etc.  Boring?  Maybe.

Until last night that is.  For the first time since being pregnant, I had the WEIRDEST dream about the baby.  As I have mentioned in my weekly updates, Fetus Ben has been very active lately.  His kicks can sometimes hurt, especially when it feels like he is kicking in the exact same spot repeatedly.  I think that is where my dream stemmed from...

I dreamt that I was laying in bed, getting kicked non stop, and it felt like it was at the top of my right leg.  I looked down to see that he had somehow gotten his foot out of my uterus and down above my leg.  I could see the entire shape of his foot outlined under my skin and I had to physically shove it back up to where it belonged.  !!! 

Then, I looked down at my stomach and it was like looking through a window.  There I was, looking directly at my baby at 29 weeks, and he was looking right back at me.  I called to Greg to come and see him, and once he arrived he freaked out and how weird and kind of gross it was to see a non-fully-developed baby inside my stomach.  And then I cried that he didn't love our son.

And this morning when I woke up, while I totally remember every detail, I cannot remember at ALL what he looked like.

I'm sure he was super cute :)

29 Weeks!

How far along: 29 weeks
Weight gain: TBD next Friday at my doctors appointment.  Let's say 20.  They say it's normal to gain 1 lb a week in the last trimester....and I guess I'm feeling "normal".
How big is baby: 2 and a 1/2 pounds (gained a whole 1/4 pound this week!) and over 15 inches long.  Apparently all of this fast growth happening right now is causing him to steal more and more of my nutrients!  According to Baby Center: To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.  I suppose that is reason enough for me to suffer and take the dreaded iron supplements my doctor has prescribed.  It's also a good excuse to enjoy more cereal - a new craving of mine.
Maternity clothes:  Yes!  I made another quick trip to Forever 21 this week.  I spent $35 and got 4 items to incorporate into my "maternity" wardrobe (see above). 
Stretch marks: No
Sleep: Sleep has been good again this week.  My days have been so full between preparing for my departure from work and with teaching yoga that I am totally wiped out when bed time comes.
Best moment this week: True Blood season 4 started. :)
Movement: Oh yes.  I get a nice rib jab on a daily basis these days.  Despite how uncomfortable it can be, I'm going to miss this feeling when Ben is on the outside.  I'm also really wondering what position he is in.  I would say the majority of his kicks seem to be about 2 inches up and to the side of my belly button, so would that mean he is head down and feet up?
Food Cravings: Fruit cravings are dwindling (at least from my extreme obsession with them over the past few months).  Cereal - specifically Honey Bunches of Oats and Kashi Cinnamon Harvest - and cheeseburgers (sans bun) are at the top of the list this week.
Labor Signs: No
Belly button in or out: Out.
What I miss: A smaller chest, my waist, jogging (or even walking at my normal pace), and wine.
What I'm looking forward to: The THREE DAY WEEKEND!