29 weeks

No picture this week, but I've got quite a few updates.

Last Sunday was my first baby shower.  Everything went very well!  The next day we had a follow-up ultrasound and the first of my bi-weekly doctor visits including the glucose screen (to check for gestational diabetes).  Honestly, the whole day was a bit of a mess.  To start off, Rowdy ate some cocoa powder.  We got that situation under control then headed to Mankato for my 2:30 ultrasound appointment at the pathology center.  I had a 3:30 doctor's appointment with a 3:15 check in time (to drink my sugary drink for the glucose screen).  We didn't get seen at the ultrasound place until 3:40.  Trevor had class at 4:00 so he was barely able to see the scan and get to class on time.  I rushed over to the clinic, ran down to drink my sugar drink then realized I forgot my urine sample in the car.  (I have to bring a urine sample to every doctor's appointment.)  So, I ran out to the car quickly only to find out that the sample had spilled all over the cooler.  I went upstairs to check in at the OB desk and finally caught a break.  All that running behind and waiting would have been annoying enough, but knowing I had to sit for an hour after drinking that stuff so they could take my blood (it didn't taste nearly as bad as what I've heard, by the way) made it worse.  After all that appointment craziness, we rushed home, scarfed down some food and headed to our first night of baby class to learn about labor and delivery.  I've never thought I'd go through child birth without pain meds, but after hearing more about them I'm a tad overwhelmed with the options.  I've had an epidural/spinal block before with surgery so I'm familiar with side effects, just for different pain.  I've come to the conclusion that I'll see how it all goes and decide on pain management as needed.  Anyway, that's all the "bad" news.  The good news is baby girl still looks healthy at 2 lbs 12 oz, she's still a girl and the choroid plexus cysts on her brain have disappeared just as we were told they probably would.  My glucose screen went just fine so I seem to be in the clear for gestational diabetes.  Normal iron levels are 12-16 and in pregnancy it typically drops a little but they don't like to see it below an 11; I'm at a 10.5, so just barely anemic.  Baby is getting what she needs, but that leaves me a little short, so I started taking iron.  No big deal, just have to be sure to be proactive against constipation (side effect of iron supplements).   

I think that's all for this week!

Question of the week: What are your diaper bag must haves?  Diapers and wipes are an obvious, but what other things have you found very helpful to have in your diaper bag?  For example, someone suggested a clean shirt for mom, never thought of that, but what a good idea.

28 weeks

Ok now we're definitely in the third trimester! And we made it to viability time-if baby girl were born now she'd have a good chance of survival (with medical assistance, of course). I'll drink to that! Oh wait...

No new symptoms really. I've felt round ligament pain a few times when going to the bathroom, but felt it for the first time while turning to look while parking my car last week. I'm starting to feel more fatigue again, but not too bad yet. I still have mucous in my throat-I'm guessing that won't go away anytime soon.

As most of you know, I'm not good at asking for (or even accepting) help...at all...not even a little bit. Tonight I asked Trevor to get something off a shelf for me-stretching/reaching up is getting a little tricky. This was a big deal!

I'm officially into my all-maternity clothes wardrobe. I wonder what it will be like to zip my pants again someday...

This weeks picture was taken after a big supper, so I'm about as stretched as I get. I forgot to weigh myself today, but we have a double appointment on Monday so we'll see then. Ultrasound (to check on those Choroid Plexus cysts the radiologist called "likely insignificant") then a regular appointment with my glucose test/gestational diabetes screen. Oh, and my blood pressure has been good all along, too. I generally have very good blood pressure. The Red Cross people always ask if I'm an athlete when I donate blood-ha!

Baby shower #1 is Sunday, looking forward to seeing lots of my pals!

27 weeks

It's getting hard to remember what even happen in the last week...or two. As of today I'm up 20 pounds so far and I can honestly say I don't even feel like I've gained that much. I realize I have some time to go yet though!

We had an appointment about a week ago and got the report on our follow up ultrasound-baby's heart looks good. We're getting another one in a week to check on the cysts but there have been no other markers for anything concerning. The radiologist from the ultrasounds described them as "likely insignificant" because of that and their size (only 2mm). It seems they're fairly common and typically insignificant.

The throat mucous is coming back and now I have diaper rash haha, not sure what else to call it. It comes and goes and I can definitely deal with it. I'm starting to get tired again, taking naps on my days off.

27-28 weeks is the start of the third trimester, varies depending on what book you read. I guess that means baby time will be here before we know it! I'm making progress on cleaning out baby's room-I should probably get moving since shower #1 is next weekend! Then right after that is my glucose screen and the beginning of our every other week doctor appointments.

Question for the week: I'm a big fan of generics (food, household products, whatever) but there are certain things that really aren't the same. Any baby specific things that you would/would not recommend using generic? (I've heard a lot of praise for target and wal mart brand diapers, for example)

25 weeks

Trevor is at drill so you all get another self portrait for this week. Yes, I could use the timer on our camera, but it's so much easier to use my phone and type this/upload the photo with the Blogger app than mess around with getting the photo from the camera. Lazy, I know.

These weeks seem fairly uneventful. I'm feeling great, minimal pregnancy symptoms (maybe I'm just getting used to it by now), and slow and steady belly growth/weight gain. I'm up about 17 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight which is basically right on track.  I've been back on the treadmill regularly, walking with Rowdy (yep, he walks with me on the treadmill!).  Oh, and I think nesting is setting in.  I went cleaning crazy last weekend, scrubbed the shower/tub for over an hour, vacuumed the whole house (got out the attachments for up against the walls/corners) right before Rowdy had a puppy friend come stay the night.  I hear it'll only get worse!

The biggest change in the last week is that I now have to sit down to put on my socks and shoes. I know, this is jut the beginning, but it's different! Oh, and I got asked when I'm due by a stranger, another first.

I suppose I should start looking at the baby name book again. We have a name in mind, and a list, but I'm not completely sold on anything just yet. And, yes, Trevor is very involved in the name stuff, it just seems he prefers to pick from my list rather than a book of 100,000+ names!

24 weeks

Another week down, hard to believe it's October! No big news this week. I'm still feeling good, thankfully. I quit taking my Zyrtec a couple days ago so hopefully I don't get a bunch of throat mucous. I had been slacking on walking, but I'm making it a point to keep doing that regularly. Rowdy and I walked on the treadmill together yesterday and today. It's nice to be able to watch a TV show and stay out of the chilly wind while we walk. Spoiled, I know.

Honestly, that's about all the excitement for the week. I've got some big urges to clean our house top to bottom, but I'm only actually doing it in baby steps.

My photographer is at the farm again this weekend so here's the 24 week self portrait.

23 weeks

Whoops! Missed a couple weeks. We've been busy and my photographer has been gone a lot helping at the farm. I'm feeling great and getting bigger but I don't feel huge yet. Some things are starting to get more difficult (bending to tie shoes, rolling over while sleeping-which I do a lot), but I know it'll only get worse!

I've been walking a lot, but I get winded easier than I used to. My appetite is normal. I even ate cheesecake with maple syrup and it was delicious. I'm up 15 lbs from pre pregnancy weight which is right on track.

Since I last posted we had a doctor's appointment and a follow up ultrasound. The doctor's appointment went well, they're all fairly quick. We went over the first ultrasound (they're done at a pathology center) and the only thing she had to say was that baby had choroid plexus cysts on her brain. She told us not to worry and they're quite common, especially on a scan before 20 weeks which ours was. She said they form when the brain is developing. (I even googled them which one should never do and I couldn't find anything too scary.) She said baby was a little too active to get all the shots of the heart they needed, so at 22 weeks we went back for another scan. Our doctor said the cysts themselves wouldn't be reason for a second scan, it was just to get a better view of the heart. The tech showed us the cysts and said she sees them a lot. She got much better views of the heart. And she double checked and said it still looks like a girl. Baby is 1 pound, 1 ounce and her heart is about the size of a dime right now, so tiny!  Also, we got to see her kick on the screen and I, of course, felt it at the same time.  Pretty neat!

We're making progress in the baby room. The closet is mostly cleaned out and filled with baby stuff now. There is plenty left to do though!

I think people who are subscribed to this get it by email and may not come to the actual website to read it.  I'm adding this part after the fact, so hopefully someone reads it and responds.  We already have a stroller (standard Graco stroller that will fit with our car seat), but I'd still like to register for one since we don't have much for bigger items on the registry.  I was thinking either a single jogging stroller or a standard double stroller (since it won't be too many years between baby #1 and #2, ideally).  Any input on how to decide?  Or, a suggestion other than those two?

That's all for now. More next week!

21 weeks

Woah. So I skipped a week, the big halfway mark! I was out of town and Trevor had drill, that week turned into two and here we are.

In general, all is well. I'm feeling kicks (punches? Who knows what really, but something) and seeing them now, too. Trevor hasn't seen it yet, but he felt it a month ago. Last weekend when he was at drill I caught a kick on video so he has seen that, pretty cool. We both got to feel some pretty strong kicks tonight. I'm feeling good, still have mucous in my throat but it doesn't seem as bad. I gag occasionally, but not often. For the most part, I have plenty of energy. I get winded a little easier but I'm back into walking as usual. I've been suffering through diarrhea all day, but Trevor has, too, so I'm not sure I can call that a pregnancy symptom. He has, at some point, had every pregnancy symptom I have though so maybe!

The nursery is coming along well. Since we moved here it's been a giant storage closet, but the clutter and junk is slowly finding its way out. And just as soon as we clear a spot, baby stuff filters in. The crib is put together, looks good! The dresser is set up and quickly filling with clothes. It's all starting to feel more real now that the room is coming together and my belly is actually looking pregnant.

This week's pregnancy question: registry item tips? Must haves? Over-rated stuff?

-A