Baby Class!

On Tuesday I hit 27 weeks and in most books/references that means third trimester! (in some references, 28 weeks is the beginning of the 3rd trimester).

There is no denying the fact that there is a baby in there. I am feeling movements all the time, as well as a lot of pelvic pain/pressure. As mentioned in my previous post, I am just chalking it up being pregnant. My gait has definitely changed, I've become more of a slow and deliberate mover. I try not to sit for too long as when I do move it's painful. As well as when I get up from bed, it's painful right at first.

Tonight Ben and I started our birth class, this is a four part series over the next month that will give us some information and tools to help with the birth. There are 5 other couples in the class with us, we seem to be due the latest out of all of them. Some are due in the middle of August. I don't know, when I heard that it just seemed so close. The instructor had us go around and introduce ourselves, she wanted us all to say one positive thing about this pregnancy. Most of the "students" laughed. I made eye contact with a woman next to us and her and I were just eye rolling all the time. It was quite hilarious.

Over the series we'll learn about labor and delivery and get a tour of the family center at the hospital. We also have separate classes planned on other topics which will hopefully get us started on being prepared for our little one! It's hard to believe that in 3 months we'll be having a baby! (And by we, I really mean me... let's get real about one thing, I am the one who's got to deliver this!)

Tuesday is 28 weeks for me and my dreaded glucose test. I have received a lot of feedback from my readers, thank you. It's just one of those things, and if I have gestational diabetes, well then I do. But I am going to do whatever I can to make sure that my baby and I stay happy and healthy.

Doctor's Appt Update

So I had my appt with my doctor yesterday (actually another doc in the office... we got to rotate through them all to at least meet with each one) And she measures me and says that I am "measuring big" I asked, how big. She said that I was measuring 31 weeks. I am 26 weeks and a few days.

A whole month ahead! I am/was/still is getting nervous about this.

The doctor said that she would talk to my regular doctor and that I might be scheduled for an ultrasound to check the baby's size.

I know that larger babies, is sometimes related to gestational diabetes. And my glucose test isn't for another 2 weeks. So now I am even more concerned about gestational diabetes. I am also aware that both my brother and I were large babies so that would also lead me to believe that I may be predisposed to having large babies as well.

According to their office, I am only up 7 pounds. But by my scale at home I am up 20 pounds. Which I am inclined to "believe" more since I weigh myself at the same time every few days, rather than different times of days on different scales in their office.

Also I've developed a reoccurring pain in my pelvic mound area (TMI!! sorry) and when walking it will radiate into my SI joint (butt area) Oh does it hurt! So I talked to the doc about it and she said, that it sounds typical, when the pelvis takes on more of the baby's/uterus weight and the bones start to soften in preparation for delivery.. I asked if the "joy" stage was over and she said yes, and you've most likely entered the waddling stage!

Oh goodie! I am so glad that we went to North Carolina LAST weekend... as I can't even begin to think about being in the car for more than just a few quick errands.

Weight a minute and birthday

So I stepped on the scale today, for being 25 weeks pregnant I am up 16 pounds overall. I am coming to the harsh realization that I will be over 350 pounds soon. This I admit, is very hard for me. I know that I am pregnant and that it happens, that I shouldn't get hung up on a number, but I am. My baby is happy and healthy and letting my know that he/she is in there.

I think my weight number complex is more so because I am concerned with gestational diabetes and I have my glucose testing looming. My doc says that there isn't much one can do to prevent it, but I have read that overweight/obese women are more prone to it.

Also looming over my head is my upcoming birthday, and my 30's (29 plus 1 if you as me...). As we get older it's more difficult to loose and keep off the weight. I know that I am going to have to work really hard post baby to not only loose the pregnancy weight, but also shed some of the weight previously. I am sure that breastfeeding and taking care of a newborn will greatly increase my activity level.

Although this is the heaviest I've ever been, I know there are people out there who are heavier. I feel like this is something that I have a good handle on, just occasionally have the minor freak out about.

On a more positive note, I will say that being pregnant has made my cravings for water increase, there are days that it's all I drink. Some days I prefer room temp water, other days I want it ice cold. Kind of odd, but in a good way. I am not going to fight THOSE cravings! I don't feel like I get enough in sometimes. 

Road Trip to North Carolina!

On Thursday evening Ben and I will be taking off for North Carolina. My baby brother is graduating college and I couldn't be more proud of him. So the family is all getting together to celebrate his accomplishment.

This is probably the last trip/vacation that Ben and I will take as a couple! With baby due in September we are running out of time!Very exciting things going on.

The last time I saw my brother was for my wedding in October, and the last time I've been down to North Carolina has been years. So needless to say we are both excited about getting to see and spend some time with one another.

Since I am pregnant we'll be driving down and taking lots of pit stops and breaks in order to stay comfortable. Thursday night we will be leaving late, so we opted to grab a hotel in Pennsylvania. We chose one close to Centralia, PA so on Friday morning we could go visit (at least drive through) the mostly abandoned mining town that is still has a fire burning underground since the 1960's. Ben and I are really interested in the weird/odd type things and this is something we are both interested in at least seeing with our own eyes. We figured it was a good place to stop for the night and would give us something to see.

Then Friday we will spend the majority of the day driving the rest of the way to North Carolina. Obviously taking breaks as necessary. Saturday and Sunday morning will be spent with Lindsay and Nick as well as my parents. We are taking dad out for Father's Day brunch on Sunday. It'll be nice to spend some quality time with dad as well as the family.

Sunday afternoon we'll head back north. Again stopping frequently for breaks. We are going to try and make it to Maryland, staying outside Baltimore Sunday night. Monday we are hoping to meet up with Steve from Running on Awesome or @SteveGrayFTW on twitter, for a little "fake life meets real life" meetup. Steve and I have become great online friends (2/3's of Team Awesome!) and then finally make our way back home by Monday night.

It's a whirlwind weekend, but I am hopeful that everything works out. I am also hoping to have lots of pictures to show for our trip! Most of all I am proud of my brother for accomplishing this. I don't think I could have done what he did. Holding down both work and school and finding a balance, that takes a lot of determination. With all the sacrifices he's made, I am hoping that he is well rewarded.

25 Weeks down, 15 to go!

Today (Tuesday) I am now 25 weeks pregnant, holy cow! Even typing in makes it more real to me. I have my monthly OB appointment next week. This will be my last monthly appointment. Beyond that, I am now dropping to appointments every 2 weeks!

According to the bump, Baby L is the size of an cauliflower, average size: 13.6-14.8 inches and 1.5-2.2 pounds!

Just in the last few days (since the weekend) I've really started feeling more of Baby L. And even have seen/felt movements on the outside! Ben and my stepmom have both seen the movements, Ben is still waiting to catch it (feel it). It feels exactly as I thought it would. Like an alien trying to come out of me!

There are days where my feet swell and are huge at the end of the day. I just prop my feet up and try to keep the swelling down.

If you follow me on facebook, you would know that I had a moment of clumsiness. I was coming home from an event, and I was walking up my stairs, well on the last step I must have not lifted my leg high enough and my flip flop caught on the lip of the step! I stumbled forward, thought I was going to save it, but then ate it big time! I came down hard on one knee, then the other. I used my hands to break my fall and protect my belly, but my head crashed into the door.

It was a glorious fall, I wish it was on camera, I would have posted it for all to see here.

Since Sunday, I've been nursing a sore knee (the one I came down hard on) and a tender spot on my head, above my hair line.

Graceful I am not.I'll be in a plastic bubble before this pregnancy is over.

Memorial Day Weekend

As we do every year, a bunch of friends and their families gather at the Saco River Camping Area, in North Conway, NH for a weekend of fun. Being almost 6 months pregnant, for me, this year was more about resting and relaxing.

There was the what seems to now be annual canoe trip down the river, I didn't want to chance it being so inexperienced with canoeing, especially on a river. So I opted to stay back at the site and watch my friend's dog.

We did some shopping, the North Conway outlets are right across the street from the campground so really, it's a no brainer! Although I will admit, I did VERY well this year. And only bought baby clothes.

Also we had some friends join us! new to our camping area, but old friends... we always love to see more! It was a great time and everyone got along. It's a great weekend where families can spend some quality time together but at the same time us friends can get together as well. It's great that our children are becoming friends with one another and they actually look forward to the trip every year.

New this year for our site was a pop up camper! It's my friend's camper, but she graciously said that we could stay in it with her and her daughter. Since I didn't really know how it was going to work out or how comfortable I would be, I asked Ben to also bring his tent. So it ended up working out that Ben slept in his tent and Tricia, her daughter Kaylee and me all stayed in the pop up. Ben was a trooper about it, since he had to haul the camper up there and pretty much do 90% of the set up for it. He dealt with a 2 year old and 2 very pregnant women.... he gets a gold star in my book!

Each morning, Kaylee would get up early and Tricia and I would entertain her in the pop up. Eventually she'd want to go outside so we taught her to go wake Ben up... it was the cutest to see her sneak up on Ben's tent to wake him. Her belly laughs made me smile. That girl is such a joy! And growing up quickly, using words and making sentences, she lets us know what she wants, there is no guessing about that! 

One thing that made me realize just how pregnant I am, was when I'd have to go to the bathroom (especially at night) and waking up to pee... oh man, that bathroom seemed the farthest away. And it was a pregnant hustle shuffle down to the bathhouse! I'd felt like there was times that I wasn't going to make it!

We enjoyed the vacation so much when we rebooked for next year, we extended our trip by a few days. We are hoping that Tricia's husband can join us for at least part of it. It will also give us a few days on our own (just our family and then Tricia's) to go do some other stuff. Our other friends have school aged children so they have to go back to school. I would like to take some extra time and have our families enjoy the long(er) weekend to do some more stuff up that way.

I am already looking forward to next year and having two more little ones to introduce to the joys of camping!