29 weeks - Cole

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along : 29 weeks

Size of Baby :  ~15+" long & ~2.5 lb

Total Weight Gain : ~ 15.5 lbs

Maternity Clothes :  100%. The weather has turned warm. We've kicked on the A/C for good, I think. I grabbed a few more long & lean tanks @ Target this weekend to get me thru the summer. My big problem is that my hips are too wide for the summer maternity bottoms I have.  I was barely pregnant last time during summer, and my hips hadn't spread from months of pregnancy plus delivery.  I think I'm going to have to invest in some bigger shorts/capris.  I have one pair of capris I'm wearing the life out of that fit well, and one pair that needs a little patch-job and fit decent, but I'm gonna need more than two pairs of bottoms to get me through summer.

Best Moment This Week : Josh had Monday off and took Tuesday off too, so we had a lovely long weekend together.  We hosted small group, hung out around the house, went to church, went out for dinner Sunday night, watched a couple movies, cleared out the guest room, and generally relaxed and enjoyed our time.  I watched Jack for a few hours on Tuesday morning, but Josh & I squeezed in a movie and a nap before Ash woke from his nap.

Gender : It's a boy! 

Movement : I know I say this all the time, but he's so strong.  He's finally big enough to be getting up into my ribs.  My uterus takes up most of my abdomen now, and he's taking up his fair share of my uterus :)  Sometimes I can feel him at the top and bottom at the same time, like he's stretching out.  Most of the movement I feel is in the upper-middle or upper-right quadrant and then occasionally in the lower-left quadrant, like he favors the same angle that Ash was in.  Also, Josh was finally able to feel him this week, thanks to a little caffeinated dance party.

Food Craving : Chocolate.  I made an unwise choice Monday night and went on a Baskin Robbins run.  Josh wanted some plain chocolate ice cream, and I got myself some double chocolate fudge.  I regretted it when I woke up with massive reflux the next morning... only a LITTLE regret tho; it was SO good :)

What I Miss Most : I miss having my body and all the things I take for granted when I'm not pregnant - mobility, speed, comfort.  But I do enjoy the conversations my big belly sparks with people around me.  A true extrovert, I don't mind random conversations with strangers - and they're a lot more likely to spark a conversation when I've got a built-in question magnet.  When are you due?  Is this your first?  What are you having?  What do you already have?  How far apart will they be?  I'm not private, and happy to oblige :)  I'm just looking forward to the day when a little activity doesn't cause extreme heart rates and B.Hicks, when "downward facing dog" doesn't bring breakfast to the back of my throat or make me light-headed & dizzy, when I can sleep on my stomach & exercise on my back, when I can eat chocolate with only caloric regret.

Sleep : Not enough :)  I'm getting to bed later than I should, and sleeping poorly.  And Ash finally figured out he can open his door, so when his alarm light turns green at 7:00am, he wakes up and turns on his light and then starts opening his door.  He came in all weekend to wake us up between 7-7:15am every morning.  So much for sleeping in on your long weekend :)

What I Am Looking Forward To : I really can't wait to meet this kid!!  I can't wait to see how he's similar to Ash and how he's different.  I can't wait to see how he's like Josh and how he's like me.  I can't wait to get to know him.

Also, I have my first prenatal appointment with Tiffany (my doula) on Tuesday.  Ash is looking forward to playing with the cool toys in her office, and I'm excited to talk babies and L&D. I even pulled up my old birth plan from Ash's birth, made a few minor adjustments, and printed it out to discuss with her and my doctor.

Belly Button : same. :-P 

Symptoms : I think my ribs are starting to spread.  I have been feeling the pains like they're trying to.

Also, I've started wearing my wrist brace every night to avert the carpal tunnel tingle.  So far that's enough to keep it at bay - thank God!

Otherwise, same old reflux, exhaustion, aches....

Compared to last time : Pretty much the same.  Again, I still feel bigger (and no one believes me when I tell them I'm NOT having this baby for a couple months yet) and possibly more tired (b/c I'm way more active this time and I've been forgetting to take my iron lately too).  But otherwise, I'm in better shape and know how to rely on meds to take care of my reflux, so I feel like it all balances out in the long run.

29 wks