Today marks the first day of my third trimester. I'm 27 weeks and I swear, getting bigger every day! Piper is a strong kicker and gets the hiccups every couple of days or so. She's much more active during the day than she used to be too.
It's funny that as soon as I hit 26 weeks, everything in my pregnancy started to change. For example:
- I cannot breathe sitting straight up, after walking to/from my car, after walking up stairs...
- Some of the maternity pants that Kimberly gave me are too tight around my middle/hips
- I get so tired mid-day and again driving home from work, and need to go to bed early again
- It's getting harder and harder to find something to wear to work each day
- I'm so uncomfortable
- My sciatic nerve hurts so bad that by the time it's time to leave work, I look like I walk with a limp
- I get full so fast and even though the food tastes good, I can't eat another bite
- Gas is not my friend and shows up unannounced from time to time
- Heartburn is hanging out with Gas and they are friends. I don't like them.
BUT, here's the good news... there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Piper Marie should be here within the next 13 weeks and that is SO exciting! I have started to get some stuff for her and even got my first baby gift off our registry: an umbrella stroller that I tried to put Scooter in, but he didn't appreciate it as much as I had hoped he would. He wouldn't even pose for a picture. Maybe I'll put the new onesie I got for her on him and take a picture of that...
Speaking of Scooter, my dad says that he might be my "baby" for now, but as soon as Piper is here, he'll go back to being "just a dog". I hope not.
So 13 weeks (maybe less) and counting... I can hardly wait!
Having a baby is super exciting and the answer to our long awaited prayers, but the checklist of stuff to do to prepare for Piper's arrival seems never ending. There is so much to think about, do, plan, consider, and buy that I get overwhelmed.
I keep trying to tell myself that I am very blessed and that most people in the world do not have the opportunity to prepare like we do. Most people on earth don't register, set up a nursery, take classes, see a doctor on a regular basis, and have the financial means that we do in order to "have a baby". I feel incredibly spoiled when I put things in to perspective like that. Is it all really necessary?
I'm pretty sure that if Piper were to show up tomorrow, we would still be able to function. Not well, but she wouldn't perish either. And neither would we.
Just a thought. Now I'm going to go sign up for "Preparation for Childbirth" classes...
Pregnancy just keeps getting better! I am 25 weeks along and 2 nights ago, I had my first real case of heartburn. That's fun. Not.
At first, I didn't realize what it was. My stomach hurt at the top of my belly and I had no appetite (I could only eat toast for dinner). And, I didn't put two and two together because it came on 5 hours after my last meal and before my delicious toast dinner - both nights in a row.
Last night I had it so bad that I ended up eating some TUMS at 12:00 in the morning. If you don't know me well, it takes a lot for me to actually take medicine and even more to get out of bed! I'm glad I did though because not long after, I was snoring like a dog. Or Josh.
This morning I also had my monthly check up with Dr. Chhutani. My blood pressure is good and I've gained 2 more pounds for a total of 6 pounds more than my pre-pregnancy weight. Again she said that it was okay and not to worry about gaining more. I really am trying to put on weight because I'm a little concerned that she's going to be a teeny tiny baby, but then again Josh and I aren't the biggest people you ever met, so we knew we would probably have a little baby.
At 25 weeks, babies typically weigh 1.5 lbs and are about 13 inches long. Our little Piper has been measured in the 44th percentile for size. Her weight is on target, but she's short. Go figure. I guess she'll have to settle with being a gold medal winning gymast instead of a lumbering WNBA forward. Or she can be the brillant inventor of the flying car we've all been waiting for. I'll be happy with either.
So the pressure is on for me to register for my little Piper-to-be, but I am completely overwhelmed! There is sooo much stuff out there and I don't have the first clue as to how to navigate the registry maze!
First of all, I haven't even started on our nursery. Does that come first? I sort of think that is a good place to start because it means some of the big stuff like a crib, dresser, changing table, bedding, etc. But is that right?
Or, am I supposed to start with the small things like bottles, diapers, soaps, bibs, and tiny clothes?
Or, do you start with car seats, strollers, high chairs, carriers and bouncy seats?
I have no idea and I need help. HELP!
As of yesterday, I am 23 weeks pregnant which equals 6 months. We had a sonogram on Monday and our precious baby girl weighs 1 pound 4 ounces. She is little for her age, in the 44th percentile for size.
She was "practicing" her breathing and even stuck her tongue out at us (she's little stinker already)! I have been feeling her move and kick a lot in the past few days and in one of our sonogram pictures, you can see where her leg is stretched straight up and in to me. Josh even felt her move for the first time while we were in Temple a week or so ago. It was a very moving moment - I cried !
I used to think that it was so "alien" to imagine what it would feel like to have a baby kicking inside of you, but it isn't strange at all. You get used to it and it's so nice to know that she's still in there and moving around. Personally, I love it!
I can't wait to meet our sweet little Piper Marie!
Josh and I finally own the home that we will bring our sweet baby girl home to this upcoming spring. This past year has been filled with so many challenges from infertility treatments, to job loss, to building a new home, to selling our existing home, to getting pregnant and everything in between. Thankfully we are ending 2010 on a high note. We are truly blessed!
Ever since I got pregnant, people have been asking me if I'm going to be a stay-at-home mom or go back to work. I wish I had an answer for them because at this point, I truly don't know.
There are pros to staying home (and cons) and pros to going back to work. Plus, there are all of the questions that I ask myself and I don't have answers to my own questions.
Questions I ask myself:
Q: Do I want to stay home?
A: Not sure. I have been on my own for 15 years with my own money and at this point, I'm scared to give that up. Then again, I have a feeling that once I see the precious baby that I have been blessed with (finally!) that going to work will be the LAST place on Earth I want to be.
Q: Can we afford the lifestyle I have enjoyed with Josh if I don't work?
A: Not sure. We haven't sold our condo and we are about to move in to a new house which means TWO mortgages and taxes and insurance and maintenance... That's a whole lotta cheddah, yo!
Q: If I don't work and stay home with my precious baby, will I be stuck at home because we can't afford to do extra activities like go out to lunch, swim classes, shop, the zoo, etc.?
A: Who knows?
Q: If I go back to work, will I be absolutely miserable? Will the cost of daycare or a nanny override the paltry sum I bring home?
A: ?
There are a lot more questions, but you get the point. Since we don't know what the future holds, we are moving ahead by covering all of our basis. Which means looking for daycare facilities, getting on lists, finding a nanny, etc. in the event that I do have to go back to work. I want all of this stuff lined up as soon as possible so I can know that my baby is in the best possible hands - if they can't be my own.
