Weeks 33-38 // Random Thoughts and The End

Top Row: Weeks 33-35
Middle Row Weeks 36-37
Bottom Row: Week 38

Well, here we are, just days away from Leighton's birth. After one missed bumpdate post, I got overwhelmed and took a little long break from the blog. I also had 4,748 things to get done, so it worked out. My lengthy to-do list has been completed. The nursery is finished (minus three pieces of dresser hardware that are en route--Barry accidentally ordered all hardware the same size, when the top three drawers required a smaller piece). Hospital bags are packed. My house is clean and organized. We are stocked up on all necessary household goods (and unnecessary ones, too). I've done my grocery and Target shopping for the week. We're as ready as we're going to get.

My mom comes to town tomorrow afternoon. We'll celebrate my birthday at some point Wednesday or Thursday. Right now, I'm just trying to make sure Branner is having fun and spending my time soaking him up. I'm trying not to think too much about Friday. I don't want to get nervous or scared or anxious. The only surgeries I've ever had are my wisdom teeth removed (does that even count?) and my other "emergency" c-section. So, knowing that I'm going in for a procedure could be a little scary if I allowed myself to think too much about it. My plan is to roll with the punches and worry about things once she's here. I'll have help for at least two weeks.

I saw my doctor for the last time before L's birth last Friday. Everything looks great. According to her, my weight gain is perfect, my blood pressure is great, and I'm measuring right on target (I was measuring ahead with B at 37 weeks, and he ended up being huge, so this was somewhat comforting). We talked about the scheduled c-section procedure. I feel so good about my decision. She told me she truly thinks it's the best thing for my situation and is actually glad I didn't choose to attempt a VBAC even though I am a good candidate. With Branner's size and complications, it's not a risk I am interested in taking. If you've labored and pushed only to end up in surgery, you understand what I'm talking about. It's not pretty and recovery isn't fun. I need to avoid that at all costs with another little one at home to take care of.

Lately, I haven't really felt up to the gym or working out. So, I'm giving myself a break. I think I need (and deserve) it! I busted my ass this time in the gym, and it certainly paid off. I have had a much, much easier pregnancy all around, and I credit it to making my fitness a huge priority this go 'round. I plan to pick it back up, ASAP, too! I'm already looking forward to going back to Cardio Dance and getting back into using weights like I was.

The past several weeks, I've been wearing mainly maternity clothes plus several of my regular maxi dresses that are somehow working with the bump. I've already ordered a couple new maxis for after L's arrival. I plan to live in maxis all summer long.

Overall, this pregnancy has been much easier than B's. I'm so thankful. We can't wait to meet our girl on Friday! By the end of this week, our family will be complete, and that is a super exciting thought!

31-32 Weeks // Single Digits

31 Weeks and ready for Cardio Dance!

32 Weeks—Girls Night Out!

The due date countdown has now reached single digits. This is really happening, y'all! We're going to be a family of four, like, soon. I'm slightly nervous about the first few weeks, but I'm confident we'll figure it all out. We did it once before, we'll do it again. Plus, we'll have my mom here to help and Kiki's coming, too! I'm getting a little more excited and a little more scared by the day about having a girl. I cannot wait to dress L!!!

Weight Gain: No clue. I quit looking at the doctor, and scales are forbidden in this house.

Maternity clothes? YES! I am wearing everything maternity at this point except workout shorts/pants and the occasional maxi/stretchy dress. I even broke down and bought maternity workout tops, which should arrive in my mailbox any day now.

Sleep: Still OK to decent. Not waking up much in the night. My lower back is sore when I wake up.

Best moments lately: Getting L's nursery and dresser painted, her "new" glider being finished, lots of movement from her!

Food cravings: Smoothies, salads, tuna melts, iced tea, cooked sushi.

Food aversions: Sometimes meat.

Pregnancy symptoms: Lower back pain, sciatic nerve pain, frequent bathroom trips, fatigue.

Exercise: I'm still at it 3-4 times a week! Doing a mixture that varies of my MOMS class, Cardio Dance, and my prenatal pilates DVD. I am convinced this has kept the swelling at bay and the reason I am still feeling relatively good these days.

What I miss: Champagne, red wine, raw sushi, medium rare filets, my waistline, buying cute non-maternity clothes, my regular Spring/Summer wardrobe, and being able to shop at my favorite stores.

29-30 Weeks // Homestretch

29 Weeks

30 Weeks

I'm knocking on the door of 31 weeks at this point (giving me a little over 8 weeks to go), and after a weird/terrible week of yet another sickness capped off by a visit from some sort of stomach bug, I'm feeling good again! Although I feel like a whale, this time around random people have been so complimentary and nice to me in the comment department.

28 Weeks // Hello, Third Trimester!

28 Weeks, and in the home stretch now!

I have finally entered the third trimester, and I'm still feeling pretty good. I wake up in the mornings feeling fine and barely pregnant, but by 7:00 or 7:30 in the evenings, I am exhausted and feel like my stomach weighs 1,000 lbs. This is probably the result of not being able to rest much during the day due to keeping up with a super active toddler and our day-to-day activities. I have been falling asleep super early (ie: 8:00-8:30) the past few nights. We are constantly on the go, and I'm hoping we won't have to slow down too much in the upcoming weeks for B's sake if nothing else. I haven't felt too bad this go round, and I'm crediting that to an active lifestyle. 

Weight Gain: 15ish pounds

Maternity clothes? Yes, some! Wearing all maternity pants and some maternity tops mixed in with my regular sweaters, loose cut tops, leggings, and workout clothes. Thanks again to those who have lent or given me maternity clothes!!!

Sleep: OK, not great. I swear, I wake up every time I need to roll over. I go right back to sleep, though.

Best moments lately: Picking nursery fabrics with Lauren, getting some matching outfits for L & B, lots of movement from L.

Food cravings: Fruit, spinach salad, bagels, tuna melts, iced tea, lemonade, cooked sushi, Girl Scout cookies, Mini Cadbury Eggs.

Food aversions: Sometimes meat.

Pregnancy symptoms: Lower back pain, sciatic nerve pain, frequent bathroom trips.

Exercise: Still working out! Doing a mixture that varies weekly of my MOMS class, Total Strength, Cardio Dance, and my prenatal pilates DVD. I am working out 3-4 days a week.

What I miss: Champagne, red wine, raw sushi, medium rare filets, my waistline, buying cute non-maternity clothes, my regular Spring/Summer wardrobe already.

26-27 Weeks

27 weeks, 2 days

I am really feeling pregnant these days. Leighton should weigh about 2.5 pounds at this point, and I can definitely tell. My sciatic nerve pain is back constantly along with some lower back pain that doesn't ever really go away. Unfortunately, I have also been super sick. I am fighting off an upper respiratory infection, and I have not felt great or slept great due to coughing all week. As of today, I feel like I am finally on the mend. I know it sounds like it's been a really rough couple of weeks, but I'm still feeling relatively good!

Weight Gain: 15ish pounds

Maternity clothes? These days, my wardrobe consists of maternity pants, some maternity tops, regular sweaters, loose cut tops, leggings, and workout clothes. Shout out to everyone who has lent me or given me maternity clothes!!!

Sleep: As I mentioned above, not great. This is due to night time coughing and not pregnancy.

Best moments lately: Tons of movement from L, getting her car seat and bedding, really starting serious work on the nursery, finding out that two of my sweet friends have planned me a sprinkle in April!

Food cravings: Fruit, spinach salad, bagels, tuna melts, iced tea, lemonade, cooked sushi, Girl Scout cookies.

Food aversions: Sometimes meat.

Pregnancy symptoms: Lower back pain, sciatic nerve pain, frequent bathroom trips.

Exercise: Still at it in the gym! Doing a mixture that varies weekly of my MOMS class, Total Strength, Cardio Dance, and my prenatal pilates DVD. I am working out 3-4 days a week.

What I miss: Champagne, red wine, raw sushi, medium rare filets, my waistline, buying cute non-maternity clothes.

24-25 Weeks

Valentine's Date Night!

It's official. I finally feel pregnant. The general public is now taking notice as well. Leighton finally popped! I feel huge, although this pregnancy, the comments from others have actually been super nice and complimentary--so far!

Weight Gain/Loss: I have no idea. I'm really not interested to know, either! 

Maternity clothes? I've made the switch to maternity-only pants. Continuing to wear my regular sweaters, loose cut tops, leggings, and workout clothes. Wearing some maternity tops, too, now!

Sleep: I'm getting a full night of sleep. Yay!

Best moments lately: Lots of movement from L this week. This pregnancy, my placenta is anterior (which makes a difference in my size/how I show according to my ultrasound tech), and I have not been able to feel movement quite as much as I did with B. I'm happy I am feeling her all day now!

Food cravings: Fruit, spinach salad, bagels, tuna melts, iced tea, homemade cookies.

Food aversions: Sometimes meat.

Pregnancy symptoms: Lower back pain, sciatic nerve pain, frequent bathroom trips.

Exercise: Still at it in the gym! Doing a mixture that varies weekly of Total Strength, Cycle Strength, Cardio Dance, my prenatal pilates DVD, and the MOMs class that I added this week. I normally work out 3-4 days a week.

What I miss: Champagne, red wine, raw sushi, medium rare filets, my waistline, buying cute non-maternity clothes.

22-23 Weeks

Date Night @ 23 Weeks

I'm really closer to 24 weeks at this point, but I am trying to keep tabs on this pregnancy since this blog didn't exist when I was pregnant with B. I think regular jeans are about to become a thing of the past for me in the next week or so.

Weight Gain/Loss: +9 lbs. (Probably around 10-11 lbs at this point)

Maternity clothes? I can technically still fit in my regular jeans. I have to wear them super low, though because of my growing belly, and that is uncomfortable. Luckily, they still fit everywhere, which means maybe I haven't gained much weight all over. I still wear my regular sweaters, loose cut tops, leggings, and workout clothes. I had to buy a couple of new sports bras and workout tops in a larger size (holy cannoli the "girls" are growing). Also wearing several maternity tops (thanks, Sara!), and the pairs of maternity pants I mentioned last week.

Sleep: I'm getting about 7-8 hours a night.

Best moments lately: Branner telling Barry, "Mommy's baby too big to come out of her belly button!" No clue where he came up with that! He hasn't asked either of us where babies come from, so I guess this is just 3 year old logic. We also hung Leighton's new light fixture, and Barry touched up the crib with a new coat of paint. Time to get crackin' on the nursery!

Food cravings: Fruit, spinach salads, sweets!

Food aversions: Sometimes meat.

Gender: Sugar and spice and everything nice.

Pregnancy symptoms: Round ligament pain, lower back pain, frequent bathroom trips.

Exercise: I was really sick last week with a sinus infection, so I had to take some time off from working out. But, I'm back at it with Total Strength, Cycle Strength, and Cardio Dance and still doing my prenatal pilates DVD for at-home workouts!

What I miss: Champagne, red wine, raw sushi, medium rare filets.

21 Weeks

Post Pilates Workout, excuse the nastiness!

Well, I just finished my 21st week of pregnancy with our sweet baby girl. I have to admit, I'm tired. Which is weird, because I should have tons of energy seeing as I'm in my second trimester not my third. I guess having a super-de-duper active three year old will do that to you!

Weight Gain/Loss: +9 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Technically, I can still fit in my regular jeans. I'm only still wearing 2 prs of them (a cheapie pr of Gap jeggings & a pr of gray skinnies from AT Loft) because I do not want to stretch out or ruin my "good" jeans. All of my sweaters, loose cut tops, and leggings, and workout clothes are still fitting. I'm wearing several maternity tops (mostly thanks to my friend, Sara), a pr of maternity leopard skinny jeans, a pr of maternity black skinnies, a pr of maternity red skinnies, and a pr of maternity jeggings!

Sleep: It's a crapshoot. Some nights I get 8-10 hours. Some nights I'm up 2-3 times for no reason. Le sigh.

Best moments lately: Hearing Leighton's heartbeat at my appointment on Wednesday (140s-150 bpm)!

Food cravings: Bagels, egg salad, spinach salad, yogurt, cereal, sweets (Trader Joe's fat free brownies baking in the oven as I type).

Food aversions: Sometimes meat.

Gender: Pretty in pink!

Pregnancy symptoms: Round ligament pain, lower back pain, frequent bathroom trips.

Exercise: Still continuing with my regular classes at the gym: Total Strength, Cycle Strength, and Cardio Dance and still doing my prenatal pilates DVD for at-home workouts that I love.

What I miss: Champagne, red wine, raw sushi, medium rare filets.

Weeks 19-20

19 Week Bump!

Well, we're halfway there! Technically, a little over halfway there since I will be scheduled for my c-section at around 39 weeks. The second time sure flies by!

Weight Gain/Loss: +5 lbs.

Maternity clothes? I'm still fitting in my regular clothes for the time being. Blouses and button-ups are getting a little tight depending on the cut. Sweaters, loose cut tops, jeans, and leggings, and workout clothes still fitting. I've added a couple of maternity tops and a pr of maternity leopard skinny jeans into the rotation!

Sleep: I'm getting 8-10 hours a night. LOVE IT!

Best moments lately: Finding out we're having a baby GIRL and naming her!

Food cravings: Clementines, cereal, fruit.

Food aversions: Sometimes meat.

Gender: Girly girl!

Pregnancy symptoms: Round ligament pain, lower back pain, frequent bathroom trips.

Exercise: Still continuing with my regular classes at the gym: Total Strength, Cycle Strength, and Cardio Dance. I have also added a 40 minute prenatal pilates DVD for at-home workouts that I love.

What I miss: Champagne, red wine, raw sushi, medium rare filets.