Pregnancy Update: Months 6 and 7

I think it's time for a pregnancy update. My last post was around 20 weeks and that was over 2 months ago. What has been happening since then you ask? Well, I'll tell you!

MY SNOOGLE!

Around 22 weeks I started having trouble sleeping. I tried to prop myself up with a million pillows - one in the back, one between the legs, one under the belly - but it wasn't working. I was a tornado for multiple nights in a row and I was starting to feel kind of miserable, as was Joey. Finally, when I had had enough, I told Joey that I thought we should look into buying a pregnancy body pillow - to which he replied "It will be here tomorrow." He had already ordered one and it was on its way! What a good husband! 

He got me the Snoogle - a giant C shaped skinny pillow - and let me tell you it is amazing. I was really skeptical that a body pillow could make much of a difference but oh boy was I wrong. I wish I would've bought this thing weeks ago! To all you future mommas out there, get yourself a Snoogle early! You will be SO glad you did!

The only problem with the Snoogle is that it isn't very conducive to making the bed...and it's so large that there really isn't anywhere to store it. Oh well, it's worth it!

LOOKING PREGNANT 

At some point in November or December I started actually looking pregnant. This was very exciting to me because I was getting a little sick of people awkwardly staring at my belly in public. I took this picture one day before work thinking I was really starting to look pregnant. Little did I know what was in store - but you'll see my more recent pictures a little later on. This was nothing!

On December 7th, I hit the 6 month mark. I think this was the first time I had a random person say something about me being pregnant in public. Joey and I were going through the security line at the airport on our way to visit Tim and Lauren in Seattle and some older gentlemen shouted out "Congratulations" to us as we passed....Thank you random guy, thank you. Since then, I've gotten several more congratulations shout outs, which I think is a little weird but nice I guess.

A few weeks later I had to take my glucose screening test to check for gestational diabetes. This is where you have 5 minutes to drink a sugary fizzy orange drink and then have your blood drawn an hour later. I've heard some horror stories about how awful this is but really, it wasn't bad. I never drink anything with sugar in it so I was a little worried it would make me sick but other than a little light-headedness and general nausea that subsided when I laid down, it was ok. 

I passed the test no problem although my blood test did show that I was anemic. I've been eating a giant bin of spinach a week and trying to eat as much red meat as I could stomach (which, to be fair, wasn't that much) but it just wasn't doing it - so my midwife put me on iron pills. Oh well. 

GIFTS AND FAMILY SHOWERS

In mid-December I received my first baby gift! My manager at work gave us this adorable little ducky towel and blanket set for a Christmas gift. I was so excited! Things were starting to feel real! 

Then on our trip to Atlanta, the gifts just started rolling in! First, my mom coordinated a little Edmondson family shower at my cousin Earlene's house while we were there celebrating the holiday. 

My cousin Julie brought a delicious Publix baby cake. So cute! I have to say I didn't really know how to respond when they presented us the cake though. I felt like there should be some candles to blow out or a happy baby song to sing or something...oh well, we just ate the cake and it was delicious. :)

Then we opened gifts. We got fancy pants diapers with wetness indicators and umbilical cord cutouts. Who knew diapers were so advanced these days!

And lots of adorable little outfits. This giraffe sleeper from Earlene and Kelly was particularly cute. 

And Bill and Julie got us a little GT onesie - they had to represent in a family full of bulldog fans!

We got lots of other great gifts from the family - Dyanne, Brooke, Twila, my mom - but I don't have pictures of them all. Thank you all!!!

My dad also got a baby gift for us back at his house on Christmas Eve. 

Oh, I guess I should mention that we have been calling him Jack. We aren't 100% committed yet but so far, that's what we are going with. We are also considering the middle name Daniel. Little Jack Daniel Heithaus. It has a nice ring doesn't it? :) Ok, really, we wish we could name him that but we don't want people to think we are alcoholics so we are going to have to think of another middle name... Ok, back to the gifts. 

My dad got us some funny onesie outfits. My personal favorite was one that said "Text Me :)." The other two said "My middle name is Romeo" and "Little pickup artist." Such a fitting gift from my dad. 

Then a few days later, we were surprised with gifts from friends. So unexpected! Sarah and Pradeep placed a beautifully wrapped gift on our guest bed. It was a pack of swaddle blankets and a gift card. So nice!

And Sophia and Kanno got us two adorable little collared outfits and a little pelican toy. Sophia has great taste!

Then, up at Joey's parent's lake house, the gifts just kept on coming. For Christmas, I got a nursing top and sling from Joey's parents...

and we got our diaper bag, a baby book, and some picture frames from Joey's sister Beth. 

The next day, Joey's family threw us a little family shower with more gifts! Little onesies....

Parenting books...

Frames, blankets, bottle warmers, bouncy chairs, and more! Joey's parent's even got us our stroller and car seat! Thank you all so much! Now, it really is starting to feel real! Now we have to actually find a place to put all this stuff. Time to clean out the closet and make room for baby!

HELLO THIRD TRIMESTER!!!

The new year marked the beginning of the third and final trimester. I'm feeling as big as a house (or a whale as I typically say) and some of the discomfort is setting in. Here is my 28 week photo from early January. 

Baby Jack is quite active these days flipping and rolling all around, and the midwife has us counting kicks every day. I time how long it takes him to move 10 times and record it each night. Most nights that only takes about 2-10 minutes. It's so cool to feel him just rolling around in there all the time. Joey and I are both really enjoying it. 

On Friday we hit 30 weeks, which is an exciting benchmark to me. Only 10 weeks until the due date - the final countdown! 

It's both so close and so far away, but I'm sure it will be here before we know it. Now it's time to get serious about a few last to dos - making pregnant friends (I've joined a meetup and started prenatal yoga), finding childcare (first daycare appointment is tomorrow), deciding about diapers (hoping to do cloth but it will depend on the childcare situation), making room for baby (buying a dresser, cleaning out the closet), starting preparation classes (we have 10 classes scheduled for February!), and buying whatever else we are going to need. 

To end this post, I wanted to do this little question format thing I stole off Elizabeth's blog. (Thanks Elizabeth!) So here goes...

30 WEEK UPDATE
How big is baby? Around 17 in, 3 lbs - now being compared to a cabbage

Total weight gain: At 28 weeks I weighed in at about 22 lbs. I started off so slow (only 8 lbs at 20 weeks) but then it really caught up to me! I think it was the holidays but who knows. I'm hoping the weight gain slows down other wise I'm going to gain 40 lbs or more - I'm targeting under 35. Geez. 

Maternity Clothes?  Yes! I haven't been able to wear my regular pants for some time now - even with the oh so clever hair tie button rig and belly band. I had to buy 2 pairs maternity dress pants for work, a skirt, and 3 pairs of jeans. Finding a good fit is not easy. I've been wearing a mix of maternity shirts and regular shirts (all short sleeved, way too warm all the time for sweaters) but the regular shirts aren't really cutting it anymore. I have to try on 3-4 shirts a morning to find one that pulls over my belly and I'm a little afraid I'm stretching out my clothes... 
  
Stretch Marks? Surprisingly, no. According to current medical opinion, stretch marks are almost entirely genetic and non-preventable. I know that I can get them because I have some from when I lost weight after college, but I haven't gotten any new ones so I don't know. I've been using Samantha's belly oil (available on etsy) which must be helping. And even if it's not, it relieves the constant itching and I like smelling like orange cinnamon rolls everyday! :) 

Exercise: I'm trying. I still try to do kick or step once a week, plus the elliptical trainer once or twice, and one or two walks a week. I haven't really been doing any weight training the last month but I'm going to try to start back up again this week. Exercise really takes it out of me though and I pretty much need a nap right after. Oh, and I'm doing prenatal yoga once a week. I wasn't that good at yoga before being pregnant but it's even harder now! My balance is just not what it used to be. 

Sleep: Most nights are ok, thanks to my Snoogle. My circulation isn't great so I have to flip sides a lot to prevent my legs, hips, arms, and even ears from going numb. I also had a prenatal massage around 26 weeks and that seemed to help. On nights when I really have trouble sleeping, I listen to a relaxation cd that came as a preview of my hypnosis childbirth classes starting next week (more on that in my next update) and that does the trick. Actually I recommend using a relaxation track for anyone with insomnia, works like charm. 

Movement: He is very squirmy! No really hard kicks or jabs just a lot of rolls and flips, at least as far as I can tell. 

Food cravings: Nothing in particular. I was really hoping to have some crazy cravings but it just hasn't happened for me. 

What I miss: Being invited (and actually wanting to go) out with friends. Friday and Saturday nights just aren't the same. I'd love a beer or glass of wine now and then. I also miss vigorous exercise. I love the feeling after a really hard workout and I just can do it anymore. 

What I am looking forward to: Seeing what our little guy looks like and holding him for the first time. It's pretty much all I can think about. 

Milestones: Third trimester, the final countdown!

Say What? People say some interesting things to pregnant women...Some of my favorites:

Cashier at grocery store (when he saw my belly): "Whoa! I wasn't expecting that. You looked so pretty." 

My manager at work: "I can't believe you have 10 weeks left. I don't know how you could possibly get any bigger"

And a conversation between me and Joey:
Me (pouting): "I look like a whale"
Joey: "Yeah, but  a cute whale" 
I love my husband. :)

Sweet moments: I generally don't like to get mushy so I'll just say spending time each evening with Joey holding my belly, waiting to feel the little kicks, and reflecting on how our life is about to change forever. 

Make room for baby: We aren't doing a nursery in this house so this is fairly easy. This weekend I cleaned out a third of our bedroom closet for little Jack and we are investigating shelving options. I'll be excited to decorate his room someday but for now I'm glad we have less to do. 


Ok, so that's it! Less than 10 weeks to go! Look for our next update in another month or so!