36 Weeks

I've reached the stage of my pregnancy where I need help getting my pants on every morning. While everyone else talks of their baby dropping, mine has seemingly climbed all the way back up into my ribs. I swear, the ultrasound technician had to practically ultrasound my boobs yesterday to accurately take head measurements of my breech baby. What can I say? He's a non-conformist. As much as I huff-and-puff like an elderly man trying to stand up off of the couch when it's time for a bathroom break, I'm still so relieved that he's continuing to bake in there and I can even make this entry. For that matter, it's my greatest wish that I can continue to express my levels of discomfort and trouble breathing(/moving/sleeping/sitting/resting/laying, etc.) properly for three more weeks to come. It's funny how that works.

I'm still on bedrest, but I'm getting a little bit more used to it these days. I have a set schedule: my husband drops me and my hospital bag off at my parents house every morning on his way to work. My loving mother dotes on me hand and foot throughout the day while I stare mindlessly at HLN's coverage of the Casey Anthony trial (because, really, it's the only guaranteed constant in my day). At the end of my husband's work day, he picks me and my hospital bag back up and we retreat home where I'm undoubtedly in bed (moaning and groaning in misery and discomfort) and asleep by nine. Nine-thirty at the latest. I'm okay with this schedule.

My husband also finished hanging the window treatments in Ethan's nursery which was the last thing that needed to be done before it was officially considered finished and ready for his arrival. I'll definitely be doing a grand nursery reveal post this weekend! I'm pretty thrilled with how everything turned out and pretty thankful for our desk chair on wheels so that my husband can help me turn it into a makeshift wheelchair to ensure I get to wheel myself around and throw out orders on the proper way to do things. I'm not so sure if my husband is thankful for said desk chair, however...but I digress. The nursery looks awesome and that's what counts.

As for little Ethan the rib-climber, the baby websites are estimating him to be almost 6 pounds this week. We know from our 35-week sizing ultrasound at the perinatologist office that he was already six pounds then so I'm not sure how accurate his size comparison to a crenshaw melon really is. I'm kind of okay with that because, really, I haven't the slightest idea what a crenshaw melon is anyway. They do guess him to be about 18 1/2 inches long which is crazy to think about! He's busy shedding the vernix and the fuzzy body hair that previously adorned his little body...and swallowing them. He's busy growing (estimated 1/2 pound per week at this point) and will be 15% fat when he's born!

When Seeing The Perinatologist Isn't Scary

I'll be honest: pregnancy is scary. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I was scared that something unspeakable would happen. It was all downhill from there. Just when I was cruising along perfectly and getting the hang of it (and maybe even gloating that I enjoyed pregnancy), preeclampsia decided it wanted to spoil any of those positive feelings. Suddenly I was at the almost-end of my first pregnancy, being diagnosed with my nemesis pre-e and being referred to a perinatologist. And the perinatologist? It's scary, too. Well, not my doctor herself -- she's extremely kind, gentle and calm -- but the thought of the perinatologist, or namely the thought that we need one.

Yesterday I saw my regular OB, as I do every Tuesday. My blood pressure was surprisingly low (well, normal, but low for me) and Ethan's heartrate was great. I went home with two jugs to do a 24-hour urine catch (is it bad this no longer even remotely phases me?) and nervously anticipated my second perinatologist visit...which was today. Today, we dropped off my jugs of urine (again, is it bad this no longer phases me?), I had my blood drawn to accompany this test and then we made our way to the perinatologist's office...

...where I sat in the world's most comfortable chair, strapped to a monitor and relaxed. The only thing I had to do is hit the little button each time Ethan moved. No big deal. I can do this.

After the relaxing monitoring session, it was onto the ultrasound session. The larger he gets, the harder it is to see him clearly on ultrasound but we were able to see his little face today. He's still frank breech, but we did get to see a cute profile shot of him sucking on his little fingers and looking happy as a clam in there.

Proud grandmas, in case you're wondering, sit in the lobby texting camera phone pictures of their grandson's ultrasound to everyone we possibly know. (Hi, mom!)

Meeting with the perinatologist today wasn't scary. In fact, it was kind of awesome. That's because she gave me great news...better news than I got last week at that! Depending on the results of my urine testing (which we should expect by Friday or Monday at the very latest), she's pretty confident that I'm going to make it to my 37 week check-ups with my OB and her! Not only is this exciting because it'll mean that I'll have made it to 37 weeks, but it's also pretty exciting because the day after I see my perinatologist next week, I'll be 38 weeks! I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but when the perinatologist gives you "a 10 out of 10" on your progress, it feels pretty good. And it's hard not to puff yourself up and start thinking all sorts of optimistic thoughts that you had pushed to the back of your mind previously.

I'm trying to keep my feet on the ground and accept that things could change. My urine results could come back atrocious, things could flare up and my pre-e could head into overdrive...but right now I'm enjoying the fact that these things could also not happen. Right now I'm enjoying the fact that my perinatologist feels confident I'll make it to my 37 week check-ups which is initially when I was predicted to have to deliver. I'll soak up the optimism while I can.


The bad news is that it's hot as hell in Florida these days. Maybe I'm a little late to the party, but I'm also on bedrest (and suddenly quite thankful for that). The ridiculous heat paired with my flared up, pre-e swelling-of-doom was not helping along my day of needle pricks, pee jugs and nerve-wracking appointments.

I came home swollen like I've never been swollen before but...it was worth it. Because the good news? WORTH IT. Knowing that I'm kind of kicking preeclampsia's ass with my intense bedresting? SO WORTH IT. Knowing that 37 or even 38 weeks aren't totally unattainable after all? Do I have to say it again? Okay, I will: WORTH IT.



(Yes, those are chicken breasts. We were out of ice packs...they were keeping my urine cool in a cooler. Yes, this is the glamorous side of pregnancy in so many ways.)

Ethan Watch 2011 Is Officially On

As you can see from the photo to the left, I'm back to my faithful bed-resting position (or couch-resting, as it is) but I am sporting a nice L&D wristband. I could have taken it off last night when I went home but my mind was too busy sputtering everywhere and having miniature freak-outs that it didn't cross my mind until my aunt asked me about it this morning. I had noticed a very slight amount of spotting after urinating last night and decided to call my doctor to play it safe, as I've been told over and over to not play around with preeclampsia. As I was waiting his call back, I started getting this surge of discomfort in my pelvic area. My doctor called back (from his cell phone on his way into the hospital because he's that awesome) and told me he was on-call at the hospital so to come in and sit on the monitor for a while. The monitor showed that Ethan was awesome...but it also showed that I was having contractions. Remember that surge of discomfort that I mentioned feeling? Halfway to the hospital, it morphed into these super painful contractions. (I should also note that I have no pain tolerance whatsoever and was not in actual labor.) Due to the preeclampsia and the fact I'll be 36 weeks along on Thursday, the doctor doesn't want to do anything to stop my labor. Labor. The word almost knocked me off of my feet as, as silly as this sounds, it's not something I even thought about given the fact I had my c-section scheduled so early on. I never remotely anticipated going into labor or that it would be possible for me to go into labor.

I'm not in actual labor now, but as the nurse said as she hugged me on my way out: "expect this baby any day now!" I had just wrapped my mind around the fact the perinatologist gave me a 37-39 week window for delivery but "any day now" was a whole 'nother shock altogether. Since waking up this morning, I've had no more spotting and no contractions but I'm still so nervous, anxious, impatient-and-yet-still-wouldn't-be-sad-if-this-baby-baked-a-little-bit-longer. Every new bump or thump or flutter in my belly, I find myself going "WHAT WAS THAT?!" and trying to analyze it into oblivion.

Since we can expect Ethan any day now (it still gets me every time!), my hospital bag is officially finished and waiting to go. After hounding my friends with children for suggestions, I finally managed to finish compiling everything thanks to the help of my husband. (Let's just say that yesterday's L&D visit helped me give him that kick to hurry and get everything done!)


1. Boppy pillow and my Emily's Garden cover.
2. Cord blood and cord tissue banking kit from CBR.
3. Nursing bras from Anita.
4. Ethan's super special Peter Rabbit baby book from my friend, Rhiannon, in New Zealand.
5. Always pads, though I suppose these are self-explanatory.
6. Nursing nightgowns (since I'm a c-section, I'm pretty wary about pajama pants and opted to go the nightgown route for the hospital).
7. Granny panties that start nice and high over my incision. Attractive, no?
8. Maternity sundress to wear home from the hospital.
9. Earth Mama & Angel Baby's Nipple Butter.
10. Lansinoh nursing pads.
11. Earth Mama & Angel Baby's Boobie Tubes.
12. Episencial's Body Butter.
13. EOS Lip Balm.
14. Hair ties.
15. Warm, fuzzy socks.
16. Make-up, because I am determined to look fabulous in these post-baby pictures. Yes, be prepared to laugh at my silly pre-baby goals when I note afterward how the eyeliner never came out of the bag.
17. Flip-flops for the shower.
18. Cell phone and charger...with all of our important phone numbers (pediatrician, cord blood registry, etc.) saved into our phones.
19. Travel-sized toiletries.
20. Gluten-free snacks for my Celiac husband because he in no way benefits from the food and snacks the hospital provides.
21. Camera and charger.
22. CD's with my super-relaxing music playlists.
23. Ethan's coming home outfit.
24. Ethan's custom newborn beanie for his hospital stay, which was a gift from our friend Victoria @ Adventures In Mommyhood.

Phew.

So, really, we're...ready? Ready or not, Ethan perhaps is ready to come? Maybe?

35 Weeks & Appointment With The Perinatologist

Today I'm 35 weeks and am currently feeling quite relieved after all of my anxiety towards having to see the perinatologist today. I was referred by my primary OB on Tuesday to see a perinatologist today to deal with my preeclampsia issue. We're still waiting on results from my latest 24-hour urine test (which will hopefully be back tomorrow) but my doctor wanted to be sure that I was checked out immediately by a perinatologist. I went into this appointment with the overwhelming anxiety that she would tell me to get in the car, drive to the hospital and they were going to have to deliver my baby right this minute. I've been dealing with fear of a pushed-up delivery since this began and when my OB admitted this was very much a possibility during my last visit, I've let the worry kind of consume my little world.

But, luckily, I only have good things to say. My pressure was great at 117/78 and Ethan looked great on ultrasound. He's super active with a fantastic heartrate and my fluid levels are perfect. We're still waiting, like I mentioned, on my latest urine results to come back but based on everything the perinatologist did today (did I mention we were there for 3 1/2 hours?!) and my time on the monitor, she's confident that my delivery window will be between 37-39 weeks.

This means a lot of things. My first thought was a deep sense of relief that she wasn't horrified by her findings and rushing me over to the hospital to deliver right now. 37-39 weeks is a window that I will definitely take and accept! As I was running it through my mind, I realized that 37 weeks is only two weeks from today. Two weeks! It's a possibility that I may have little Ethan here in two weeks! Of course, I'm pushing for as close to 39 weeks as possible but it's still a great relief to know that he's not being pressured to make his big debut right this minute.

As far as a future gameplan, I have to see my primary OB weekly and I also have to see the perinatologist weekly. Together they'll keep tabs on the sneaky pre-e and work on week-by-week estimations on how long he'll stay in utero. I've got a great medical team behind me and I'm just trying to remember that whenever I get nervous. Today, at least, I can focus on the fact that I was given a 37-39 week window which is all I can possibly ask for at the moment.

As for Ethan, we learned today that he's weighing in at 6 pounds! That's a bit bigger than the 5 1/2 pound estimates from the baby websites, who also estimate him to be around 18 inches long. We got to watch him swallowing and practice his breathing on ultrasound today which was pretty cool to see. His kidneys are fully developed now and his liver is processing waste. Most of his physical development has been completed and now he's just working on gaining weight. Gain away, Ethan!

34 Weeks

So sometime between last week and this week, my baby belly exploded! I woke up this morning and noticed it. I wonder how much bigger it can possibly get over the next five weeks?! Poor Ethan is still running out of room in there.

I'm still on bedrest but it's gotten a bit better this week (and a special shout-out to my weekly visitors, Mike and Nea!). My aunt Fran is visiting from Pennsylvania for my baby shower this weekend so instead of walling myself up in a bedroom, I've moved my bedrest station to my mom's living room couch. This has given me the opportunity to visit with family and still remain all laid out and capable of doing absolutely nothing. It definitely helps lift the morale a bit.

Ethan should be around 18 inches long and weighing as much as a standard cantaloupe. His fat layers are filling out and, as we saw from our 3D ultrasound yesterday, he's quite chunky already! His lungs and nervous system are busy continuing to mature. The lanugo that covered Ethan is pretty much gone and instead he should be covered in vernix. Instead of relying solely on the placenta, Ethan's immune system is strengthening and gaining some antibodies on his own!

Don't forget to enter the EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm giveaway!

3D/4D Ultrasound

My aunt Fran flew in from Pennsylvania today for our baby shower this upcoming weekend. We (my mom, my husband and myself) picked her up from the airport and surprised her with a trip to 4D Picture Perfect in Fort Lauderdale. The last 3D ultrasound we had was back at around 20 weeks and I was so excited to see how much Ethan grew now at 33 weeks, 6 days!

Sure enough, he looked like an actual baby in there! He's gigantic and running out of room (sorry, kid! Your mom is only 5'0"!) and so cute! He's still frank breech but since I'm already scheduled for a c-section, no one is concerned. We were still able to get great pictures of him regardless of his positioning and it was so cool to see which features he inherited from me and which he inherited my husband (because, whatever, you can totally tell!). If you're wondering, we've decided he had my nose and chin and my husband's lips and (huge) feet!

33 Weeks

It's so hard to believe I'm already 33 weeks! I'm still dutifully obeying the rules of bedrest while trying to remain productive from under the covers. I've been pretty distraught that we'd have to miss our childcare and breastfeeding classes at the hospital but today I was able to schedule a private class from the comfort of our couch! I thought it was pretty cool that one of the teachers from our hospital class was willing to do this for us once I explained my situation with bedrest (and once she heard the first-time-parent panic in my voice, I'm sure) next Tuesday afternoon. I've also been plugging along at my soothing hospital music playlist and making a to-buy-and-to-pack list for my husband to tackle in terms of our hospital bag. If you ever want to feel totally useless and lifeless, rely on someone else to do your basic errands: groceries, Target runs, packing your hospital bag. I simply sit and supervise from my feet-remaining-elevated position on the couch and occasionally bark out orders that my husband doesn't feel compelled to listen to. (You should see the way he stocked our changing table. It makes me cringe to look at and not be able to fix a damn thing right now!)

Actually, I can't truthfully complain about anyone in my life right now. I feel a little guilty that my family members and husband have all somehow been recruited as my waitstaff. Not that I'm having the time of my life stuck within the confines of a bedroom and relying on everyone else to get a drink of water or slices of watermelon from the refrigerator for me. I'm starting to feel like a bridge-dwelling troll of some sort and starting to resemble one, too. My ideal day isn't exactly one trapped indoors in an old tank-top and a pair of my husband's high school gym shorts. I swear it.

Ethan is doing great, though, and that's really all that matters. He had me up for most of the night kicking at and bouncing on my bladder but I can't complain when he's active, even if it's at four in the morning. I know that someday soon I'll miss feeling his little tugs, kicks and jabs causing havoc on my insides. The pregnancy websites are saying that he should be a little more than four pounds, but I know from my ultrasound last week that he's probably about five pounds by now. He should be losing his wrinkled look as his skeleton continues to develop and harden.

This week, Ethan's respiratory system is mostly mature. That's pretty great news although, of course, I'm still banishing him to stay put where he is for a few more weeks. Ethan can detect light and tell the difference between day or night, though I don't know how much he's able to hone those skills when we're trapped indoors like we are. My favorite prenatal fact of the week would be that his pupils can dilate and constrict in response to light!

Good News All Around.

Today marked my one week of bedrest. My appointment with my OB brought great news: apparently bedrest is working. "Signs of preeclampsia" has remained as such and didn't morph itself into actual preeclampsia which is, of course, a fabulous thing. My baby shower is still on and I'm just to continue on as I have been because it's working. That's what I like to hear! I also don't have to return for another two weeks which makes me feel more like a normal third trimester mom-to-be instead of someone with something to worry about. With that good news brought to the table, I promise to (try my hardest) not to complain about being on bedrest again. I can handle six or seven weeks of laying around in bed. I can do this.

We also got an ultrasound today which revealed that Ethan is sporting a ton of hair:

Not that I'm surprised, of course. My husband and I both emerged from the womb looking like monkies!

He's still measuring a bit ahead, with most of his measurements fitting in more with 34 weeks (I'm 32 weeks and 4 days) but that's okay. He weighs 4 pounds, 12 ounces and is still breech! Not that he needs to feel any pressure to flip since I already have my c-section scheduled for other unavoidable reasons so he can remain however he is comfortable -- as long as he remains in there and remains comfortably!

My doctor also gave me the good news that my husband and I can go out to dinner this evening. This is added good news because today is our two-year wedding anniversary!

I can't believe it's already been two years and that on this day, two years after our wedding, we were sitting in a doctor's office looking at an ultrasound of our little boy!

All of this good news in addition to seeing Ethan on ultrasound is by far the greatest anniversary gift possible! Being able to break bedrest to go to dinner with my husband to celebrate? Just icing on the cake. (Not to be all stereotypically pregnant but cake sounds so good right now.)

Breaking Bedrest (Doctor Approved!)

This whole pregnancy, I've been guilty of complaining and moaning about having to put any effort into my appearance. Make-up? Hair? Clothing other than my husband's t-shirt and my underwear? No, thanks. Not happening. It's funny how a week (okay, not even) of bedrest will change that. When I wasn't allowed to go anywhere other than the couch or the bed, suddenly I missed going out in public and all that came with it (i.e. making myself look somewhat presentable).

When my doctor gave me the okay to keep my haircut appointment and my maternity portraits today, it felt like such a treat! Originally, we had planned this great outdoors-y maternity shoot for this evening with our favorite photographer, Debra Weisheit, in Jupiter. Unfortunately, one of the rules of breaking bedrest was not a free-for-all pass to do all sorts of crazy things like hike through parks on a photographic adventure. At first I was admittedly distraught but Debra is awesome and we moved our session to the studio. We've been lucky enough to work with Debra on so many occasions now -- including our wedding -- and we're obviously going to use her for photographic purposes from here to eternity. So why not save the great outdoors-y photo session for a family shoot when Ethan is here, right? Right.

There were last-minute problems that bedrest made impossible to tackle (i.e. our "outdoors-y outfits" were the only ones we had purchased) but Debra, like always, came through. We ended up having a great session in the comfort of her air-conditioned, indoor studio and I was able to break free of the bedrest to make our maternity pictures a reality. And, not going to lie, it's kind of nice after being tucked away in a dark house for a week to get out and feel pretty (and pregnant)!

A sneak preview from Debra's Facebook:


(And, duh, as if you need to ask...I will definitely be sharing the full set of photographs with you when they're up!)

32 Weeks

Today marks 32 weeks and my 4th day of bedrest. I've finally come to an understanding with the bedrest issue and have been trying to just take it for what it is and not add extra worry or stress to it. Which isn't to say I'm not going completely stir-crazy laying in bed all day long, but I digress. I've accepted the fact that aside from bathroom trips (and to snap my 32 week belly photo), my place is planted in bed. Or, you know, my mom's bed. (Sorry, mom!) I also couldn't do it without the support and encouragement that I've received from friends, family and all of you guys out there in "the blog world." As insignificant as it sounds, I just wanted to say thank you for all of the encouragement and support I've received between comments, e-mails, phone calls, text messages...you're all awesome. Thank you!

The only other bits of news I have would be that my husband has come down with some icky sore-throat sickness of doom that I want no part of. That said, he brought me over my Snoogle and a bag of some of my things and I've officially checked into the hotel that is my parents house until his germs are 100% gone. (Time for another "sorry, mom!") In a bit of better news, my doctor did clear me to keep my haircut appointment tomorrow morning. Not that sitting in a salon chair and getting my hair chopped off is strenuous physical activity in any way, but it will still be nice to venture out of the house -- even if I'll still be seated the entire time when I reach my destination. A change of scenery will definitely be welcome even if I'm still planted in a chair.

As for little Ethan, he should be somewhere around 16 inches and around 4 pounds. We have an ultrasound scheduled on Monday to get his updated measurements so we'll soon learn how accurate the guesstimated measurements are. His skin should be wrinkly (and cute!) with more vernix coating it, preparing him for delivery. He could even gain up to two pounds by the end of the 8th month of my pregnancy! Even though his bones still haven't fully hardened and are a bit soft, his skeleton is fully formed. His head should be coated with hair which I am eager to see if we can pick up on ultrasound! My husband and I both were born with enough hair to make wigs for every bald baby in the tri-county area, so I'm curious if Ethan inherited that trait.

Also pretty cool this week? Ethan has developed a sense of temperature! If I were to put a hot compress on my belly, chances are he'd try to kick at it. But, please, I'm hot enough with the air cranked down to 71 degrees (no, really, I'm dripping in sweat) so we'll keep the hot compresses as far away as possible.

And with that, it's back to my resting place...


...also known as the room I hijacked from my poor parents! Those are my water bottles on the nightstand, my bag of stuff (and my Snoogle) across the bed, my clothes hanging from the bedpost and more of my stuff strewn about everywhere. When this is all over, I'm pretty sure I owe my parents a vacation.

As I type this, Ethan is busy kicking up a storm. Maybe that's his way of saying he's totally cool with the bedrest thing. And, um, hopefully he's not learning too much from the Real Housewives episodes I've been admittedly watching way too many of on OnDemand.

& Then There Was Bed Rest.

I debated making this post yesterday but, to be honest, I haven't been able to wrap my mind around the entire incident. My mind still isn't fully there and I feel sort of trapped in some kind of fog but here it goes: as of yesterday morning, I've been put on bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. Positive-thinking friends and family members have pointed out that it's only 7 weeks (as of Thursday) and that I should enjoy this as my final time of rest and relaxation before it's gone forever. And, yes, I'm sure it's true there are worse things to do than lay in bed while being served snacks and drinks, watching Roseanne and a non-stop marathon of films on the Sundance channel. Still, though, my mind is consumed with worry. Please read "worry" as "terror" and it's a more accurate description of my current mental state.

The reason for the bed rest is because I started spilling protein in my urine. At first it was within the normal ranges -- but on the high end of normal -- and then it made it's way over to the high end in general. With words like "preeclampsia" dancing on the horizon, I'm trying my best just to stay calm. Calm and collected. Enjoying watching Detroit Rock City while eating my mom's freshly cooked pudding. However, all I can really think about are my now weekly doctor appointments, all of the monitoring in my future and the fact that all of that monitoring is to make sure there is nothing wrong with the little boy inside my belly who I have grown to love more than I could ever love anyone ever. The very notion that there is a problem, that my body is failing him, it's unsettling. Being told that this happens to many first time mothers without rhyme or reason, that there was nothing I could have done differently or nothing I can do to stop it makes me feel even more frustrated and helpless. There's nothing I can do from here. I can't just hold him and protect him and make the problems go away. I'm stuck laying in bed, trying to ignore the horror stories of others involving steroid shots and lung development and preeclampsia and uncontrollable bleeding during c-sections. I'm stuck in bed resisting the urge to Google (like I promised my wonderful doctor I would) and trying to find solace in Partridge Family reruns and carrot sticks served to me bedside by my doting mother.

I'm stuck laying in bed trying to relax but really just waiting to feel him kick or stretch or hiccup in there every single second so I can be assured that he's okay. Because, really, nothing else in the world matters at this point. Nothing at all.

While my husband works, I've "moved in" to my parents house during the daytime hours. I've planted myself in my parents bed (see photo at bottom right) while my wonderful mom runs all of my errands. She buys my cat litter, she buys our groceries, she makes impromptu stops at the maternity store to surprise me with comfortable loungewear and nursing clothing (what you see hanging in the photo at the bottom right). My mom runs around all day long between taking my sister to school, dance, tutoring and all of her other SuperMom duties and now she's added another one to the mix: taking care of me as I lay in her bed absolutely miserable.

I'm managing to write this entry now because my spirits have been lifted thanks to the love and support from my awesome friends and family. Today my good friend, Nea, stopped by to visit me. She brought me the beautiful flowers that you see in the other photos. We had lunch and she hung out in bed with me for a few hours. I was able to have a conversation and spend time with my super thoughtful friend and, really, by the time she left I felt like a whole new, happy person -- a total switch from yesterday (and this morning, even). Today my cousin, Mike, also stopped by to visit me on his way from his internship to his next job further down south. Laying in bed and this time being surrounded by visitors made all of the difference in the world.

Between friends and family, it's safe to say that I'm an extremely lucky person.

And so somehow, I suppose, I will get through this. I will dutifully remain in bed. I will dutifully attend my once-a-week doctor appointments for monitoring. And I will be brave for Ethan...because that's really all I can do at this point. Just force myself to be brave for Ethan.

31 Weeks (& One Day)

I actually just didn't get around to composing this entry yesterday but we can lie and blame the lateness of this entry on Blogger being down (which I just found out that it has been). What you see is what you get in today's belly photo...and that is that I am not getting out of my pajamas all day! No way, no how!

Yesterday was a mess involving enough grossness that even I, the "there is no such thing as TMI" extraordinaire, am too grossed out to reiterate again. It ended in an impromptu visit to my doctor's office where I was told I have pregnancy-induced lactose intolerance, as can sometimes happen at this point in pregnancy. I'm supposed to stay off dairy through Monday to see if my problem resolves itself...which I'm pretty confident it will, since it's just shy of 24 hours that I've been off dairy and already I'm feeling a thousand times better. I'm not taking this potential diagnosis very well considering I'm already allergic to soy/soymilk and my husband has Celiac disease (thus a gluten intolerance) so my House Of Food Allergies has just gotten that much more complicated. I'm also not sure how I'm supposed to live without dairy. It's kind of the biggest staple in my diet.

Life goes on, however. Eight weeks until my c-section! Ethan has started measuring big (we have an ultrasound on May 23rd to take some new measurements) but I'm hoping he holds out for those eight weeks. Ethan's bassinet was delivered yesterday and is now joining the ranks of big boxes cluttering up my living room because time is in such short supply and there is just so much that needs to be done and set up (eight measly weeks -- ack!).

As for little (or not-so-little, as it turns out) Ethan, his lungs are developing like crazy this week! From now on, they'll be able to inflate properly. His ears are developed fully, inside and out. Ethan's skin should also be cute little baby pink now instead of red and he's busy producing all of that cute baby fat underneath his skin. Ethan should now be urinating about half a liter per day, as he's busily drinking the amniotic fluid. Now that spacing is becoming harder to come by, Ethan's arms and legs are pulled closer to his body. He's also developed all five senses now! He's so busy in there. He's also pretty awesome in general. :)

30 Weeks

Today marks 30 weeks! I'm not sure why this feels like such an exciting milestone but it just does. It also marks exactly nine weeks until my c-section. Nine measly weeks until Ethan will be here! I feel like there's still so much left to do (probably because there is) around the house and in the nursery but I'm refusing to let myself panic about it. We'll see how well that goes.

I'm feeling gigantic and uncomfortable. Sleeping even remotely through the night is a long-ago memory. If I'm not getting up to pee a hundred times, I'm getting up in sheer discomfort. That third trimester exhaustion has definitely kicked in but I'm trying my best to still get in my daily swimming (which is sometimes rendering impossible thanks to those horrible Florida storms).

An exciting milestone was that we turned in our pre-registration forms at our hospital. Not only does Ethan have a "happy birthday appointment" on July 7th, but he has a file and a pediatrician and all of these other things that make it feel so incredibly real!

Ethan should be around 14-17 inches long and should weigh about 3 pounds. His lungs and digestive tract are fully developed and functional now! His eyes can open and close in there and he can differentiate between darkness and light. Vision is still developing and won't be too keen for quite some time after his birth. The bone-marrow is completely in charge of red blood cell production now. Ethan is losing his lanugo and is better able to regulate his body temperature.

29 Weeks

In The Summer Is When You Really Know - Jets To Brazil
As I was getting ready to make my weekly "baby progress" entry, I realized that I have exactly 10 weeks before my c-section. 10 measly weeks until Ethan gets here! That seems like such a short period of time and I'm just struck with total disbelief. Yesterday I felt as if I'd been pregnant forever and today? Today I'm trying to figure out how there are only ten weeks left!

I've pretty much started living everything listed under the "possible side effects during the third trimester" category, from the indigestion problems to mood swings to sciatica. I'm incredibly thankful that edema has remained out of the picture and I haven't gotten to experience the joys of swelling just yet! I've definitely felt myself slowing down after the second trimester energy spike that I got to experience. This means that I've once again stopped caring about my hair or if I'm wearing any make-up. I'm feeling apathetic, lethargic and too pregnant to care about those things right now.

Ethan is estimated to measure anywhere from 14-15 inches at this point which is compared this week to a loaf of bread! (That just seems so gigantic to me!) He should weigh about 2 2/3 pounds or somewhere in that general vicinity. His head is growing and brain development is continuing rapidly this week!

I was really excited to read that he can now differentiate between sounds he's hearing in there instead of just hearing mumbles. The stories we read, the music we listen to, the "everyday sounds of life" at this point will all be recognizable now to Ethan once he's born! Ethan's heart rhythm also speeds up when he hears familiar voices, like those of his parents. Aww! This just may be my favorite "baby progress" paragraph ever so far!

Ethan should be less hyperactive now (debatable!) but hungry as ever and always wanting more food. This is apparently going to leave me feeling tired (check) and hungry (check) all of the time. This trimester, 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited into Ethan's skeleton each day!

28 Weeks (Hello, 3rd Trimester)

Hello, third trimester! I'm welcoming the leg cramps and the persistent heartburn because I passed my one-hour glucose test so nothing in the world can get me down. Our nursery progress has begun, our baby shower invitations are almost in the mail, we completed our hospital tour, our babymoon is scheduled, my car has been given a "mommy make-over" to make it ready and safe for baby, our maternity photos have been scheduled...I'm feeling quite accomplished these days. It's a nice switch from rendering myself absolutely useless.

This week, Ethan is supposedly the size of both a cinnamon-sugar churro (that'd be about 15-16 inches) and a Chinese cabbage. (We'll take the churro over here, please.) His little brain is developing billions of neurons and he's adding lots and lots of body fat! His eyesight is developing rapidly. I thought it was kind of cool that he may even be able to detect light that filters through. He's blinking his little eyes -- which now have color! I'm sure he'll inherit his dad's brown eyes (so long to my blue-green eyes) but it's all just guesswork right now. Apparently his eye color isn't considered permanent until he's around 9 months old!

27 Weeks & This Is What I've Been Reduced To

Today I'm 27 weeks along. I'd apologize for how frumpy I look but the truth is I've been even frumpier than that today (yes, this is possible and no, I have not brushed my hair today). I simply threw on real clothes for the sake of snapping a photo and then went back to my lack of pants and my husband's old t-shirt.

I know it's a big old debate whether or not the third trimester begins this week or next, but I'm choosing to celebrate the joys of the home stretch next week. This is for a couple of reasons. One being because my husband isn't going to be able to put together Ethan's furniture until this upcoming weekend. The fact that his room is still nothing but a storage center (albeit with appropriately colored walls now) would make me cringe and have seizures if it was the third trimester (as in, HOW IS THIS NOT DONE BY NOW?!). The other reason is because today and tomorrow are generally unpleasant days.

Why? Well, take a look into my 'fridge.


Smack in the center is a jug where I'm to collect my own urine for 24 hours. It's even more demeaning than it sounds because I have to urinate into a red plastic Solo cup (browsing the college Facebook albums of former friends is that much funnier now, I must admit) and then pour it into the jug that is then placed back into my refrigerator. Where it sits nuzzled between my milk and my glucose drink.

(As I snapped this photograph, my husband asked if I was really showing this disgusting photograph to the world. Like, hello, how long has he known me? And he thinks I have shame?)

After a full day of playing Water Works with my pee, I get to wake up and drink that god-forsaken glucose drink and then drive to my doctor's office to have my blood drawn. Talk about absolutely nothing at the end of that rainbow but pain and misery.

I kid you not, this glucose test was the thing I was dreading most about pregnancy since before I was even pregnant. I don't know why. You can tell me "it's not that bad!" until you're blue in the face but in my mind it'll still be like drinking nails chased with Drano-flavored Cyanide. When I found out I'd have to kick off the celebratory sugar rush with a refrigerated urine-in-a-jug fest, my dread only grew. (If you're wondering, it's because I have anxiety disorder and so while I don't have high blood pressure, sometimes my readings are through the roof if I'm mid-anxiety attack. This is a blood pressure safety precaution that probably does nothing but make me feel more anxious and slightly deranged!)

My husband, though, is working from home today and tomorrow so he can be here with me while I bite my nails down and worry to the point of sleeplessness about what happens if the glucose drink sends me into a coma or I pee so much that I fill up the jug that blocks the way to his beloved orange juice. I'm not the only one having a total blast of it, see:

(That's the look I get each time I ponder a new conspiracy that the glucose drink is working on.)

Urination and red, sugary poison aside, let's talk about something cuter. Like little Ethan and what he's up to this week!

Ethan is approximately the size of a head of cauliflower (14 or 15 inches long). I know from my appointment yesterday that he weighs two pounds, seven ounces! He's sleeping and waking regularly now (with the "waking" occurring at midnight, of course) and has his set little routine in there. He's opening and closing his eyes, too, which is pretty awesome. Since so much brain tissue has been developing, Ethan's little brain is quite active in there! His lungs and immune system are busy maturing, but let's hope he stays right where he is for 12 more weeks!

26 Weeks

Today marks 26 weeks (and my apologies about the phone picture but my camera cord is being borrowed at the moment).

It's been a busy week around here after a traveling weekend but a lot of great things have happened! For starters, after more pediatrician interviews I'm excited to say we chose an awesome pediatrician for Ethan! We've also booked our maternity photos for May 22nd (the day before our two year wedding anniversary) and yesterday met with the baker who is doing the baby shower cake. All of these little things here and there make it feel so much more real that Ethan's arrival really isn't too far away now! I'm also over the moon because after a few months of work-induced hell, my husband is tackling Ethan's nursery this weekend. In fact, Ethan's crib was just delivered thirty minutes ago. Too much excitement at once!

As for little Ethan, he's the size of an English Hothouse Cucumber this week...about 14 inches and weighing 1 1/3 pounds. The nerves within his ears are developed more than before which means he gets to be a little yenta in there and listen to my conversations! His inhalation and exhalation skills are becoming top-notch as he practices on small amounts of amniotic fluid. He's practicing for those first gulps of air when he makes his grand arrival. Over the next two to three days, his testicles are also decreasing into his scrotum! (How's that for my first bit of parental embarrassment?)

Ethan's eyes, though still shut, are fully developed now! He can register things like light and sound, which is pretty cool.

Don't forget to enter the KUSH Support giveaway which closes on April 12th!

25 Weeks

At this point, the 3rd trimester is so close I can feel it! That scares me on quite a few levels. One being that it feels like just yesterday we found out that I was pregnant and the other being that I quite like feeling this little guy rumble around in my belly. Which isn't to say I can't wait to meet him (because it's essentially all I think about!) but I quite like our baby-in-belly bonding time.

Pregnancy qualms and complaints are dwindling done to nothing major. Heartburn that feels like I've swallowed fire and leg cramps that wake me up in the middle of the night with tears in my eyes but, other than that, nothing new or worse. Which I can deal with. Really, I can.

As for little (or, really, not-so-little) Ethan, he is the size of an eggplant this week!

He's developing his baby fat and also readily growing hair! I'm curious if he'll end up with his dad's Cory Matthews hair (fingers crossed for Shawn Hunter's locks instead, please!). Little capillaries forming inside are giving Ethan a healthy and pink glow. His blood vessels are also forming in his lungs, too! He's soaking up antibodies and getting his tough little immune system ready for the big, scary world outside of the womb. His eyes are forming, too! It's almost time to start blinking.

Also pretty cool: Ethan is so aware of his hands and spends a great deal of his time groping around in the darkness in there. His brain and nerve endings are developed so that he can feel the sensation of touch! His nostrils have cleared out and he's actually mastered breathing through his nose. Pretty awesome, right?

On a more complex note (is all of this really happening right inside of my belly?), Ethan's spine is made up of 150 joints, 33 rings and over 1,000 ligaments.

It sounds like a very busy time for little Ethan in there! He's so awesome.

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I'm also proud to announce that my husband and I have selected Ethan's "coming home form the hospital" outfit. I figure this is our one time to completely doll up the baby for his grand initial photoshoot before we change him back into his layette gowns the second we walk in our door for the first time.



Totally precious, despite the fact I can envision my mother cringing at this very moment. (Hi, mom!)

Do the newborn DC's not make you just MELT? Come on, you know they do. I'm totally melting.

24 Weeks

Today is 24 weeks and, if it's anything like last week, I'm loving this second trimester/end of the second trimester thing. I no longer require naps to function properly and have found myself able to run errands without breaking down in tears from the discomfort and stress. (Not that pregnancy made me melodramatic or anything.) Everything has truly been fantastic as my belly has gotten bigger and Ethan's kicks have gotten stronger and more regular, not to mention able to be felt from the outside now.

Strangers have been stopping me to ask "boy or girl?" or how far along I am or, even, to simply wish me a congratulations in passing. I'm loving every second of that and for people to no longer be wondering "bloated or pregnant?" and having everyone be too unsure or nervous to say something. My belly is a free-for-all now with the ladies who work at the grocery store always wanting to touch it and, not going to lie, I kind of love it.

We've started interviewing pediatricians for Ethan and met with our first yesterday. I absolutely loved her so I'm hoping this doesn't end up being a difficult decision. Our next interview with another office is on the 5th. We've also signed up for our birthcare pavilion tour at the hospital and are now choosing our prenatal and breastfeeding courses offered by the hospital. It's all just one sign after another how real things are becoming and how quickly it's getting here!

As for little Ethan, it's an exciting time for him in there, too. He's approximately the size of an ear of corn or a foot-long hotdog (both of which sound delicious at the moment, I won't lie). He's gained about four ounces since last week. He's about to start plumping up and getting all of that cute baby fat! His brain is growing quickly and his taste buds are rapidly developing. Little Ethan's lungs are in the process of developing respiratory tree "branches" as well as surfactant, which helps his air sacs inflate upon birth.

Ethan officially has little eyelashes, which are finishing formation this week! His ears are fully functional now, too. His inner ear is fully developed which means he also has his sense of balance.

23 Weeks

Today marks 23 weeks and I still can't believe how quickly it's all flying by. A couple of pregnancy websites suggested that I would very soon be welcoming the always lovely swelling of the feet and, yes, the past few nights I've definitely had the pleasure. Not to jinx it, but I'm otherwise doing awesomely. If busy season decides to give back my accountant husband, we may even begin to tackle the nursery soon.

This week, Ethan is still being compared (size-wise) to a papaya for the second week in a row. Other comparisons are to a Harry Potter book and a large mango. I think we'll stick with the double dose of papaya!

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and got to take a peek at little Ethan. He's weighing in at 1 pound, 6 ounces!



Some really cool things are going on in there this week. Ethan has developed his sense of movement which means he can feel me move around. He's developing blood vessels in his lungs to prepare him for breathing and his ears are able to pick up outside sounds. Ethan's fat production is working hard this week and he's expected to double in weight over the next month! His skin is becoming less and less see-through these days, too, and his body-to-head ratio is becoming more and more proportionate.

We begin interviewing pediatricians (appointments already made!) over the next couple of weeks and everything is starting to feel more and more real.