Final Pregnancy Days

Today could be the very last full day of being pregnant (and not being in labor) for me. I cannot believe it! I have been so thankful to be able to experience pregnancy and have really loved it. Yes, I felt exhausted at the beginning and have had heartburn for months on end, but I've also been able to see my belly grow and feel and watch Baby Girl BH moving around inside of me. It has just been the best. I'm a little sad for it to be over but am eager to meet our little one!

A few final pregnancy notes and stats:

Weight gained: 28 pounds

Cravings: apparently those will forever and always be tater tots and potatoes in general. Sabra hummus def tops the list, too. I've also always up for Ramen at our local spot, Doodles.

Symptoms: a bit more belly and back soreness over the last couple of weeks, heartburn, a little less energy, sweating.

What I miss: sleeping on my stomach, sleeping without having to go to the bathroom several times a night.

Thanks to all of our friends and family who have been such wonderful supporters through these 9 months. Know we appreciate it and love y'all!

Now let's have a baby!!!

Fun Facts

Here are some fun facts about the current state of my pregnancy.

• I now sound like an old person when I bend over. *grunt*
• Bending over is getting to be challenging. I have to squat to pick thing up now.
• The heat is really starting to get to me. Too much time in it takes all the energy right out of me.
• The heat makes me swell. If I'm out in it for too long my feet and hands look like those of a Cabbage Patch doll.
• It feels amazing to get belly rubs. They are great to relax my middle and help me sleep at night. (Thanks, Jeff!)
• Still getting up early to walk in the mornings. These walks make me feel good and I appreciate Jeff getting up to take them with me.
• I still love being pregnant.

Baby Face

On Friday Jeff and I went in for another targeted ultrasound followed by a check up with our nurse practitioner. Baby Girl BH is doing great! Her growth is in the healthy/normal range, which is always so comforting to hear. During the session, the tech was able to capture a picture of our little girl's face straight on. This is a first for us! We saw her yawning, which was absolutely adorable. We recognize that ultrasound pics are a little creepy, but we were still excited to get the one posted here. Can you make out her face?

The tech also told us she has some hair on her little head. She also pointed out which body parts were where, giving me more of an idea of what bits of her I can feel by touching my belly. Right now she is head down. Let's hope that is a position she likes for August!

Our check up went well, too. These appointments have all been good, thanks to a great nurse practitioner (who is hilarious) and a really wonderful and personable doctor. Here are some stats at what was the 32w2d mark...

Pounds gained: 25 pounds

Cravings: still with the potatoes of any kind. I think I have a problem! A tasty, tasty problem.

Movements: I've been getting more action in my side than before. Sometimes it feels like it is a pair of feet pushing out. I do love the movements, no matter what they are.

Symptoms: Heart burn is still present, but I'm just going to go ahead and expect that to be part of life until after the baby.

Sleep: Meh. Sometimes it's ok, sometimes it's interrupted with frequent bathroom trips and adjustments in position. I've also caught myself snoring a couple times (and I'm sure Jeff has, too). I hope *that* goes away after the baby.

Overall feeling: Still feeling very good! Trying to keep active and not let the lazy bone keep me lounging around. The heat is my current nemesis. Too much and I am one wiped out lady!

26/20

So I've hit a milestone...in weight gain. 20 pounds. Eek!! Here's what it looks like...

I'm also hitting 26 weeks. Only 2 more weeks and I'll be entering my third trimester. It's hard to believe. We went to the doc today and she is very pleased with everything. Baby Girl BH's heart rate was at 135 and the doctor is not at all worried about my weight (phew!).

These days I am definitely living in an almost constant state of heartburn. I also had my first bout with swelling while I was facilitating a program for work in Tennessee. It was more standing than I am used to and I had one heckuva left cankle. I definitely have a greater appreciation for pregnant women who have jobs that require them to be on their feet. Other than that, I'm not suffering from much in the symptom department. Yay me!

Foods That Give Me Heartburn

All of them.

Symptoms are Fun!

I have to say that I feel like I'm pretty lucky in the symptom department when it comes to this pregnancy. I've only had a couple of days where I felt truly terrible. Otherwise, I'm doing ok. I give credit to my hearty Irish heritage. Thanks ancestors!

The two most prevalent symptoms have been feeling tired (ok, exhausted!) and some championship burping. If I could go back in time and challenge my bro to a burping duel, I might just win. Jeff thinks the burping is hilarious. Although I've been getting used it, I still think of it as pretty gross.

I've also had some heartburn, really dry skin, some extra saliva (I didn't think this symptom had claimed me until I accidentally spit on my co-worker's desk --- twice. Eek!), an aversion to some foods, and a serious case of sensitivity to certain smells. That's it. I'll take it.