Week 33

How far along? 33 weeks and 3 days

How big is baby? The size of a durian - I find this funny because I actually know what this is!! You don't find them in North America, but I was watching a show on Netflix (one of my faves) with Andrew Zimmerman, and oddly enough, this is the ONE food he won't eat. He is all about trying new things from different cultures and enjoys the most random things, but won't touch this guy. Hilarious? Yes. What's even more funny is that I remember it from 3+ years ago from an episode I watched once. 

Total weight gain/loss: 32 lbs. Yikes. 

Maternity clothes? Mmhm. With the exception of the tank tops I sleep in (which are the only thing I can tolerate while I sleep. Sleeves - get outta here!)

Sleep: I no longer sleep through the night. I get up to pee regularly. I think this is caused by the fact that I am all of a sudden dying of thirst at 930 at night. Seriously? Yes. And it's not something that sips of water can quench. It's more of a "if you don't drink a million ounces of water right this second I'm going to keel over and die" type of thing. It's fun. And by fun I mean it's ridiculous. Every. Single. Night. So up I pee!

Best moment this week: Well... I had a situation earlier in the week. I was having regular painful contractions. I thought they might be just Braxton Hicks, but these were legitimately painful, and not just uncomfortable. The back pain though was AWFUL! Nothing I did could make it feel better. I was writing the whole scenario off until I googled (why do I do this to myself!) it and since I was having more than 6 of these an hour, and they were coming regularly, I went ahead and called my midwife. I had changed positions, walked, sat, stood, bounced, pelvic rocked, and laid down, but nothing was making them stop. I called and left a message with the nurse expecting her to completely blow me off and tell me I was fine and to rest and drink some water (which I was doing) but my midwife said I needed to come in right away. Oh. Okay. Sure. Let me put pants back on and head that way. My cervix wasn't dilated (good thing!) but we did a protein test to see if there was a need for steroids to help develop Emerson's lungs in case of an early delivery. 

So I guess I wouldn't say that this was the highlight as in the BEST part of my week, but it was nice to be reassured that Em was okay in there for now :)

Movement: Yep! She was really moving on contraction day (as I oh so affectionately refer to it now - something I just decided). And she certainly has a witching hour - around 8-9pm every night (consistently) she's moving like crazy. It's fun since I can see/feel from the outside what I'm feeling on the inside. 

Food cravings: Grapes and bananas. LIKE nobody's business. I bought a pound and a half of grapes at the City Market on Saturday - and I had about 1/4 of a pound left on Saturday night. Whoops. I was hungry!

Food aversions: Still liking pretty much everything. Icecream isn't my cup of tea right now I suppose - same with gelatto (which has been a staple in my diet lately).

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Please see 'best moment of the week'

Pregnancy symptoms: Tired, I pee all of the time, my stretch marks are making friends with other stretch marks, I'm grumpy, can't get comfortable anywhere at any time, hardcore motion sickness. Same thing different day :)

Belly button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: Hot dogs, sushi, and turkey. And being able to get on a roller coaster! I REALLY miss that!

What I am looking forward to: Roller coasters next year :)

Upcoming appointments/events: Friday!! And my baby shower is on Sunday! A super heartfelt THANK YOU to Stephanie for hosting it for me. :) I am so thankful to have you in my life.

Milestones: I only got up to pee once last night. It's a miracle! 

YES! So true! I am constantly hot and uncomfortable and my go to coping method is trying to figure out where Emerson is laying in there :) 

Week 32

How far along? 32 weeks and 4 days

How big is baby? a squash baby! Which is fitting because I constantly feel squashed!!

Total weight gain/loss: an official total of 28 lbs. That's a hard number for me to take in actually. I weigh 7 lbs less than Kyle does. 7 pounds. That's not much. I'm going to be beating him any day now. Not like it's a competition, but still. Kind of depressing. Especially since I still have a few weeks to go. 

Maternity clothes? Yep! I can no longer wear my pre-pregnancy shorts (which is SUPER depressing because I've been living in them after work (so hot outside) and as of this week, I can no longer wear my pre-pregnancy shirts to work. I have no idea how I managed to make them fit for 31 weeks of pregnancy - especially since they were a size small. BUT I did. And it's not even my belly that's keeping me from those shirts. It's my boobs! THEY'RE HUGE! And they're going to keep getting bigger. 

Sleep: Since the baby is gaining weight, she's constantly pressing on my bladder which causes me to need to get up several times a night to pee. Sleep was nice while it lasted!! 

Best moment this week: Talking to my midwife about my concerns from the tour. I feel SO much better knowing that we're still on the same page. Thank goodness. 

Movement: Yes, and it's so cool! I can feel her from the outside now - so she's moving and grooving in there and I can feel her different anatomy. Now I can tell what's a foot, a hand, and a butt. Loving every second of it!

Food cravings: Shrimp and sandwiches - but oddly enough, not together ;)

Food aversions: Nada. I like pretty much everything still (besides the usual offenders). 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Nothing so far really - just those Braxton Hicks. I've decided that I'm not going to have cervical checks done, so I won't be able to keep you up to date on how effaced/dilated I am until the big day! Unless she decides to come late, and at that point (40 weeks) I'll have to be checked to make sure she's moving into the proper position. 

Pregnancy symptoms: I'm achy, motion sickness to the extreme, I'm tired all of the time, I'm grumpy, I hate everything 80% of the time, my feet are hot constantly (such an odd change for me since they're usually cold) and holy stretch marks! Oh, and I forget pretty much anything that's not written on a post-it. 

Belly button in or out? In but stretching. 

What I miss: Being able to roll out of bed comfortably. Not having hot feet. Having a clean shirt at the end of the day. (This does not happen anymore - there's always some form of food on it)

What I am looking forward to: Knocking out my to do list! 

Upcoming appointments/events: Phone consult with the maternity care coordinator on Monday :) I think it's weird that we don't meet with them in person, especially since I still haven't signed a consent/HIPAA yet, and I am 100% I will NOT be in the mood to sign those once I get to the hospital. NO THANK YOU. I'll definitely ask about that. Thanks for the reminder. 

Milestones: I can see this kid moving from the outside on a regular basis. 

10 Good Things about being Pregnant!

I took the liberty to highlight those applicable to my life right now. Let the hilarity ensue. 

Okay now I know that some of these don't always apply – we've all met that dick that doesn't care if you're pregnant and won't hold the door for you even if you're hauling a bag of hammers up three flights of stairs – but generally speaking, there are a few perks to being knocked up.

"I don't feel up to it" is a valid excuse to get out of almost anything.Don't feel like going to your co-workers karaoke debut, seeing a documentary about the social habits of chinchillas, or volunteering at your child's school to organize the fun fair? "I'm just not feeling up to it" when you're pregnant is up there with "I have diarrhea" because nobody want to venture into the details.

People want you to sit down all the time and offer their seats. Sure this one can get annoying (especially around older men who seem to think being upright is a detriment to you and your unborn child) but how awesome is it to go to the family picnic and not have to scan for an open lawn chair. "Sorry Aunt Mary, go rest your shiny new hip somewhere else, I have to eat cake."

People offer to carry stuff for you. This somehow never applies to screaming toddlers – but with groceries, bags of dirt, and 50lb bags of rotini from Costco, someone will often step up and ask if you want help. Again, some people will insist they help you with that treacherous bag of cotton balls, but that's a small price to pay for getting a giant bag of dog kibble lifted into your car. Just be sure your trunk is not full of embarrassing crap like empty bags of McDonald's, Sour Patch Kids and Pop Tart boxes with a roll of random toilet paper from when your nose was inexplicably running for no reason.

You are expected to eat a lot. I especially love old, European Ladies in this area. They just keep handing you pasta, pastries and perogies and say, "eat, eat, yu nid to eat". They are also the same women that told you not to be too smart or no good man will want to marry you, but they are awesome cooks so you let it slide.

You can blame crying on the pregnancy. Phone commercial? Episode of Grey's? Preview for Kung Fu Panda 14? Feel free to burst into uncontrollable crying if you are so inclined because people expect this kind of outbursts from you. Plus, I feel it's important you let this kind of emotion out so it doesn't turn into gas.

You can blame forgetfulness on the pregnancy. There have been many studies that have discounted pregnancy brain but I think those people are just confused and need a tall cool glass of shut-the-hell-up. People find this annoying trait quite endearing when you're pregnant so skip a few meetings and birthdays while you're gestating to take advantage of this loop hole.  

You can blame violence on the pregnancy. Some women feel all soft and nesty through their pregnancies and some women want to jump on the hood of the car that cut them off, and plunge their fists through the windshield like the Terminator. I tried to find any pregnancy hormone legal defense but all I found was the PMS defense where a woman got off the hook for killing her boyfriend. So I'm sure you could mount a good case with "the rage" as a defense if you take out the guy who ate the last cookie at the weekly status meetings. Perhaps seek legal council before proceeding with this one though.

People are friendlier. Perhaps being pregnant signifies to some people that you were deemed nurturing and nice enough to be impregnated because strangers will find you more approachable and will therefore be friendlier to you. This also lays a nice foundation for crying, forgetfulness and batshit crazy rage because people assume that at you are good at your core so they'll let a lot of stuff go.

You don't have to suck it in. Ah, stretchy pants. Mmmmm, tacos. Go for it honey because no one is going to notice or care that you added to the bulge. Hopefully some old European women are helping you with this endeavor.

People smile at you. Strangers love pregnant woman and silent newborns but they hate kids. Sorry, it's a fact so you should take advantage of all the people that smile at you in the aisles of Walmart while you're shopping for mammoth mamma panties because they'll be that same people that give you the hairy eyeball when you're three-year old launches into a Linda Blair froth when you won't buy him Skittles.

Source: http://www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2011/7/1/10-great-things-about-being-pregnant.html

On that note, Happy Monday! I hope this provided you with some laughies! :) 

Our Announcement

I just realized that I had never posted how we announced our exciting news to the world!! We told a select few and then several family members, but overall, I'm AMAZED at how long we were able to keep that a secret from a majority of people we knew!

I had this vision (I'm sure you're all surprised) for how to announce it on Facebook - because as well all know, nothing is official until it's Facebook official. I had bought the most adorable onsie in the universe that I knew we would incorporate, and I wanted to take it at the beach - because it was February and everyone back home was stuck in 10 inches of snow. We're that hateful :)

This is what we came up with:

Kyle worked his editing magic and I think it turned out great! The water really was that blue! It was stunning. We had originally planned on waiting until we actually landed in KC to post it, but we got really anxious at the airport, and luckily the editing had been completed when we were on board! Smart thinking! So of course Kyle and I turned it into a competition. Classic Kristin and Kyle magic. What's even better is that he totally kicked my ass. In my defense, a TON of my friends ended up liking his picture instead of mine. Rude.  We wanted to see who could get the most likes if we posted it at the same time. Winner, winner chicken dinner. I swallowed my defeat and basked in the glory of all of the happy comments!

We knew that everyone would have questions (and a majority of them would be the same questions) so we did our best to answer them with our post. I am so excited to be on this journey with this man and we couldn't be happier!

Smooth Sailin'

Once we found out we were pregnant, I knew immediately I wanted to go on a babymoon! PLUS, I was already planning a trip for Kyle's birthday since he had never left the country. Boo! We had to change that before we were stuck in Kansas City for the next 18 years. So we booked a cruise.

Fast forward to the beginning of February and we are getting SLAMMED with snow storms. My hospital activates our Emergency Preparedness System, which meant that I got to spend an extra day at home before our Cruise! That also meant that Kyle got to spend an extra day at home the day before we left. So fun! And by fun, I mean, we snuggled on the couch and watched TV while eating Ramen Noodles. If I remember correctly, we also got in several rounds of competitive games of Battleship. I was still in that constantly tired phase of pregnancy, so poor Kyle went out to shovel snow - three times! 

Before the snow really started accumulating.

We were hoping that since he shoveled so much snow the day before, it wouldn't be too bad trying to get to the airport the next morning. We were wrong. Thankfully we thought to take the shovel with us because we ended up getting stuck in the neighborhood and Kyle had to dig us out!! 

When we arrived at the airport we actually had to dig ourselves a parking space! Apparently when they plow the parking lots the snow doesn't have anywhere to go - so it ends up behind the parked cars and empty parking spaces. FUN! I felt awful for the people returning that week to their cars being burying in the snow - and they obviously wouldn't have thought to keep a shovel in their car (because seriously, who does that!?) 

It was Kyle's first time flying and he took it like a champ! I thought I might have some issues with morning sickness, but thankfully, I didn't!

He got the window seat. If it wasn't obvious before, I clearly love this man!

Off to South Carolina we went! My wonderful Momma picked us up from the airport! It was soo nice to see her. I really miss her now that she's not living in Kansas City anymore! Saddest day ever. 

Kyles' first time at the ocean!! It was cold. 

Our amazing friends Megan and Nick (and their sweetest baby Camden) met us in Charleston for dinner that night! They are definitely one of my favorite families and I was thrilled to get to see them! 

Weird hand thing that Cam kept doing.

He wanted in on our picture once he realized how cool we were to recognize his hand thing. 

At the last minute, we talked my mom into joining us on the cruise!! BEST DECISION EVER!! So she packed up her stuff, and off we went!

I think this is gross, but Kyle liked it. It's cereal crusted french toast. To each their own.

 I actually had a really hard time eating on the ship. Most of the stuff I would have normally eaten, I couldn't have, and what they did have that sounded appetizing got old REALLY fast. I became quick friends with individual boxes of cereal. I was severely disappointed that they didn't have snack packs. :( Next time I'll know to bring my own!

One of the beautiful sunsets at dinner!

Our favorite waiter in the universe TK.

Our housekeeper was amazing! She knew how much I loved these animals, so instead of reusing the towels every night to create new animals, she just added more to our collection. HEAVEN!

Overall we had a great time! It was hard to leave. Kyle got to go on an airplane for the first time (and second, third, and fourth), he saw the ocean for the first time, we got to spend LOTS of time with my mom, Kyle went to a foreign country for the first time, he swam in the ocean for the first time, and we did lots of shopping! I'm not a very good vacationer (and add not having any snack packs on the trip) but thankfully my mom and Kyle kept their patience with me. They are such saints! :) 

Week 31

How far along? 31 weeks 6 days!

Yikes! Ignore my messy vanity!! 

How big is baby? The size of a pineapple!

Total weight gain/loss: 25ish lbs (I'll have the most up to date number next week)

Maternity clothes? YEP! Thankfully our washer is fixed, so I have maternity clothes to wear again! And let me tell you, it's glorious! What isn't glorious is washing/drying/carrying up stairs/folding/putting away 6 weeks worth of clothes. That is a task I am NOT enjoying.

Sleep: The pee fairy has officially hit me. I got up on Friday night 16 (yes, I counted) times to pee - I don't even understand how it's possible - I didn't drink that much water!

Best moment this week: My washer being fixed! Duh!

Movement: She has been particularly active at night when I go to lay down - or even laying on the couch, but like most babies in utero, as soon as someone goes to feel her move, she instantly stops moving. Her kicks and movements have also been a lot more intense lately - probably because she's out of room in there!! Sorry sweetness, it's only going to get less comfortable - for both of us I'm sure. 

Food cravings: Popeyes and sweet tea. Thankfully Popeyes has AMAZING sweet tea, so it's a two-for :) I try to limit my consumption, but thankfully the tea is within my safe caffeine limit.

Food aversions: Popcorn - but again, that's been a thing for like, ever. 

Gender: Little Miss

Labor Signs: Holy back pain!

Pregnancy symptoms: Hormones are a bitch- anyone who says differently is lying. And I'm totally nesting so I'm constantly feeling tired and overwhelmed. Braxton Hicks contractions, vagina kicking from my fetus, constant fatigue, I'm always hungry, EXTREME thirst around 8pm, zero memory (I would be completely lost without my planner.) And holy sciatic nerve pain!! OMG! It usually happens at night or early in the morning and my body is hyper sensitive to EVERYTHING! If a sheet brushes my leg and I'm not prepared for it, it's agonizing. Same goes for an adorable little puppy who loves to snuggle in the morning - I've scared her  quite a few times when she accidentally steps on me. And also stretch marks! They showed up a few weeks ago, decided they were comfortable and decided to stay. Thoughtful, right? I'm handling them much better than I thought I would. I'm sure more are coming, and I shall embrace them as they come - I earned those stripes!

Belly button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: Sleep. Definitely sleep. Motivation to do things. Energy to do things. The ability to climb onto a chair to paint without having killer pain the next day. I also really miss being patient and understanding. I feel like lately anything and EVERYTHING is a trigger for me - the dogs, Kyle, the washer, work... you name it, it's put me in tears. So frustrating!

What I am looking forward to: Not being a hormonal mess (I'm in denial that it gets worse before it gets better)

Upcoming appointments/events: I have a total of 7 appointments left! Kind of crazy to think about. I'm almost down to 8 weeks before the due date and each week I have an appointment! (with the exception of week 33.)

Milestones: I finally have experienced lightning crotch - this is an actual term!! Where the baby kicks you in your lady parts - I mean, obviously she's not quite that low, but holy moly it's uncomfortable! I've also been able to distinguish when she is head down vs head sideways. :) That's always fun. I was telling Kyle that it felt like she was pushing on both sides of my stomach and he said that she probably was (which he followed with a demonstration). Makes total sense!

We also went on our hospital tour - I enjoyed seeing the facility, but I did not enjoy hearing that some people are stuck on the "traditional" way of doing things. Thankfully I have talked through all of my concerns with my midwife and I will definitely make sure she puts those in my chart. The RN giving us our tour mentioned that "some people include things in their birth plans that they don't understand why they're doing it! Like, not using the ointment in the babies eyes, or delayed cord clamping - no valid medical reason." So I look at Kyle and say "we're still doing delayed cord clamping" and he says "oh absolutely, and we know the reasoning behind it." Thank God for this man!! 

Week 30

How far along? 30 weeks, 4 days

How big is baby? CUCUMBER sized! Basically a mini giant.  

Total weight gain/loss: 24 lb gain so far. Kind of annoying since I haven't changed of my eating habits (with the exception of having Gelato once a weekish). And I know I have some more to gain! I think I've come to terms with it - this is what my body has decided it needs to grow a happy and healthy baby - so be it. 

Maternity clothes? Obviously. We are almost at exactly one month of the washing machine being broken - I have lot all sense of patience and understanding with the situation. Thankfully the part has been ordered and is being shipped to my house instead of the other company fixing it. So. Annoyed.

Sleep: This one has been tough. Kyle was gone for a few days and it was hard to sleep without him. Thankfully Macy Mae is a wonderful snuggler and was happy to take his place on his side of the bed. My back always kills me when I lay in bed so being RIGHT next to Kyle with that extra pressure on my back is a life saver! Macy did not disappoint :) 

Best moment this week: I bought cheesy olive garlic bread at the farmers market with my dad! It's made by an Amish farm in the area and it is AMAZING! So amazing in fact that Macy jumped up on the kitchen table and proceeded to eat the loaf on the same day I bought it. SO much for saving some for Kyle (no worries guys, I had already managed to eat half the loaf before the monster got to it). Kyle has since promised that we can go back on Saturday to get another loaf. THAT GOOD! And I can pronounce everything in it - which is a good thing. I sadly cannot say the same for my beloved spaghetti-o's or ramen noodles. 

Movement: Last night Kyle and I were talking about how I feel that Emmy is kicking both sides of my stomach at the same time - a phenomenon my brain could not figure out. Kyle responded with "well, she probably is" and proceeded to do a demonstration of what she's potentially doing in there. Ohhhh. Okay. Totally makes sense now. Since she's gotten bigger I haven't really been feeling her move around as much, but her heart rate is perfect and she's active enough for it to be considered normal. She was having a hay day last night! I swear it's because she knew that her daddy was finally home! She gave me a relatively quiet weekend! Totally different story last night. 

Food cravings: Popeyes for the win! Seriously can't get enough. Same with sweet tea and caramel frappuccinos. I do my best to avoid the latter two, but I'm a believe that I can have almost anything in moderation. 

Food aversions: Ranch dressing. VOM. Kyle is SO thankful for this. He hates ranch, and as of yesterday, so do I. 

Gender: Emerson Kate is still a girl. I keep having these weird moments of panic where I imagine I'm in labor and I deliver her, and it turns out she's a boy. WHAT!? I can't even handle that. I asked Kyle what we would do and he said "Uh, name her Emerson Dean?" No. Just no. We have another ultrasound in a few weeks (and by a few, I mean 5) so I will be sure to ask them to verify she's still a she.

Labor Signs: YEP! Braxton Hicks every day of my life and I keep getting this irritating crampy feeling in my abdomen. Totally normal, but still totally frustrating. It makes me want to lay down and take a nap. 

Pregnancy symptoms: Tired all of the time, crampy contractions, anti-ranch advocate, moody, and occasionally irrational. I've also entered the panic mode where I feel like I have sooo much to do before she gets here. I get super annoyed when Kyle isn't on my panic level, which let's be honest, he never is. He's all "babe, it's fine, we have a while" and continues to play his crash of titans game. 

Belly button in or out? Still in, but I have almost zero faith that it'll stay in. 

What I miss: Not having to pee a million times right before bed. 

What I am looking forward to: More appointments! They're coming quickly these days!

Upcoming appointments/events: Baby shower at the end of the month! Hosted by my fabulous friend Stephanie!

Milestones: On Friday night I taped the trip in the kitchen (so we can paint), took down the wallpaper in the hallway (so we can paint) sprayed for ants in the living room, AND stepped on a rusty nail that was hiding behind the couch. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but called the ED anyway to see if I needed to come in at get my TDap (which was on my to do list anyway within the next few weeks) and they said that I needed to go in within 4 hours of the incident. So I spent about 2 hours waiting at Urgent Care (I felt horrible because I walked in about 15 minutes before they closed - and having worked in Urgent Care many times, I know how frustrating this can be for staff) but thankfully I was a quick case! I had already cleaned it and knew that I needed the TDap. When I told the nurse that I had planned on getting the shot anyway, she looked at me like I was crazy - but when the doctor came in she assured me that I was doing the right thing - rusty nail or not. :) Vaccinations are a hot topic these days, but I'm thankful to have a supportive significant other and midwife :) Couldn't do it without them!