Belly Day | 29 Weeks

I decided to switch it up a bit this week, title-wise. I read a post on Scary-Mommy about annoying preggo terms and now I can’t get the vision of a “baby bump” disease out of my mind.

This past week was one of those where everything in life shifts a bit. The plan was to drive down to my parent’s house in the country early in the week and stay there for 9 days to look after their home business while they were away for a marketing show. My grandma was just getting out of the hospital so they delayed their trip by a day, then late that same day my grandma passed away. Even though she had been in the hospital, she was expected to be able to return to her life and carry on as usual, so this wasn’t really expected for any of us. God knew, though and I think it’s providential that Miles and I were able to see her one final day and play with her and to be there with my family during everything.

We spent the week together with much of my family, sharing great stories about my Grandma Barb and laughing together (and crying together). There was pain and difficulty that week, but I most definitely see the hand of God in it all. She was a witty, strong woman who could always be counted on for an honest perspective and a humorous comment about any situation. I am sad to think she won’t get the chance to meet her newest great-grandson and that I won’t get more chances to be with her and laugh with her, but I am glad to have gotten to know her more over the past year and a half. Here are some photos from the “celebration of life” we had on Sunday. I left my family that day after our celebration and spent some time to myself during the drive back home, thinking about life and God and accepting the changes that are shaping my life.

In baby news, he’s moving around a lot! Also, I am huge. Anytime someone asks when I’m due and I answer with “May” I can’t say I’m surprised by their incredulous expressions. I look at myself in the mirror sometimes and freak out. I remember how humongous I was at the end of my pregnancy with Miles, so I can only imagine what I’ll look like in another 11 weeks! Gah!

Reading back over my 29 week update during my pregnancy with Miles I re-read my commentary on baby hiccups in utero and wanted to compare the pregnancies. This pregnancy I have not felt this baby hiccup a single time until yesterday, then I felt them 3 times before going to bed! It’s funny to already see differences between my boys and it makes me anxious to get to know this new personality.

Baby’s Size| Cabbage

How far along | 29 weeks

Sleep | Very different with your 2nd baby since this is, more often than not, dictated by your older child. Luckily Miles has been going to bed early and giving me time to hang with my hubby. Unfortunately this means he wakes up earlier and I end up exhausted in the mornings. The actual sleep is acceptable. I am very sore and achy in my joints and hips and this makes getting up and turning over very painful, but I deal.

Clothes | I am back to wearing my nursing bra because under-wires are the devil when you have a massive belly encroaching from below. I also scored some comfy (but hideous) shirts from Walmart yesterday for $1 each.

Cravings | I feel like I am constantly nibbling. I’d say half the time I nibble on something good (like an apple or other fruit) and the other part of the time it’s horrible, like ice cream. That reminds me!!! Remember the amazing ice cream from my dream that I described in my previous post? The mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone with chocolate shell coating?! Well… my incredible hubby got all the fixings so I could make one! It 100% totally and completely lived up to (exceeded, actually) my expectations!!! It was just…well… amazing. I’ve had several of these miracles since. Here is one indulgence from the other day.

Food Aversions |  Nothing, dude.

Symptoms | I feel like I’d tried to keep the miserable symptoms at a distance, but they’re slowly closing in! Aahhh, frightening! My fingers and toes feel swollen when I try to clench them, although I do not notice any visible swelling in my feet, which is nice. I also have yet to make an appointment with a chiropractor but I really really need to do this soon. I am having nerve and joint and muscle and tendon pain in my entire pelvic region and it’s constant. It’s worse when I bend over a lot to pick up the house or lay/sit in one position too long but I feel it all the time. Even with these increasing miseries we still have not reached the misery of my previous pregnancy.

Doctor’s Appointment | I will be going to one next Monday, they are now 2 weeks apart!

Movement | I have noticed that baby is positioned differently than I remember Miles being when he was in there. For one, I think I’m carrying a little higher, so most of the movements are felt around my belly button and not down in my bladder and cervix area. This is a nice variation and the only semi-negative result of this difference is that when he really wriggles and stretches and moves it seems to hurt the edges of my uterus more. Did that sentence even make sense?! Basically it’s more “scrape-y” feeling. Now it all makes sense, right?! He moves SO much. I love it, I truly do.

Belly Button | Outie! But it’s weird and crooked and pokey.

Gender | Is anyone even confused about this?

Best moment of the week | The week was so full of significant moments it’s hard to pin one down. Plus, many of those moments were bittersweet so I’m not sure I can say they were “best.” Looking back, I am especially grateful that Miles and I spent time with Grandma Barb the day she passed. I also really loved spending a day in Nevada with a few of my siblings. We had lunch together and grabbed groceries and goofed off on the drive to and from town. It was great to feel the closeness of family this week.

What I’m looking forward to | Being in the “30” weeks because that makes me feel better about being huge, for some reason. I am also looking forward to getting out all the baby things and finding places for them in the new house. Things like burp rags and pacifiers and the like.

What I miss | I miss being able to see a toy on the floor and bending over to pick it up without giving it a single thought.