32 weeks

I think we are officially in countdown range.  Eight weeks to due date seems like not a lot.

This week while we were sitting on the couch Dan was in a pestering mood and decided to talk to the baby, asking what it was doing in there in an "all business" voice.  He thought he was cute. (and of course was being cute)

We did our family photo session this week... picking out clothes for a photo session while pregnant was very high stress as I don't find most maternity clothes all that flattering for me.  But I am excited to have them and I am sure 10 years from now I will only think we look great. (still wondering if I made the right necklace selection)

I have been fortunate to not have a lot of the yucky side effects of pregnancy and up until recently  had been completely illness free.  A month ago I got a terrible head cold.  Then this week I got my first stomach bug in a very long time - at least it was only a 24 hour bug.  Still, my super-charged immune system has been serving me well.  Energy is still good during the day.  At work I was scurrying around for back to back meetings and a guy said "you are the fastest walking pregnant woman I have ever seen"... I haven't slowed down my pace during the day but by 7pm I am much slower.

The baby is still a big mover although our soccer player has turned into a master yogi.  On Thursday something clearly had the kid all wild as it was majorly partying in there all day starting at 6am.  During a very large meeting with a potential vendor it was kicking up a storm... it is hard to not be self conscious during those times with hoping that someone doesn't notice your belly contorting and being all mis-shapen.

But baby might have just had a sense that it was a big huge day. I got out of that meeting to quite the voicemail and email from Dan.  Life change news.  Big.  Huge.  We had already been seeing this summer as a chapter change in our lives.  But we didn't expect that it would be a two chapters kind of change.  I am confident (hoping) that this baby will be adaptable and able to roll with things from the get go.

31 weeks

Little by little we are starting to get ready for baby's arrival.  Dan worked on painting the dresser this week and now I need to find some drawer pulls to finish it off. The chair arrived.

The kid is still rolling around and stretching in there... with a nice jab every now and then.  And we are still on a chocolate kick, made brownies this weekend.

We spent some time talking about a first big trip with the little one, where we might want to go. 

Finally sent in the hospital pre-admissions docs. 

Dan sent me a text one day with a pic of the diapers that arrived accompanied by 'wtf.'  (they are super cute- newborn size gray all-in-ones)

My maternity pants have gotten uncomfortable... wish I had bought more of the full panel instead of the demi panel.  Can't wait for warm enough weather to switch to more skirts and dresses.  Oh, and I never get the "but you are so tiny" comment anymore when saying how far along I am.  Ha. There is nothing small about that bump.

It is getting real.

30 weeks

For some reason 30 weeks seems like a big deal.  We have moved out of the 20's and are in the final countdown.  10 weeks seems like both a long time and like nothing.  Right now I am feeling the 'it is nothing' aspect and freaking out a little bit about having so little ready for this baby.  I have to keep reminding Dan that June will be a really bad time for him to be off on a motorcycle weekend- his reply is that knowing me the baby won't be early but I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Dan has been quite funny lately with his comments about the pregnancy and baby- wish I could remember them.  The other morning I was being a slug about getting up and he came over and told the baby that it "better be getting ready to get out of there."  He has also taken up poking my belly button - sometimes this is funny and sometimes my belly button is feeling really sensitive so he gets his head bit off.  When we were checking out at the grocery store a woman at register next to us had her baby in a baby carrier and we both looked at each other with "that is going to be us soon."  And almost every day he looks at my belly and makes an "omg- seriously!" face... he thought it was huge at 20 weeks so it will be entertaining to see his expressions at 40 weeks.  He also had an 'omg' moment this week when adding a pair of cloth diapers to his amazon order.

I am so very glad that I did the Ravenswood race and that we did it together - it will be a nice memory for sure.  I am going to put serious effort into making prenatal yoga workouts a priority for these final months... I haven't been doing them as much as I planned. 

I might have had spaghetti cravings this week.  I was addicted to oreos and made a trip to Fox and Obel for the good chocolate.

I really hope that Chicago warms up so that I can stop having to button up coats that don't fit anymore... I refuse to buy a maternity jacket at this point.

Quotes from the DR visit: "You are doing a fabulous job with your weight gain." "Your blood pressure is perfect and consistent - no surprises there."  "Your baby is very responsive and active."

Ravenswood 5k

During the first couple of months of this pregnancy I thought my running days were over until after baby as I couldn't make it very far without walking and felt so completely drained of energy.  But once I was able to start running  jogging again I set the goal of running a race while pregnant.  I am so happy that I have been able to keep a little running in my life during this time and to be able to put a big check mark by that goal this morning.

Dan and I ran the race together even though it was not a ton of exercise for him to go at my pace.   We ran it at a 10 minute mile.  But because I am vain, I ripped the timing chips out of my bib as I didn't want my slow pace to be what shows up when people do an internet search on my name (such as future employers, coworkers/interviewees (seriously- had someone at work mention finding my photography after I interviewed them), etc)... terribly vain but I accept that.

It was a fun race.  We just chatted the whole time and Dan kept me laughing.  I had to keep reminding myself to not take off and try to pass everyone... but we did still pass quite a few people.  As we ran across the finish line I saw a guy with a big huge camera and flash get in position down low to snap our photo and heard Dan exclaim how he didn't want to be in it as he tried to move away from me... thanks, honey.

I felt better than I look in this post-race photo.  I felt great... maybe could have run it a little faster but didn't want to push it.  My next running goal is to run something this fall - maybe the hot chocolate 15k in November.

29 weeks

There is no way that someone can make the "but you are so small" comment anymore when I say I am pregnant!  Everytime I look in the mirror the belly has grown. Seriously.

Fatigue is making a coming back.  I am usually pretty good until 2:30pm when all I want to do is crawl under my desk and take a nap and when I get home from work around 6pm I am ready to crash.  One evening Dan went to Darren's to watch racing and instead of doing photo work or something off my to do list I took a nap.  Otherwise, feeling good.

Movement has changed.  The baby was a little quieter early in week when I suspect a growth spurt was happening and now is getting into taking pretty long naps in there.  But when it is restless, it is wanting to stretch out!  I find myself putting my hand on my stomach when those big, powerful stretches occur.  And sometimes there is just little, but strong, movements.  Movement is not quite as spazy as it was a couple weeks ago.

My sweet tooth is back again.  Still no true cravings but my will power is lower.  I actually bought oreos.

This weekend was bedroom painting weekend.  Mike visited and helped Dan with painting our bedroom and the baby room.  I am so glad to have that done.  The nasty brown shades left in the unit were replaced with pretty, subtle drapes.  Our bedroom is finally coming together.  The baby room is at least started.

Nesting might be kicking in.  I actually did cleaning. Or maybe I was just sick of the mess since Dan was busy painting so not doing the cleaning that he usual does (normally he is such a clean machine that I enjoy not having to be one).

We went out to dinner with the Urban clan and for the first time I felt like my belly was as stretched as it could be and was ready to pop.

28 weeks

We had a very short doctor appointment where my question, when asked if we have any questions, was is it bad that I don't have any questions?  Everything is going pretty smooth right now.  Blood pressure is good, weight gain is appropriate, bump growth is on track, baby's heart beat is still strong (still right around 140), baby is head down with their bum up by my ribs on the right side.  The kiddo gave the doctor a good kick to say hello.  Dan decided to work from home so he could make the appointment - it is fun when he comes along.

After the doctor appointment I had the first person make their guess on the gender based on the bump.  The guess came from an older guy that thinks it looks like a boy.  I have zero insight into the gender based on my bump... not going to lie- I have wondered if that plays a role but I don't see it.

This week my brunch club friends made our standing brunch date a little celebration for baby Urban.  It was, not surprisingly as they are all talented, very cute.  The very awesome personalized Chicago baby blanket and thoughtfully curated books are sweet first gifts for the baby.

I am getting asked a lot of nesting has kicked in.  Not anymore than normal.  True, I am getting antsy about the bedrooms not being painted and projects getting started - but I always do that when something has been planned but not started for too long.

On a non-baby related bit of awesomeness for this week... we purchased a new mattress. Finally.  Can't wait to say goodbye to the broken down bit of misery when the new one is delivered tomorrow.

27 weeks

I think I mention something about the baby's movement every other week, if not every week.  But I am going to comment on it again.  This week the baby has gotten noticeably stronger and is awake for much longer time periods - even when I am up walking and moving about.  Friday morning the kid was having crazy party time from when I woke up straight through till almost lunch time.  And I really mean crazy party time... It would also leave its feet sticking out (presumably after stretching?) so I had a hard lump on the bump unless I rubbed and pushed them back in.  We are going to have a crazy little monkey for sure.  Dan has been able to just randomly put his hand on the bump for a while and end up getting some kicks instead of me reactively telling him when it is moving about.  He also rested his head on the bump when the kid was having party time to see if he could hear the movements - he says he can...

At a wedding a woman asked me what I miss most from non-pregnancy days.  This question came after a week or two of feeling quite large and particularly frustrated with maternity clothes.  I thought about it for a while.  She asked about missing unpasteurized cheese (don't even think about it as there are plenty of pasteurized cheeses to select from), medicine (apparently she would miss advil... I don't regularly take any medicine or get headaches so nope), etc.  Dan misses his drinking buddy so that was his answer.  I miss figure flattering clothes and having a waist line.  That might be shallow but I could really go for wearing a fitted button down shirt and pencil skirt to work.  Or a dress with a defining waistline.  I have been seeing all kinds of really cute spring clothes for my normal shape and the plainest, unflattering crap for maternity garb... so even though I don't consider myself a clothes-hound or a super stylish person, I miss regular clothes.

I was also asked to share what crazy cravings I have been having by another guest at the wedding... people always look disappointed with my responses to these types of questions. 

Another wedding guest question was are we freaked out... nope.  I apparently need more drama in my pregnancy to keep people interested and entertained. ;)  I have no doubt that we have a lot of challenges ahead and that there will be trying times.  And of course there are going to be a lot of things to learn about caring for this little one.  But in a conversation about this question on the way home we both are decidedly not freaked out.  This could be attributed to having already been through some very difficult times together or having waited until we felt felt ready for this phase of our life.  It wasn't rushed, and I am confident that we are capable and ready.

On the usual pregnancy symptoms.  Still no cravings or aversions.  I am not having terrible back pain.  If I stop drinking water by 9pm I only have to get up once to go to the bathroom - still haven't needed a snack in the middle of the night.  Belly button is completely flush with the belly - I am guessing it will pop out by the end of this pregnancy.  Sleeping okay given our terrible mattress (we really need to replace it).  Still not extra moody nor having mood swings.  All in all - I feel pretty great.

The third trimester is kicking off.  And we are getting started on the to do list. 

Weekends for the next couple of months are going to be booked with things like refinishing the baby dresser, painting, picking out a car seat, hospital tours, stocking the freezer, etc.  And a few fun couple dates - the last before we have to deal with babysitters.  The third tri will definitely be busy.

Only 90 days till estimated due date!