Third Trimester Thursdays (or Fridays): 34 weeks

I am moving a lot slower these days which includes posting blog posts on Fridays that were suppose to be published on Thursdays. Maybe I should rename the posts "Falling Behind Fridays." But I am determined to document the last few weeks of pregnancy so whether it is Thursday or Friday...here is my update!

Buckner is growing but thankfully I think my weight gain has slowed down a little bit. However, I probably put on a few this week due to my friend coming to town and us eating our way through Oxford this past Saturday. We followed our food fest on Sunday by another feast day at the shower.  But the extra pounds are well worth it this week because it was a weekend full of fun, family, friends and FOOD!  More to come about our wonderful shower later next week.

Size of Baby: Not sure his exact size right now because I have not had a sonogram in the last few weeks but I would guess at the rate he was going that he weighs around 5 or 5 1/2 pounds. Maybe that is wishful thinking because I don't want him to be a huge baby to deliver. I am hoping for a nice healthy 7 pounds!

Movement: He is still squirming around but I think he is getting more crowded so the kicks feel a little different more like twists.


What I Miss Most: Not much this week just waiting every day to get a little closer to the big day.

Cravings: Still can't get enough watermelon!


Symptoms: Still swelling and harder to move around.

Worst Moment of the Week: My tooth broke the other evening! I was eating a delicious turkey burger that my husband made and thought I had found a hard piece in the burger which freaked me out. After spitting it out and still feeling pain, I realized that I had lost a filling...so I thought. I went to the dentist the next day to learn that my tooth had cracked and when it did I lost the filling. So I have a temporary filling in it for now with an appointment to get a crown next week. Not what I want to be doing at 35 weeks pregnant!


Best Moment of the Week:   My sweet, sweet husband rubbing my deformed and swollen feet at night. And of course our shower, where we were overwhelmed with the love and support of our friends and family!

34 weeks and 4 days pregnant

Thursdays Third Trimester Countdown: 33 weeks

So my Thursday  was spent being busy at work and having a very long wait at the doctor's office followed by an evening out with another beautiful mama to be. Therefore, the Thursday blog post got bumped to Friday. Nevertheless, I am still writing my weekly update...just a day late. 

According to The Bump, we only have 44 days until Baby Buckner arrives!  I am so excited but need every one of those 44 days to tackle my never ending to do list.  With very little (okay no energy) after work each day, I scramble to get as much done as possible during the weekend.  This weekend will be full of fun though because my friend, Leigh, (Buckner's godmother) is coming to stay with us and it is our baby shower on Sunday!  I am looking forward to a weekend of celebrating Baby Buckner's upcoming arrival.

Size of Baby: At the doctor's appointment yesterday, I measured 36 which is the top of where I can be right now at 33 weeks. I am thinking that means Buckner is a healthy, growing boy!  I am proud to say that my weight gain has slowed down and I only gained one pound in two weeks...whew!

Movement: He is kicking away and I love every moment of it. The other day I got busy and realized I had not felt him in a little while. I got worried and started to talk to him and concentrate on trying to feel any movement. He started to move a little which made me feel better . Then Family Affair by Mary J. Blige came on and he started kicking away. I guess it just took a little Mary to wake him up from his nap!


What I Miss Most: Last night at dinner, wine was being served to it seemed like every one at the restaurant.  I can't wait to have a nice glass of wine (or two) with my dinner again!

Cravings: I love watermelon! As soon as I walk in the house from the grocery store, I pretty much finish it before I can even put it in the fridge.


Symptoms: The summer heat has helped a third trimester symptom progress...my feet, ankles and hands are swelling. I have never been one to swell so I thought I would avoid this symptom but with 44 more days to go, the swelling has started. 

Worst Moment of the Week: Because of the swelling, my doctor told me it was time to take my wedding rings off. I felt very sad as I wedged them off last night to put them in my jewelry box. My fingers feel so naked today but my mom reminded me it is better to take them off now then to have to have them cut off later.


Best Moment of the Week:   Ed and I got a wading pool and sat in it the other night. He had a beer and I had juice. The cold water made my ankles go back to normal within an hour!  I also loved getting the pack and play that my mom bought us.  We are inching closer and closer to getting completely ready for him!

Pregnancy Brain: The Ultimate Example

I have suffered from pregnancy brain since day one.  My usual scatterbrain moments have become regular, daily occurrences that have only advanced as the due date approaches. At least now there is scientific proof that the pregancy brain is not a myth but an actual phenomenon that occurs to help the mother bond better with her baby.  Well consider Buckner and me well on our path to bonding! 

Throughout my pregnancy I have done some little things such as being forgetful or trying to put food up that was meant to go in the fridge but instead it landed in a cabinet (I did get it out in time for it not to spoil). But Saturday was my peak of pregnancy brain!

I just finished grocery shopping at Kroger and had loaded all my groceries into the trunk. As I walked over to put the buggy up, I noticed a truck with someone sitting in in in front of my car. This part of the story is only necessary to say that someone indeed saw my pregnancy brain in action. I then walked purposefully over to my car and opened the door to get into the passenger seat. That's right, the passenger seat.  I put my purse on the floor board by my feet and was shutting the door when I noticed something was off. The car did not look right. The sad part is that it did not register immediately that I was the driver, I was alone but somehow I had put myself in the passenger seat. No, the first thought that came to mind was, "Did I get in someone's else car?" Then it clicked and I realized I was sitting on the wrong side. Still aware that there was a person in the truck in front of me, I pretended to get something on that side like I meant to sit on that side.  Then I confidently (as much confidence as I could muster) got out of the wrong side and got in the driver's side to drive off.  Now THAT is pregnancy brain!

About Ed, for Father's Day

I love my husband's excitement over becoming a dad.  It was instant from the moment we found out.  We always thought I would be the calm one about having a baby and he would freak out. The opposite happened. While I did not quite freak out, I was shocked after taking the pregnancy test. I called him into the bathroom to help me figure out why the test had malfunctioned because it was reading positive and that could not be right! But before I could ask Ed, he saw the positive and instantly got excited. My response was a firm, "Calm down, it's malfunctioning!" I was in shock and Ed moved immediately to excitement...although he admits that he still had a healthy fear.

This Sunday will be his first Father's Day and even though Buckner has not appeared yet, he is already the best dad. He participates in everything baby related and excitedly talks about all the things in life he wants to teach our sweet baby boy. While we wait for Buckner to make his arrival, Ed has been taking exceptional care of me. He tries so hard to make this pregnancy as easy as possible for me and I can't thank him enough. 

He rubs my feet. He makes sure that I stay relaxed and rested after a long day when my feet are swollen. He follows me around the house with my exercise ball encouraging me to do my exercises. He fixed a pool for me to be cool in this summer. When I feel fat or tired, which is pretty much a daily occurance, he is always encouraging me telling me how good I am doing with this pregnancy and how beautiful I am. I believe that even if I can't see it, he truly believes that I am beautiful pregnant because he is constantly taking pictures of me. And he is right there ready to find any food craving I want or tackle any food aversion that I have. For example, my sweet husband brewed his coffee in the garage for about three months during some brutally cold tempartures because I could not stand the smell of the coffee. He loves me so much and he shows it in so many ways every day. The pregnancy has been a beautiful, loving experience just making me more excited to see us move into the next phase of our life together: parenthood.

I love you my sweet husband! You are going to be the best dad.  Buckner and I are so grateful to have you!!!

Ed changing a diaper at birth class!

Thursdays Third Trimester Countdown: 32 Weeks and 4 Days

According to The Bump, we only have 52 days until Baby Buckner arrives! According to my colleagues, it will be much sooner.  They started an office pool yesterday with dates ranging from July 16 to August 11th. His due date is August 3rd so I wasn't too happy with the one that chose August 11! I told her if he waits that long she owes me the money!

Size of Baby: According to The Bump, he is the size of a squash. According to my stomach, he is the size of a basketball.

Movement: His kicks are getting stronger!  So strong that you can see my stomach move and he is moving all day.  And we love it! We may have a soccer player ready to come out which would be ironic because that is the only sport Ed really doesn't like too much.

What I Miss the Most: Not too much this week. My focus has now changed to what I have to get done to get ready.


Cravings: Fruit but that is it...everything else has the potential to make me nauseated.


Symptoms: Still a little nausea and fatigue. I do wonder if I have started having Braxton Hicks contractions because my belly tightens a lot lately but no pain.

Worst Moment of the Week: None that I can think of.


Best Moment of the Week:  Getting his room painted and his crib put together. We also put the curtains up and hung some artwork. Pictures will come soon after it is finished!

Thursday Third Trimester Countdown: 31 weeks and 4 days

Sunday will be 8 months!  And according to The Bump, there are only 59 days left until my due date...unless he wants to come a week early which would be great with me! 

 Size of Baby:  According to the The Bump, he is the size of a pineapple. However, we had a sonogram yesterday and he weighs 4.4 pounds which is a little ahead of schedule. Around this time is when he should have hit 3 pounds so we already have a little overachiever!

Movement: His feet are up by my stomach and he loves to exercise them. Baby Buckner is strong too. So strong that the other night our entertainment for the evening was watching my belly poke up from the kicks. It is amazing to not only feel the kicks but see the kicks as well!

What I Miss the Most:Energy! I have been very tired the last few days. I guess hauling around a baby all the time can wear you out!

Cravings:Still fruit and now milk. I never drank much milk before but I want to actually drink it. Unfortunately, I prefer to drink it along side cookies!

Symptoms: The symptoms of nausea and swelling of last week have both improved this week. I am now just very tired.

Worst Moment of the Week: Having ANOTHER woman tell me that her belly was much smaller than me when she was 31 weeks.  Do these people get some type of sick confidence boost to tell a vulnerable pregnant woman she is big over and over again? I realize I am big...I am growing a baby. 
 
Best Moment of the Week: Seeing our baby on the sonogram and counting five sweet little toes on a foot.  We are so ready to meet him!