WE DID IT!!! We officially made it to my third trimester!! Is it weird that I feel as though it was a joint effort? I could not be where I am, in the mental and physical shape I am in, without SO many of you pouring your love and care into our family. I’m not feeling quite in the home stretch yet, but I know its coming. We are at least in the final third of the pregnancy, and I am thrilled to be here.
Size Comparison: While this weeks comparisons on my Ovia app don’t make a ton of sense, I thought they were adorable! Bambina is apparently the size of a bunch of bananas. 🍌 Also, a camping lantern. You guys know I’m in full lake mode, so I super duper like that one! Though I wouldn’t say a camping lantern is a standard size, nor the size of a bunch of bananas. Google just told me she’s the size of a head of cauliflower. *whispers* Basically, I don’t think anyone knows! I’m going with the more specific estimation of roughly 15″ and slightly over 2 lbs.
Appointments: To touch back on her size, I really have no ballpark estimation because I haven’t seen her in a long time! Like a month! I have no ultrasounds booked for the foreseeable future, though I admit I’m having a bit of anxiety on that home front (I’ll talk more about that later.) I have a doctors appointment on Friday so we’ll see what Dr. Guselle has to say about it. You guys will know as soon as I know! Beyond that appointment, I’ll do my glucose test this week, assuming I do, in fact, have the new system at the blood clinic worked out! Wish me luck!
How am I feeling emotionally: I’m feeling a bit anxious :/ I have no big reason to think there are problems, because Bambina moves lots and appears to be growing and changing. But for the first time in a long time, I’ve been cramping a lot. I’m familiar with all the weird aches and pains that come along with pregnancy, and these are just straight up cramps. I haven’t had them for a long long time, and I just find them unsettling. Normally, I can hack “unsettling,” but thats been harder for me and my heart this time around. I’d sure love to lay my eyes on her again soon. I know we’re at a point where, if she were to be born, she’d have a great, fighting chance at life! But if I have ANY say in the matter, I’d far rather just run out the pregnancy like normal and have her in three months. If I’ve learned anything over the last year or two, my plans don’t count for much. So I pray, and cry, and pray some more.
How am I feeling physically: Physically, as mentioned, I’m not feeling ideal. Like, I feel ok in lots of ways. I’m not nauseous. My boobs don’t hurt. My body is fairly well maintained. But I’m cramping lots, I’m very dizzy, and for whatever reason, my lower back has been screaming at me over the last couple of days. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of these things at once, but I’m trying not to let it run my life. Usually I do ok with it. Some days it wins. I just so badly want everything to be ok.
Wish Lish/Purchases: Well if I don’t get an ultrasound from my next doctors appointment, I’ll be having to make a quick decision about whether or not to fork over the money for a 3D ultrasound at the UC-Baby clinic in the city. Both Brady and I are itching to see our little Bambina again, especially since all of this cramping started up, and he even has a couple of days off next week and the week after, so that would be the time!! Thats the biggest “wish” on my wish list currently. Besides that, on a much smaller financial scale, I bought a great pair of maternity shorty shorts at Value Village for $4! I bought two nice new pairs of shorts last summer when I was pregnant and starting to show with Jamin, so now I have three, and that is PERFECT because I’ll be rocking jelly belly this summer 😉 So I’m thankful for all the cute bottoms I can find to suck some of that specialness in!
Pictures: The FIRST picture of me being in my THIRD TRIMESTER!!
I feel HUGE for 27 weeks, but I think its just because it kind of just happened! Like, yes, I’ve been growing for a while, and maybe I was in denial?? I’m not sure. But now, when I lay down on my back, my belly is UP and OUT there, and shiny, hahaha! Its there now, no denying! That being said, this weather HAS to let up, because my winter jacket stopped being able to zip a while ago, and my fall jacket is pretty much at its limit now! It NEEDS to be spring! Aaaaany day now!
How are the kids feeling: On Saturday evening, we had some friends fall into a bit of a bind, and ask if we could entertain their baby girl for a little bit while they figured a few things out. Whats one more, right? We obviously said yes, and for the next 45 minutes or so, our family grew to seven!! And I’ve got to say, it was smooth and awesome and a window into what is to come!
The kid LOVED her!! Everyone was around her, hugging her, showering her with stuffed animals and talking to her in their highest, baby voices. It was SO cute! To her credit, she was pretty chill with all the little people being in her face, and accepted every toy offered to her. She flapped madly and scooted around on her bum, following the crowd of kids when they’d suddenly all bolt to a bedroom or wherever else. She fit in beautifully, and the kids were thrilled to have her! I can’t wait to see the dynamic when we bring their very own little sister home, but Saturday’s stand-in was pretty darn cute!
Getting to know the baby: Bambina already kicks strong enough that she gives me braxton hicks contractions. All. The. Time. She has big feelings for someone so small. Which she comes by honestly. She’ll fit in well with the ladies in her family.
The BEST part of being pregnant: The best part of being pregnant recently has been confidently knowing that she is growing! I can almost always find her little body in my abdomen, proving that she’s running out of room in there. Not running out yet, I suppose, but its getting a bit tight! With that, I can also feel more and more of her movements. Its no longer about kicks and more about her rolling and shifting and just moving around in general. Last night she was laying across my belly (transverse) and while it was definitely uncomfortable for me, and was lumpy and weird and hard, I could feel every movement! I felt obvious bumps – what I assume were knees or maybe a shoulder – and I could tap them and rub them and she’d move them. It was so bizarre and awesome and while I HOPE and pray that she gets into the right position for delivery when the time comes, I’m genuinely enjoying the stage (and discomforts) that come with her summersaulting around my uterus.
Favourite thing: I think I can safely say that my favorite thing this week is my moms spaghetti and meat sauce. Most of the time when she makes it, she makes enough for an army and sends the leftovers home with us. What makes her spaghetti SO good is that, instead of spaghetti noodles, she pours the meat sauce overtop of those shorty white soup noodles. Guys, its a game changer!! Not only do you not have to cut them up for your kids to eat, but they are just a bit lighter so you can eat MORE of them!! I feel like the sauce stays on them better too, as opposed to traditional spaghetti where you basically eat the noodles and then eat the meat out of the bottom of the bowl. This is just SO much better. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it! She also throws a tin of tomato soup in with the sauce, to make it just that much sweeter! Delicious!
Another successful week has come and gone, and brought me into the final three months. I’m so thankful to see how many things are popping up in my schedule, actively filling my weeks and hopefully helping time more forward. My prenatal appointments will come up more frequently, two of my kids are behind in their vaccines, two need eye appointments soon, and really we could ALL use a visit to the dentist. I have commitments at church, on a town committee, and to my friends and family. Solly will have a birthday. I will go on a road trip with Jerilee, and hopefully we’ll be able to take the kids to the lake for a few Saturdays in spring. I have a makeup job or two booked, and a couple of fun music things coming up, as well. I need to prepare my house for a new baby, and plan her a party! (For the record, I just googled other ways to say “kick ass” because I want the party to be that level of awesome. Most notable synonyms were tubeular, forceful, and chief. Not exactly what I had in mind.) But seriously, those things, in three months. Sprinkle some beautiful weather in there, hanging out with friends in the sun, walking to and from school rather than driving, etc. I anticipate time will whip on by! I’m so ready!