30 Weeks & Mardi Gras

Yesterday made 30 weeks, we're 75% of the way there and the "nesting" phase has begun. I all of the sudden feel a big rush to get everything ready in time for the baby. Many changes are needed in the house to make room for one more and I suddenly feel pressured to have it done right now!

This is my last progression picture from 5 weeks ago (25 weeks). When compared to today's progression pic at 30 weeks, you can see that once again, I had a big "pop" during the beginning of my 3rd trimester. With Ethan & Chase it happened between 26 & 28 weeks, but this time it happened during my 30th week. Baby currently weighs approximately 3 pounds and is the size of a head of cabbage.

25 Weeks:

30 weeks (today): As a comparison, here are my 30 week progression pictures with Chase (top) and Ethan (bottom). It looks like I carried high with Chase, low (and huge) with Ethan and in the middle with this one. Who knows what we're having this time....

Last night we took the boys to a Mardi Gras parade in Mandeville. Chase did a lot better than last year, but still was happiest from a distance. Once he caught a pair of beads for Ethan and a football for himself he was ready to go home.

Today we tried a much smaller parade, the Lawnmower Push parade in Abita Springs. This was Chase's kind of parade, he loved it. He would wave his hands and grab his loot and toss it in the wagon for keeps. I think both boys really enjoyed themselves this afternoon, but we'll probably stay away from the bigger parades at least for another year.

The New Family Car

Yesterday, Shane and I picked up our new family car, a 2011 Yukon XL. Not sure if we should call this a car or a bus, it's so big. But we LOVE it! I've already driven around town a couple of times, and believe it or not, it's easier to drive than my 4Runner...parking may be a different story.

On Friday Ethan stayed home with me because he had a stomach bug. Within 15 minutes of being home yesterday and taking the boys and Milo & Jackie for a test drive in the new car, Chase started throwing up. Luckily it didn't start in the car! Unfortunately, Chase had it pretty bad. He was sick every 30 minutes until 3:30 this morning and now mommy is extremely tired and cranky. He seems to be feeling better right now, so let's hope it's passing and Shane and I don't catch it.

29 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice).

Your baby's very active now and some old friends — heartburn and constipation — may take center stage now. Some women get something called "supine hypotensive syndrome" during pregnancy. This happens when lying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. You might notice that you feel lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, too. To avoid "the spins," lie on your side rather than your back, and move slowly as you go from lying down to sitting and then standing.

Farewell to the 4Runner

Only a few more days left with my 4Runner...we're going to pick up our new car tomorrow. It's bittersweet. That was the first car I bought all by myself. I even took the poor salesman on a test drive to my parents' house, I think he was nervous. I've had the car for 8 1/2 years and so many memories were created in that car. I started dating Shane, got married, moved into our first home and brought home two babies from the hospital in that car! It's been a wonderful 122,000 miles with not a single problem. Farewell my friend :-)

Weekend with Sissy & Butsie

Shane and I spent last weekend downtown while Sissy & Butsie stayed with the boys. We packed a lot into our short stay: a dinner at The Pelican Club, a visit to Harrahs, 6 hours at the Racetrack, a Hornets game, Shane ran a half marathon and then brunch at Mr. B's. It was a lot of fun, but exhausting, too!

Saturday night, while at the Hornets game, my sister called and said that Chase was standing on the bar stool and fell off and split his chin open. After lots of phone calls, we decided not to take him to get stitches and to use sterile strips and skin glue instead. His chin is starting to heal, but we still have to be very careful and make sure he doesn't hit it and split again.

Thanks Lindsey & Butsie for an awesome weekend away. When can we do it again :-)

Chase's Prayer

What we've been up to...

I had another doctor's appt today. Everything with the baby looked great. I'm almost 28 weeks along. I've gained a total of 20 lbs and my belly is measuring right on target (26.5). I go back in three weeks for my next check up and another ultrasound. Only about 12 weeks left until due date!

Things around here have been crazy as ever with Ethan in full swing of the "terrible twos". He has quite the temper and is extremely rough. He loves to climb everything and is talking up a storm. He is our little wild man with a strong personality. He may be trying but he is quite the comic...he's so goofy!

The boys sharing a pallet
Chase and his dinosaur party

Ethan has been quite the handful lately. He is always climbing everything and then calls for me when he get stuck.

3rd Trimester!

Today makes 27 weeks, the beginning of our third and final trimester!

I've been experiencing a lot of lower back pain and last week it got really bad. Although I told my doctor I didn't think I was contracting, she sent me to labor and delivery just to get checked since I had preterm labor issues with Ethan. Everything checked out great with the baby: no contractions and no dilating.

However, the back pain continued to get worse, so I ended up going to a chiropractor yesterday. While examining me, he pinpointed the exact location of my pain in a matter of minutes. He said due to the extra weight of the baby, my spine had compressed and all my lower vertebrae shifted to the left (or something like that).

The chiropractor said it looked pretty bad. He put me on some heat and adjusted me then told me to ice, heat & stretch as much as possible and to soak in a warm bath. I did everything he told me and still went to bed in quite a bit of pain last night, but woke up this morning feeling a bit better with more mobility. I went back to him today and he adjusted me again and said that my back was already starting to look better. He thinks by the time I go back on Monday, I should be feeling pretty much back to normal. I guess I'll have to continue to see him throughout the rest of my pregnancy just to be sure it doesn't get that bad again.

I don't know why this pregnancy has been so much harder on me, but the chiropractor did mention to me about three different times that "Being pregnant at 32 is not the same as being pregnant in your 20s". Seriously, he's a man, what does he know about being pregnant?!

Anyway, here's what's going on with me and baby:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

As your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.