The Final Third - 28 Weeks

I've found myself caught up in all this beautiful weather we've been having lately. Totally uncharacteristic of Pullman, or even Washington for that matter, we've had a record number of days with clear skies and sunshine - and not the horrid windy cold clear days of winter, but genuine warmth radiating from the sky. Sure it's still way below freezing at night, and poor Ian has to do battle with the layers of ice that are on his car every morning (Thank goodness for remote start, which was my Christmas gift from Ian this year), but by noon, there's that hint of spring in the air. Crazy, I know it's only February, and probably haven't seen the last of the snow this year, but wow, it's just been so nice!

The arrival of Spring is really making me anticipate both graduation and the baby being born. Maybe it's instinct or something, you know, springtime, new beginings, but I can't believe in only 10 weeks he could be here. Despite my constant complaining, this pregnancy has really flown by.

Actually today I began to notice some Braxton-Hicks contractions, which is weird, not painful, but just slightly uncomfortable. Ian said it was because I'm getting practice in for the "monster baby" - he's anticipating a 10 pounder. I'd be just fine with a nice average size, you know 8 pounds or so - I have no doubt the baby will be larger - but really, 10 pounds? I'd like to avoid nasty things like episiotomies, thank you very much. Most medical things I'm fine with - broken bones, surgery, blood (as long as it's not in a movie), all of that I actually think is kind of cool - but a episiotomy? But then there's worse - there's tearing. Odly enough I'm not afraid of labor - I'm even planning on trying to go without an epidural, but oh god, this baby better not have a large head. And at this point, those of you who know Ian are having a pretty good laugh. Oy.

On to less disgusting topics - I passed my glucose screen, which is good. Everything is looking really good, my blood pressure is at a record low, around 106/72 on average. Overall I'd say so far the third trimester is looking much better than the last two. I'm feeling much better - except for the acid reflux, which has been pretty constant throughout the pregnancy - I have a little more energy during the day. So except for the fact that I feel enormous now, things are pretty good (knock on wood).

It's a Zen Thing - 27 Weeks

It's getting a little squished in there. My stomach can only hold about half its normal capacity - so there go any perks like eating as much as I want. Oh, technically I still could, but I'd pay for it - and no amount of antacids are going to help. They say that the baby gains around a half a pound a week at this point. I can just imagine him in there, confused, thinking, "Is it me or is it getting smaller in here? Just last week I could strech out and now... hmmm, maybe if I kick a little harder... now I swear the walls are closing in! Ahhhh, lemme out of here!"

Or maybe he doesn't care. I, for one, can't wait to be the only one occupying my body again. Just to be able to take a deep breath or empty my bladder compleately would be heaven at this point. Seriously, heaven. Pregnancy definitely makes you appreciate those little things, so I guess that's a positive way to look a this.

I find at times I do look at all of this the wrong way. I think I'm one of those people who really focus too much on tomorrow without taking the time to enjoy today. Perhaps its the nature of college life, existing in a state of limbo. And although I do look forward to meeting this little guy, tying my own shoes, and generally not being pregnant anymore, my goal for the next twelve weeks is to enjoy just what is. I read a journal on Babycenter.com called Bringing up Ben and Birdy, which is where I got the idea for this journal, and the author was writing about a philosophy called 'mindful parenting'. Basically the central idea is that " Perhaps we would hold our moments differently. Perhaps they would not slip by so unnoticed, so unused, so filled up by us with busyness or diversions". And who can deny that is a much better way of looking a things.

Weird Science - 26 Weeks

Okay, so at one point or another probably every mother-to-be believes she is carrying a little baby octopus rather than a human fetus. This week I started to feel movements beyond what I think any normal baby could possibly do - floating in amniotic fluid or not. Up by my ribcage there was, what had to be, some kind of flip turn, followed by three hard punches down on my left side. Basically what the books say is "don't worry, everything's normal", not that I'm too worried, but if it felt like somone was trying to jack-hammer their way out of your womb, you'd have some cause for concern.

In other news, we had a doctor's appointment this week. Nothing too unusual, the ultrasound looked fine (which I figured, since I hadn't heard otherwise yet), except when my doctor measured the height of the fundus, she said it was measuring at about twenty eight weeks. What?! Wait, wait, wait, lets back up a bit, 28 weeks? Odly enough my first thought wasn't 'Oh no, that puts my due date somewhere in the middle of finals week', it was actually 'You mean I could be done with this sooner that I thought? Score!'. Unfortunately, or fortunately I suppose, I raised my concerns and my doctor said that measuring can be off about two weeks, and since the ultrasound, which is far more accurate, put the due date almost exactly where it's been, there's no reason to worry - the baby might just be on the larger side - or not - it's really just not that accurate. Yep, glad we're on the cutting edge of modern medicine here in Pullman.

The good news is that I'm really looking pregnant finally - what, it's only the thrid trimester? Maternity clothes are just about all I can wear now, that is if I want to be comfortable. And I'm now sleeping with a pillow wedged under my immense girth. I woke up a few mornings ago with pillows on each side of me, and poor Ian shoved over in the corner (not that he usually gets that much room, but anyway).

Ah, and guys while you're in edge of the bed exile - here are some words of advice I've thought of recently:
1. If your wife / singificant other is expecting, compliment her, even if she looks like crap. I got a few spring maternity outfits when I was in Portland, and Ian's been really sweet about telling me how nice I look and how cute my clothes are, which has made me want to look even nicer.
2. Hands on the belly. Ian's always got his hands on my stomach, and then worries that it bothers me. The only thing that bothers me is that I'm going to miss all the attention after the baby is born.
3. Let her sleep. This morning I woke up around 8, ate breakfast, laid back down to read a magazine, and promptly fell back asleep - and slept until noon. One word: Bliss.
4. Don't act like like things going on - or about to happen - with her body are straight out of Weird Science. Suprisingly, it's not all that helpful or encouraging - we're still working on this one.

I'll probably add more as I think of them. Until then, I'll continue to be pummeled from the inside by Jr - I hope he gets it out of his system and is a calm, easy-going baby - somehow I don't think I'll be that lucky.

In a Van Down by the River - 25 Weeks

This weekend I'm going to Portland with my school's mock trial team for a regional competition. The good news is that we're taking a van so I don't have to drive. The bad news is that we're taking a van. I don't know if spending seven hours with seven other people in a van sounds like a lot of fun to anyone else, but it's not exactly my idea of a good time. I remember back when I was in junior high, I went on a lot of road trips to go river rafting with a summer camp. At the time, we all thought waving obscene signs out the back window and singing along to American Pie about 100 tmies was great fun. Meanwhile the counslers must have wanted to shoot themselves.

Ah, but let us not forget that Portland is in Oregon, and Oregon has no sales tax! It gets better - my mom is coming down to Portland from the Seattle area to watch our trials, but I'm sure we'll get some major shopping in as well. I started a box for Peanut's things after Christmas, and it's now overflowing thanks to sales (I just had to buy this Columbia bunting, it will be perfect next winter, and probably twice the price next fall), and friends sending things like homemade blankets and extra brest pumps. Someone really ought to clean out some things around here so we can start finding a space for the baby. Believe me, it's a good thing newborns don't really occupy too much territory. Unfortunately it's all the stuff they need that does. I don't even want to think about where the crib will go. At this point I think laws of physics will not allow for a twin bed and a crib fit in Emily's room.

I'm sure that nesting instinct will kick in any time now, and I'll be hauling all Emily's things in from storage, and maybe I'll even get the Christmas decorations back into storage. We'll see.