Start of the 3rd trimester!

Yes...I know...It has been nearly a month since my last little note on this blog. My apologies! I'm now back at school all week and I'm not sure where the spare time is going to. Health-wise for me, I've been doing great. I feel like I've swallowed a bowling ball, but I feel great. I have been noticing that I'm definitely waddling more and I'm much slower moving up stairs. Brian has compensated for my slowness by walking behind me patiently, since his normal gait is much quicker :-) The tiredness hasn't returned yet (knock on wood). However, my eating habits has sky-rocketed again. I keep thinking I'm hungry or I crave a food...but then two minutes later I think I'm full. Sheesh. Our little guy has been more active lately, and I think I've finally felt him having a bout of hiccups. He is pretty squirrely early in the morning, then again around mid-afternoon, then right after dinner, and, if I'm still awake, he's having a party near midnight. All the little pats, prods, and pushes, are always putting a silly grin on my face!

Our official first check-up of the third trimester was today with our ob/gyn. We got to go to their brand new office suite for first time. Very modern, and very huge! The entire building is considered a Women's clinic...so there are quite a few touches of pink everywhere. The waiting room for our dr. sported a crystal chandelier (with white, clear, and pink crystals), as well as pink chairs, and a modern funky pink couch. While giggling, I had to ask Brian if he felt his testosterone draining as we sat there :-) Anyways, the check-up went really well. Everything seems to be going on track. My blood pressure was on the low side for me, Great! And the baby's heartbeat was nice and strong. She also said I had passed my glucose tolerance test with flying colors (115, when they worry if it is 140 or above). Lastly, she said my hemoglobin count was on the lower side and asked if I was getting enough iron lately. For most of this pregnancy, eating beef was my quirky food aversions. It hasn't been until the past couple of weeks that I've craved a hamburger lately. So, I've got to eat some more BBQ or get a vitamin...its always something. We head back to the maternal specialist next week...and we'll get another little peak at our boy!

New fruit for this month! I've got an eggplant inside of me wiggling around :-) His little kicks and flutters are often making me giggle and grin.

24weeks and 5 day photo

Here's our little guy at nearly 25 weeks. He's looking right at the camera :-)

Hah! What an awesome pregnancy T-shirt! I wonder if they would get suspicious if worn to Wal-mart?

Excellent check up at the doctor's

Today we had our monthly appointment with the maternal/fetal doctor. This is a husband and wife doctor team that is keeping an eye on me and baby because of my blood pressure. These are also the guys that always want to "peak" at the baby via ultrasound...and of course Brian and I are not going to object to another viewing! We meant the husband of the duo today for the first time. What a hoot! He is the first one (from all my appointments) to congratulate me for passing my urine test...yep, I got high marks for peeing in the cup and not having a lot of sugar in the urine. Sheesh.

Anyways, as usual, my blood pressure was high, but my weight gain was good and normal. Then we got the look at our little guy. He was pretty active in there so it took some time for her to catch all of the needed measurements. Because of my blood pressure readings, they are looking to make sure there has been adequate fetal growth...and boy was there! So those of you back in 'bula who thought I was getting bigger this week, I most certainly was! Our baby is measuring at 2lbs and placing me closer to 27 weeks than to the 25 we thought. Nobody seemed to worried about this and just told me that some women tend to have bigger babies or that they just caught him at the end of growth spurt. I think he taking after my set of genes than Brian's :-) If I can get the ol' scanner working, I'll put up the latest picture soon. They gave us a copy of his wee little face looking at us (It looks way less alien now).

After being reassured all was looking well, they took my blood pressure again. Amazingly it was the lowest I've had in ages at 122/82. It must be that "white-coat" syndrome. We have our scheduled ob/gyn visit next Tuesday where they'll take my vitals again and we'll get to hear his little heartbeat again. Oh what a fun adventure this is!

Predictions via the internet?!

Hmm... I hope that Madame Zaritska's reading is not too true or I am totally opting for a c-section...

Madame Zaritska, our resident clairvoyant, wants to help you prepare for the arrival of your child. Here she does her best to predict certain aspects of your labor and birth experience.

What she senses for you
The day you deliver, outside will be breezy. Your baby will arrive at night.

After a labor lasting approximately 9 hours, your child, a boy, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 11 pounds, 10 ounces, and will be 18 inches long. This child will have hazel eyes and be almost bald.

But there is more. I sense that you wonder if you will have a difficult time during labor and birth. Why don't you go listen to an actual birth? It may give you some encouragement!