Third Trimester Update

Welcome to the last trimester of pregnancy! Let's start with the Belly Progression!

Month Seven

Month Eight 

Month Nine 

 It is very apparent now to the general public that I am pregnant. No question about it and I've gotten my fair share of comments. 

"Are you hiding a volleyball under there?" (most often at Jeremy's games or from people who know Jer plays volleyball.

"If I stuck you with a needle I think you'd pop." No, but I would bleed.

"You're glowing!" Sorry that's actually just my extra greasy face from the hormones.

Comments at church include sisters saying not to sit by them in case I pop and even a brother volunteering to deliver my baby if necessary. 

I had a girl at Old Navy guess I was having a girl because of the way I was carrying. She didn't expound so I don't know what that meant. However, the woman doing my nails said the same thing but guessed a boy. She told me that she would see me in a week or so after the baby comes to change my nail color from the pink she was doing. 

I have also learned my fair share of "facts" from various sources. Most of these include generalizations like, "ALL first babies come late."

Honestly it cracks me up because everybody has something to say to a pregnant lady. I just smile and don't pay much mind. Everyone is so thoughtful and asks how I'm feeling on a regular basis. I want to say, "I feel like my insides are on fire!" but instead I say "Great!" Honestly the symptoms could be worse but I "great" isn't the most honest answer.

I had hoped last trimester that the heartburn wouldn't get worse but unfortunately my hopes were dashed. Everyday it gets worse. I have eaten so many tums that I'm afraid this baby is gong to come out some pastel color. It is to the point now that I have also started incorporating Mylanta to balance out the tums which have been becoming less effective each day. These two products saved me!

Also, I haven't laid flat in weeks! The minute I lay down, no matter how long I wait after eating, I feel like my lungs are going to incinerate. So this is my regular sleeping position.  

I use about five pillows to make a mountain to sleep on each night. Of course throughout the night I slide down and wake up with burning lungs but it's all I can do for now. It doesn't help my back much either which has been gradually getting more painful as I get bigger but Jeremy is good about giving me plenty of back rubs. 

Speaking of big, Mom and I measured this baby bump I've got going on: 42 inches! You could say I'm feeling large! Thankfully I have no stretchmarks on my belly though. (Except for one. At the very end of this trimester my scar from my appendectomy stretched out but the majority of it is inside of bellybutton so I think it only looks so big because I have no bellybutton right now to hide it in!) My skin does feel stretched to capacity making it very itchy but a little lotion clears that right up. 

In other news, I have started to feel contractions this trimester. I had a couple of close calls. The first was when just my dad was home and he was really freaking out but it didn't last long. The next one my mom was home and she took good care of me. She drew me a bath and after relaxing I felt much better. Then, when I was home alone, I was having really strong contractions and a bath wouldn't make them stop. I was actually having to breath through them. What was scaring me the most is that I hadn't felt her move all day. I waited till my mom came home and she thought we should call Dr. Wada. They told me to come in to get hooked up to the fetal heart rate monitor. Of course on our way over I finally felt her move and the contractions had really slowed down. But they still wanted to check and thankfully everything looked fine. When I start to think about what I'm going to do when these contractions aren't fake I start to freak out a little. I really don't have a plan which is scary for me but I just don't know what to expect! 

Tracking our little mover! She did not want to stay on the monitors!

A little nervous but relieved to know she was just fine!

We have been doing lots of preparations though. Anie brought up a bunch of her baby girl clothes for me to add to the suitcase full of clothes Tisha sent for me. Life savers! She has so many cute things! It took forever to look through them with her because each item we took out of the box she would say, "Oh I love this one! It's so cute!" and then tell me about when one of her girls had worn it. :) I love her! The clothes had been packed away for quite some time so after sorting them all mom did a ton of soaking and washing. 

LOTS of PINK

Mom also surprised me by putting together a cute nursery for Leila (giving up her office). I had been trying to "nest" for a while but not feeling like I had a place to really put together for her made it difficult. This was such a fun surprise!

The built-in Dad and Grandpa built has been converted into a changing station for Leila

I love this rocker. I used to rock my dollies in it and now I will rock my baby girl in it!

I love my pompoms and quilt!

Leila's bassinet is also very special. This is the bassinet that my Grandma Butler used with all her babies and then my mom used with all of us. Some serious history! I love that she will get to sleep in it while we are here!

Mom and I also made a delicious bean dip for Cinco de Mayo to pack on any extra pounds that this baby needs.

And I learned to can jam! 

I'm feeling very accomplished and ready. I think I have everything I need. My bags are packed, last minute reminder notes are written out, I set up the stroller, figured out the car seat and pack-n-play. I think all I need now is a baby!