31 Weeks! - The Glorious Mundane

I finally have a bumpdate update to share with you all! Phew, I’ve been about 3 weeks behind in the craziness that was May, so I am now slowing down and catching up.

How Far Along: 31 weeks. It’s absolutely crazy to think that in just 6 weeks this baby will be completely ready for life outside the womb, and in 9 or so weeks, we will have this baby with us! It’s all starting to get so much more real!

Size of Baby: The size of 4 navel oranges. As Theo says, “What? How did we get back to navel oranges?” I’m starting to just have a great laugh every time I see what the fruit/veggie is that my app comes up with. The baby is now over well over 3 pounds!

And speaking of navel. Guys, this is the weirdest story, and I couldn’t make it up if I tried. A couple years back, I got my belly button pierced (yes, I know…shame, shame, rebel child). When I got pregnant, I took it out and let it close up, but there is still a tiny scar and I guess it wasn’t fully closed up. Moose put his paw on my belly and stretched out his claw, and that claw went straight into the navel piercing hole and re-pierced it! And then it got stuck, and I’m pretty sure that he and I panicked at the same time and tried to get it out and ripped the hole a little wider. Of course, it has gotten infected. Could I make up something like that if I tried??? Nope. So I have a giant belly with a little tiny outie belly button and a band-aid smeared up with triple antibiotic ointment. I feel like stuff like this only happens to me lol!

Total Weight Gain: Right around 25 pds. I cringe thinking about the final number if I have 9 weeks left…but that is NOT what pregnancy is about, so I’m just going to enjoy it and not think about the number on the scale. I’m healthy and happy, and the baby is healthy and (I think) happy, so that is what matters.

Stretch Marks: None yet. But I have no clue how this belly is going to stretch much further without some marks!

Wedding Rings: No problem. I haven’t noticed any swelling, which is a huge blessing. I know a lot of people swell a lot in these later weeks, especially as it gets warm outside. But as I just glanced down at my wedding rings, I realize that they REALLY need to be cleaned! lol.

Maternity Clothes: Yesterday I went out in public in a t-shirt and shorts, and as I was sitting down I realized that I wasn’t wearing a single stitch of maternity clothing!! I could’ve high-fived myself…because this RARELY happens anymore. I’m loving having a break from work and wearing shorts and t-shirts all the live-long day. It’s glorious to not have to wrestle with what fits and what doesn’t.

Gender: Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!

Movement: All the time. I’m pretty sure I’ve been feeling some hiccups, too. I love watching and feeling different body parts drift across my belly. That sounds SO weird, but that is exactly what is happening!

Sleep: Waking up 1-2 times a night to use the potty, but otherwise sleep is fine. I do struggle with getting comfortable most nights, but I’m managing.

What I miss: Being agile. I can hardly bend over anymore. And getting out of bed is sometimes just not worth it because it takes so much work/energy. Walking across the house is sometimes a chore, too…just because my joints and my lower back and my whole body are in protest. It seems like they are saying, “Hey! Leave me alone…I’m growing a baby here, what more do you really want me to do???”

Food Cravings: I can’t stop eating. Don’t give me finger foods, because I’ll just sit there and pick at them and then an hour later they are all gone and I realize that I just ate very slowly for an hour straight. YIKES! I’m absolutely loving the summer fruits in the stores…cantaloupe and watermelon and strawberries and raspberries…!

Also, at our foster care classes they have a box of blow pops, and I can’t get enough of those! I usually take one for the class, then sneak one or two home with me and eat them at a later time. I don’t know what it is about them that I love so much, but I could eat one or more a day.

Food Aversions: Still just those darned tortilla chips and ranch dressing. Theo tried to eat tortilla chips in the car the other day and I made him either roll the windows down or wait until we got to the destination. Ugh.

Symptoms: Heartburn, back pain, lots of movement, nesting, exhaustion, aches and pains across my whole body in muscles that I didn’t even know I had before pregnancy, feeling some anxiety about labor/delivery and getting ready to raise a baby girl.

Best Moment This Week: Summer vacation. Hands down. I’ve kept myself very busy with classes, laundry, grocery shopping, the garden, making dinner and baking bread, painting the dresser for baby girls stuff, writing our birth plan, working on a ministry for church and catching up on some book reading. However, this change of pace is so wonderful compared to working a shift at work and then fitting in all the above around that work schedule. I loved my job, but a break is nice. Now…check back in a week and I’ll be itching to go back to work or at least keep myself busy and get out of the house.

Worst Moment This Week: Yesterday was a tough day for me. Theo had work, so I went all day without any other human contact. I managed to keep myself busy and accomplish a lot of different things, but it’s still hard to be alone for most of the day. It rained all day, I thought our brand new kitten had been hit by a car, I had to attend our birthing class by myself, and I got a flat tire. Thankfully, the tire was not flat to the rim, so I drove home on it. I was that super obnoxious person on the highway going like 50 in a 70 zone, but I didn’t want to have to change a tire by myself (or call someone for help), so I just did what I thought I had to do.

Ok…but the birthing class? Was all about pain management and how my support person can help me handle labor. So since I didn’t have a partner, I got to be the one in the front of the room having the instructor demonstrate on me the breathing and massage techniques. For someone who is not a touchy person, that was a little bit awkward…but hey, I got the most hands-on experience and a free massage!

Exercise This Week: Walking and mowing the lawn has been the extent of my exercise this week…but I’ll take it. I’m trying to do a minimum of 30 minutes a day.

What I’m Looking Forward To: Baby Showers, Meeting this little one, traveling to two more weddings, and having a mini get-away vacation with Theo.