28 weeks

How far along are you?: 28 weeks and 2 days! It's been awhile since I was able to make an update! 

Baby is: The size of a coconut - about 16 inches and 2.5 pounds

Movement: All. The. Time! You can see baby move from the outside, too, which always freaks me out a little! For the longest time, this babe was down so low, you couldn't feel it move without sticking your hand past my waistband, so no one else other than Stephen has been able to feel this baby move! The baby is big enough now, though, that you can feel him/her move in several different places at once. Though it is usually hanging out on my left side :) 

Weight gain: 19 pounds! I was a little worried that my glucose test would come back positive because I've really been packing on the pounds this pregnancy (and all my healthy eating habits went right out the window when Stephen left...!) but all is well!

Stretch marks?: Pretty sure there are still no new ones, but it would honestly be hard to tell at this point ;) I remember when they first showed up with Uriah, right at the very end, with bruising and popped blood vessels...! If I keep growing at the rate I have been, I'm in for some unpleasant looking and uncomfortable last few weeks! 

Maternity clothes?: Nothing but! It was awhile ago now that all my regular shirts started to be too short, so I'm exclusively in maternity shirts or non-maternity tunics (and have been in maternity bottoms since about 10 weeks!). I was big pregnant with Uriah and Ezra in the winter months, so most of my things haven't been weather appropriate this time around, since I'm bigger this time around significantly earlier on! I'm having a hard time not shopping for more clothes - surely I can make what I have work for just a couple more months, right?! ;) 

Currently craving: Nothing specific, which is actually kinda sad to me...?! I had such significant cravings with Uriah and Ezra, I've been waiting for something to stick this time around and it hasn't! Cereal always sounds good, as do turkey sandwiches. I won't turn down ice cream and every once in awhile need something really filling like rice (Thai food or Chipotle) sounds good, but my appetite hasn't been too big, so my "opportunities" to eat and crave something aren't coming up very often. I always eat breakfast, a snack, a small lunch and a small dinner - I'm running out of room in my stomach to put things! 

Aversions?: The smell of pizza sauce (only while making the pizza, not while eating it!) and the smell of store bought salsa.

Sleep: I have definitely been more tired this pregnancy than I expected! I guess keeping up with two toddlers will do that to you... ;) My second trimester energy came a bit late, but it did come! Just in time for Stephen to leave for Africa! ;) I find myself getting tired around 4 o'clock most days now, especially if we spend the morning out in the sun or out walking around, or if I don't take a nap when the kiddos do, but I can just adjust my bedtime accordingly and usually be ok to go. I find myself less groggy in the mornings now, too, because I'm sleeping better at night - less midnight bathroom breaks! ...For now ;) 

Feeling: All the Braxton Hicks contractions! I don't remember feeling too many with the other two (Stephen remembers otherwise!) so it's taken me by surprise these last few days. Mostly because they're not full contractions, it just feels like really bad period cramps down low in my uterus, which is all I felt while dilating to a 6 with Uriah...! It just has me extra aware. Also feeling lots of pain and pressure. I self diagnosed myself about a week ago with SPD - symphysis pubis dysfunction - where your pelvic bones open up in preparation for labor, which they're supposed to do! just not at 27 weeks...! It makes it painful to roll over in bed at night, walk up stairs or hills, get dressed... anything that requires me to shift my weight from leg to leg. It's not at all pleasant, especially the combination of that with the contractions, and I hate knowing that it will just get worse!, but it comes with the third pregnancy territory. 

Working on: Names! Baby boy almost has a name, still just deciding on a middle name (I think!) And baby girl names have been narrowed down to two! ...It's so hard having to pick one of each! Also working on lists - trying to figure out what we still need for both baby and mom, and what I just want for baby and mom ;) 

Thinking about & anticipating: Just before Stephen left (literally, 3 days before his departure!) at my 20 week ultrasound, we found out that this baby has a two vessel umbilical cord. While this could mean absolutely nothing, it could also mean growth problems, for both the baby's physical size and organs, especially the heart. While at the time, the baby's heart looked amazing and the baby's growth was right on track (actually measuring on the bigger side!) it doesn't mean something couldn't come up before delivery, though Stephen and my doctor aren't at all worried. I don't know that I would have been too worried either, though pregnant hormonal mommas tend to worry ;), but the two vessel cord discovery lead to a more advanced ultrasound that lead to the discovery of excess fluid in the baby's kidneys. The fluid level was high by the smallest amount, but it is still a soft marker for chromosome abnormalities. We decided not to do any genetic testing because it was such a small, soft marker and there was only one, so we are going off the assumption that the kidneys just needed more time to drain and all is in fact well. All this to say, I'm constantly thinking about the size and health of this babe and greatly anticipating our 32 week ultrasound to check the fluid levels in the kidney and the baby's size! I have always been measuring right on track, and the baby has always been measuring on the bigger side, so I would be surprised to see any red flags on our ultrasound, but I'm anxious to know more all the same. 

Recent baby purchase: Completely unnecessary baby clothes! Two different sets - a newborn jammie set and a romper set for an older babe. We don't know what we're having, and either way, we've got two complete wardrobes to work with! I just couldn't resist the sale rack at Old Navy! 

What are you most looking forward to?: Other than getting this baby Earth side?! Getting the kids a new dresser in their room so I finally have a place to put all our accumulating baby things! The nesting urge is there, but I keep telling myself it's too early so I'm not so patiently waiting for a few more weeks! 

Favorite moment this week?: Best moment by far, was Stephen coming home!! Which is in no way baby related, but completely wonderful all the same! It took a few days after his return for me to realize how hard it had been to have him gone. It had all just been snowballing and came crashing down once he was home and I didn't have to hold it all together anymore. My pregnant hormonal state didn't help ;)