27 weeks: A 'Chinese' Cabbage

Twenty-Seven weeks: 2.29.12 (this post is SUPER late this week--whoops!)






Photo thoughts: I've been writing these posts on Tuesday nights since I turn weeks over on Wednesdays. I usually try to take the picture Tuesday afternoon so that the post can be up 'on time' on Wednesdays, but this time after writing the post on Tuesday we didn't take the picture until Saturday. Hence the very late post. However, I'm glad we waited because we got beautiful snow Friday night which made for pretty pictures complete with icy trees. Almost broke my neck walking on our deck with my dressy boots but it was worth it. Also--wow. My belly is no joke now.

 
Size of baby: A 'Chinese cabbage' according to BC and still an eggplant according to TB, assuming you go by the old standard list they have always had for the monthly foods. I think they also mention a cauliflower for this week somewhere in the internets, but I'm going to have to use that baby down the line when these odd/huge foods are difficult to obtain. And so, obviously, I just used a regular old cabbage this time anyway. No idea what a Chinese cabbage looks like.

Cravings: Sweets. And really, all food. All the time. Still starving and still enduring the battle between my brain that wants to exercise some will power over my giant appetite, and my stomach-mouth combo that only cares about getting fed all the freaking time. Baby girl better be very appreciative of my ever-growing body in her honor.

What I love: Pretty sure 27 weeks is the third trimester milestone, right? I love that in itself. Plus, not sure I've adequately gushed over how much I simply love being pregnant. I'm definitely one of those girls out there who adores the entire process: marveling at how my body can grow another human being inside, feeling her move like crazy, and anticipating meeting this baby girl is all too much to handle sometimes. I just love it all and I'm not just saying that because I'm in the 'perfect' stage of pregnancy before I get too big to enjoy it. I really do feel so incredibly blessed to be in this position after such a rough miscarriage last year. Thank you, God.

What I'm looking forward to the most: Besides meeting our little girl THE MONTH AFTER NEXT (!!!), I can't wait to be settled into the new house so I can nest like a mad pregnant chick.

Worries: I used the doppler for the first time in weeks (months?) the other morning when I realized I hadn't felt her kick much in the past few hours. Really hate that sense of dread and panic, like something just HAS to be wrong. But really like when she proves my negative instinct wrong with a perfectly strong heartbeat and then a ton of kicks just minutes later. Again: thank goodness for my doppler.

What is different this time around: Aww, last time my belly was finally starting to pop out and I was shocked at how much growth Truman had in the past month. I was getting ready for my first baby shower and was still running three days per week. This time I'm still pretty shocked at the growth spurt weeks 23-27 have produced but we definitely don't have any showers on the horizon and I'm  happy if I get out to walk a few days per week with Truman and Henry in tow. Can't imagine what it would be like to run with this pregnant belly this time around. Pretty sure I'd pee myself in 2 minutes flat.

Symptoms: Some more mild back pain every now and then but nothing too horrible. And I officially have to 'cheat' and use my arms to sit up from a laying down position now, or else I have to roll on my side to push up to sitting. Those ab muscles are definitely stretching out to the point of ridiculousness and it only makes sense to grunt and moan when moving around, just to get a little compassion from the old hubs. Right? Also, had a few nights while reading to Truman in his bed when my heart was sort of racing and I couldn't catch my breath. Pretty weird but I'll chalk that up to a big belly and internal organs pushing on my lungs and will refrain from assuming I'm having a heart attack.

Sleep: Love it. No complaints. Even took a few naps this week just to relive what it was like in my first trimester:)

Movement: Still all over the place and definitely getting stronger. As in, sometimes she will catch me off guard and I almost gasp at how hard she just kicked/punched me in the bladder. Love to watch my belly bounce around when I'm laying on the couch. It just never gets old.

The belly: Very round, belly button is looking pretty freaky, and my skin is starting to itch. No stretch marks just yet but I'm wondering if I could possibly be lucky enough to avoid them again. Time will tell, I suppose, but I'm hoping my mom's good 'anti-stretch mark genes' are still on my side.


Milestones: In this THIRD TRIMESTER milestone week, baby girl is 2 pounds and 14.5 inches long. Isn't that gigantic?? She has regular sleep/wake cycles, is opening her eyes, and sucking on her fingers. Baby's lungs are still very immature but they could probably function in the outside world with a lot of medical help. Of course, I don't want her to get any ideas from that statement but it's just neat to think she is really gearing up to be outside of the womb. Oh, and I passed my glucose test and my blood counts are just fine, too. 
  
Amusing comments from the general public:  This actually happened on Wednesday--the exact day I turned 27 weeks, and it has to be the worst comment I've received yet. A patient's caregiver asked when I was due and when I told her 'the end of May' she raised her eyebrow and said, 'You are so small.' I spouted off my usual response with phrases like 'long torso, I'm 5'10" so it spreads out' and she was obviously formulating her own opinions as I spoke. Then she uttered the kicker: 'Well, I can tell you are sort of pudgy right now (gesturing to her own cheeks), but normally you are thin everywhere else outside of pregnancy.' I was floored. You are telling me that my face is fat but normally I'm thin when not pregnant? Really? This chick is not exactly a size 2 by any means and in my pregnant fury I wanted to seriously smack her in her in the non-pregnant cheeks. Then I spent way too long staring at my face in the mirror that night and I have decided that sure---I've probably gained some of my weight there, but it's not nearly as bad as it was at the end of my pregnancy with Truman. So I suppose I better come up with a better come back to insensitive comments like these to prepare for further bashing. Maybe something like, 'Oh yeah? My face might be swollen but at least I'm not a rude/idiotic wench' sounds about right to me. :)

Best moment of the week: I discovered an amazing children's consignment shop in our area and had to exercise some SERIOUS restraint to avoid buying about 25 baby girl outfits there. I only came away with 5 and felt very proud of this feat. I cannot get over the adorable girl clothes out there and although I love dressing my little boy, it's definitely 100 times easier to find cute things for girls. I also have to put my 26 week OB appointment down as a 'best moment' because I just love her to death and can't believe it's already time to increase the frequency of my appointments. I go back in 2 weeks, then another 3 weeks to bring me to 32 weeks and then after that she wants to see me every single week to monitor my BP very closely in light of my pre-E last time (which, in case you were wondering, my BP has been fab thus far). Dude, weekly appointments are just around the corner. And I have been having lightbulb moments this week, like: I am actually having a baby in the near future.