As these weeks roll on by, it just feels more and more surreal that we may actually have our baby girl in hand soon!! If you’ve been keeping up with my blogs recently, you know its hard for me to see outside of my lists, but they’re very relevant right now! They’re keeping me sane and organized, considering how soon baby is due to arrive and just how many commitments we have leading up to that point. I’m pretty stoked, though, that I can actually put thought into these things. I don’t feel “home stretch-ish” just yet, but I realized just the other day that its almost June, and June is the LAST month before baby comes! So thats bananas.
Size Comparison: This weeks size comparison is all over the map, once again. Our app says the baby is the size of a cauliflower blossom. Also, the size of a basketball hoop. These two things are not the same size, in my book. Baby Center suggested she’s the weight of a cantaloupe. To mix it up, we looked on Fit Pregnancy and while it makes next to no sense, it suggests the baby is the size of a mid-century modern hanging lamp 🤣 Awesome, right? I, on the other hand, look like a potato. If I was always standing up, always with flawless posture, maybe it would be different, but I have caught myself at angles many times in the recent past where I just look like a potato with legs. While its not exactly my favorite silhouette, I’m thankful to be at the “potato” stage of pregnancy at all!
Appointments: I really enjoyed my prenatal appointment on Friday, actually. I’m up one pound, making my total 16 lbs so far. I’m sure there are a good handful more coming, lol! Brady and I brought the three kids along. (Dekker was in school) It felt a little like old times, when Brady would come to all of the appointments, and the kids were super acclimated to the office. Its gotten trickier as our family has grown, but not impossible, and they actually did quite well! 
Two notable things from my appointment were 1. trying to describe the frequency and type of contraction to my student doctor, and 2. asking if we could bring a photographer with us. So, story number one goes like this. He asked if I was having contractions, and I told him I have lots, but they’re just braxton hicks. He right away started making notes and asking about their frequency. I told him they’re not consistent, I’ve definitely never timed them, but they’re just always. If I go from sitting to standing, or standing to sitting, I get one. If I eat to fast, I get one. If I roll over in bed, laugh too hard, bend, pour milk, etc. I always get one. Brady piped up and said “Sometimes she thinks about contractions, and then gets one.” This seemed to totally baffle our student doctor, but Dr. Guselle laughed about it with us later. She gets it 😉 Story number two is my FAVOURITE! I asked my question about bringing a photographer when both doctors were in the room. I know many people bring photographers into labour and delivery with them, and have for years, but I wasn’t sure the protocol, if I had to confirm in advance, etc. My doctor was actually surprised that I never had before, and we had a funny conversation about some of her birth videos, where she turned a bit red and finished them up with “Well, that was too personal!” It was hilarious. But when she boiled my question down, she simply said “Some people don’t want a photographer in the room in case they do something wrong, but really, then just don’t do something wrong.” I LOVE that! I know there is always room for human error. Always. But I trust my doctor implicitly, and she is confident in her skill! Her saying that to me reassures me that, no matter what happens, she is making informed decisions that she is confident in, and she will stand behind them. I LOVE that!! I also love that we’re okayed to bring our photographer in!!!! 😁 I hope she’s amped too!!
How am I feeling emotionally: My emotions are all over the place. In general, I’m a bit more on alert, because as Bambina runs out of space inside my womb, she is less able to move in big ways. I feel far less kicks and rather, rolls and wiggles. Some days, I get nervous that I haven’t felt her move hardly at all, but I just have to be more intentional about being still and feeling for her. Almost always, I can poke at her and she’ll shift around a bit. Its just not as obvious as the big kicks and stretches were. Last week, my brother and his wife welcomed another baby, my new nephew, Jonah, into their family. Getting to snuggle that new little dude felt SO good in my heart and my hands. It amped my anticipation and excitement. Yet on the very same day, a friend of mine suffered the loss of her baby when she was just shy of 20 weeks pregnant. So many emotions swirled in that day and the days following. The excitement of remembering how amazing it is to bring home a new baby, and the devastation of not actually bringing that baby home after all. So my heart has been full and heavy with joy and sorrow, and a sprinkling of fear for myself.
How am I feeling physically: The most notable thing I’m feeling is just that I’m running out of room to house this kid. Or womb, perhaps. Yup, running out of womb. I have the constant “overfilled” feeling, am unable to lean very far forward, and deep breaths are hard to come by. But as I always feel I need to add, I wouldn’t trade it. I don’t want to whine about pregnancy being uncomfortable because I know how many of my friends ache to carry babies in their bodies, and I know how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to do so. Hopefully you all understand what I’m saying. I’m not ungrateful, I promise. Just a bit lumpy.
Wish Lish/Purchases: I mentioned the other day that I had ordered some playpen mattresses and sheets. It’ll be good to have those for the lake for Solly and Bamiba, buuuuut I’m SO stoked about yesterday’s purchase!! Bear with me if you don’t care about this kind of thing or you’re a dude… Yesterday, I ordered a handful of menstrual underwear! I’m SO pumped to have these as an option as I’ll be in this sort of “recovery” all summer long. I went back and forth between two brands for a long time, as one seemed far better than the other but was considerably more money and harder to get my hands on. However, thanks to Memorial Days in the states, they had a sale over the weekend, which I’m under the impression almost never happens! All underwear was 30% off, and because I was buying seven pairs, I got an additional 20% off the top!! It was still a decent purchase, but SO much more doable this way! I can’t wait to have these things in my possession! I feel so much more prepared!
Pictures: She be bumpin’. SERIOUSLY bumpin’!
This side shot doesn’t show just how lumpy she is, but those photos exists, too! My babies always lay on my right side, and their limbs hang out on the left side. Therefore, the right side of my abdomen is far larger than the left side, even when I’m not pregnant! This picture doesn’t show it to the full extent but its definitely there!
Its just like that now, and I’m cool with it 😉 Kind of a funny detail.
How are the kids feeling: The three kids who came to the doctors appointment with us really enjoyed listening to her heartbeat through the doppler! My student doctor is usually pretty quick with the doppler, gets his number and turns it off, where Dr. Guselle kind of let it go for a bit so I could get my fill and some relief. Different people, different methods. But this time, he held it in place and even offered the kids could help, if they wanted. They all declined, which was fine, but they were crowded around, listening intently. It was nice. In our regular daily life, they often tell me how much they love her, and how much they want to bring her to the lake. Rowan colors pictures for her constantly. Dekker has clearly been watching his daddy, because he always insists on saying good morning and good night to her, greeting her when he gets out of school, etc. Just sticks his cheek against my belly and talks to her. I love that. He is going to be SO good with her!!
Getting to know the baby: Bambina doesn’t seem too worried about running out of room. She seems pretty peaceful and comfy. I hope thats her MO when she’s born. Just content wherever she is with whatever she has. She seems chill now. But also responsive when we want her to be. I hope she’s always this cooperative!
The BEST part of being pregnant: I asked Brady his thoughts on this category. He says he likes that I’m tired earlier in the evening, and he gets more sleep. He’s not wrong, I’m very tired these days, though I’m up tons in the night, peeing and rolling over a lot. So maybe he is getting more sleep with me dozing off earlier, but I am not getting more sleep. Not. At. All. Such is life!
Favourite thing: McDonalds dollar drinks!!! I could drink those iced coffees every day! I don’t, but I could. I decided to use dollar drinks in this category almost a week ago, yet every chance I’ve gotten to drink one, I accidentally drink it before I remember to take a picture. Its a real problem. McDonalds used to offer any pop or iced coffee, any size, for $1. Now, they only offer the iced coffees up to size medium for a dollar, but still. I love a good cheap iced coffee!! VERY refreshing.
Thats all, folks! Its been a bit of a crazy week, and this week is proving to be about the same level of crazy, just for different reasons! This coming weekend is going to be SO fun, and while I’m totally looking forward to it, its also a big milestone in my head, leaving us with just one month before Bambina comes!! Eek!!! I just can’t wait! I anticipate that June will FLY by, school will finish, we’ll all sleep for a week, and then have our baby!! Or maybe we’ll work our butts off rather than sleep for that week. What I wouldn’t give to get a spring cleaning in before then! Oy! To have my cabinets wiped, bathrooms scrubbed, and living room rug properly cleaned and back to its original color. If anyone can recommend a super affordable cleaner for a one time thing, send that info my way!! Best baby gift ever???