32 Weeks

32 weeks! That means I have exactly 2 months to go. We move to Reno in 3.5 weeks and then baby boy comes 4.5 weeks after we move. It does feel like we have reached the final stretch here before this baby comes and it feels good, especially because I am feeling bigger and bigger by the day (which doesn't feel quite as good :)

Cravings/Aversions: Popsicles! Anything cold and icy sounds like perfection just about anytime of the day. I think this had been a general theme throughout my whole pregnancy, but it sure does feel like the last 3 weeks popsicles have definitely taken the top category in my daily dietary intake.....which probably isn't the best thing. I guess it's good that I already took my glucose tolerance test!

Books: I am just about done with  A Guide to Natural Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin and still have the same opinion I did last time I did an update. It's really interesting, but she is a total hippie cruncher (so don't read it if crunchers make you cringe). After I finish Ms. Gaskins book I was going to pick up HypnoBirthing. I don't know how much of it I will actually use, but I figure it's better to keep my mind open to birthing suggestions and see what fits best for Robert and I. 

Exercise: Exercise is still great. I can pretty much attribute me feeling so good at this point in time to my daily exercise. It helps keep my energy up and I always feel my best for the 3-4 hours post exercise. I am still lifting, but I do have to say my overhead squat struggles, a lot. I think it's a balance thing, but man oh man, let's just say I have never been embarrassed at the gym, and attempting (and failing) to do an overhead squat with my growing belly made me feel pretty embarrassed. Good news, though my power clean is still lookin' good (which I am so proud of because it took me so long to get up to my current weight and master the technique). 

Excitement/Concerns: Nothing too crazy has happened lately. This boy moves all the time, now. I don't really feel him kick anymore, it's more of just him moving around doing summersaults and just being active. It is very visible when he moves from the outside now, which is pretty cool but also just a little disturbing to watch your whole stomach move. 

Baby: Baby boy has and uses all 5 senses now. He is 3.5 lbs and roughly 18 inches long and will put on .25-.5 lbs per week (lets just hope its not more than that). His brain is continuing to make complex neurological connections that will help with his learning from now until long after birth. Let the learning begin!

30 weeks! The Final Countdown Begins

Hooray! We have finally reached 30 weeks, and the final countdown begins. I am 31 weeks tomorrow; I took this picture last tuesday (when I hit 30 weeks) but I am just getting bad at posting on time :) I am loving the fact that in just 5 short weeks this baby will be considered full term. 

Cravings/Aversions: Popsicles and ice cold water! Last week we bought Dryers Outshine fruit/veggie popsicles and they are delicious. I think Robert, my sister Natalie and I all agreed that the Tangerine Carrot was the best. It could be that this recent craving spurt is due to the finally warming weather and the fact that this little boy is all up in my diaphragm making breathing difficult and sitting down for meals increasingly more uncomfortable. Popsicles just always seem to hit the spot nowadays. 

Books: I finished The Bradley Method: A Husband Coached Childbirth last week and now Robert it reading it. LOVED IT. I have now moved onto A Guide to Natural Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. If you guys don't know who Ina May Gaskin is, she is this total hippie midwife that runs The Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee. You could consider her the queen of the natural birth/midwifery/spiritual birth realm. Anyway, she is a super interesting woman and I just really like what she has to say about birth. Interesting read! She brings up fascinating points about childbirth that I have appreciated. But in the long run, let's be honest, she should really reconsider her birthing center name. The Farm? Really? Because that doesn't make a pregnant woman feel like a cow.

Exercise: Everything is great in this area, per usual. Robert and I are both running the the Temple to Temple relay (it goes from the Rexburg Temple to the Idaho Falls Temple) with some of my little sisters friends next weekend. It will be baby Davis' first race and I am excited!!

Excitement/Concerns: A few weeks ago I passed my glucose tolerance test with flying colors. My doctor was really impressed, and it made me feel pretty good because going to the doctors and watching your weight go up is just plain depressing so it made me feel like I am still healthy and doing something right! As of late, I have gotten big enough that I can see this baby move from the outside. It's pretty entertaining and keeps me (and Robert) distracted when I may or may not be falling asleep in church.  

Baby: He is about the weight of a head of cabbage and is roughly the 16" in length. Starting in the 3rd trimester is when all babies start to vary in their hight and weight, so this is just a very rough average. He could be a lot bigger or smaller. I guess we will find out in 2 months. Robert can also hear his heart beat when he puts his ear on my belly. 

29 weeks+ my favorite birth video of all time

Every week I am most surely feeling more and more pregnant. It is safe to say that this little boy grew up as high as he possibly could (he was kicking my diaphragm a few weeks ago) , and is now starting to grow out. It is nice that I feel like I am looking pregnant during my third trimester! 

Cravings/Aversions: I feel like I could almost eliminate this category from my updates! It's pretty much been the same thing from the start: turkey, stuffing or cranberry sauce makes me want to gag, but pizza and anything liquid and cold sounds like heaven. Also, I don't know why, but salad bars have sounded amazing the last few weeks. 

Books: On Tuesday I got The Bradley Method: A Husband Coached Childbirth (finally!!!) and I have to say it has been my favorite book about birth that I have read. I am pretty much done with it, and now Robert gets to read it, since it is actually meant for husbands. I know it may sound odd, but between our child birth class and this book, Robert and I are really excited for the whole experience of birthing a child. On a different book note, if any of you want a quick and easy, but spectacular read, I would recommend the Legend trilogy. Robert and I are eating them up!

Exercise: I do have to say that exercising has gotten a little more difficult as of late, mostly because my muscles, especially lower body/legs, just feel different. I am still running about 20-25 (depending on my work schedule) miles per week and lifting just about every time I run. Now that I am showing, I definitely get strange looks when I am at the squatting rack; yes, it makes me feel self conscious sometimes but I have to remind myself that I know my body more than anyone else does, and lifting hasn't done anything but help me tremendously during this fun 9 months of my life :)

Excitement/Concerns: This baby and I finally have a doctor in Reno! It was an answer to many a prayers and relieved many concerns that we found a doctor to take us when I am 35 weeks, and who is pro natural child birth. It was something that was really important to me, especially since the midwife I wanted (there is only 1 in Reno that takes insurance!) was already booked to the max and couldn't take me on as a patient. On another note, during our last birthing class our teacher showed us this video: http://vimeo.com/78194797. It was by far one of the most beautiful birth videos I have ever seen (just watch the first 5 minutes). I love how you can clearly see when she is in active labor and then when she goes into transition and soon after she has the baby. Also, this video really tempted me towards a water birth.....but I decided that I would just use the tub for labor and not to give birth. Also, this birth took place at a birthing center inside of a hospital and it made me a tad but jealous of all those that live in Denver and have that option. Coolest birthing center, ever! 

Vegas Baby Shower

This past weekend I headed down to Vegas with a few of my sisters for my baby shower! All 5 of my sisters and my mom were kind enough to throw baby Davis and I a little shower. It was a beautiful weekend, and I was lucky enough to spend it with my whole family (minus a few husbands...including mine :). I was also able to see my nephew Darwin, who I don't usually get to see very often. Bonus, my sister-in-law also had her baby. It was a busy weekend!

The baby shower was a nautical themed baby shower, since I am going with a nautical/coastal theme for his room. It was a beautiful shower! My clever sister Melissa decided to do a building block decorating station instead of games and it was a hit! Now I have all these cute blocks for our little man. Also, my best friend came down from Provo! 

There were so many people there to support us in this new adventure of ours. Feeling blessed is pretty much an understatement at the moment. I loved seeing so many friends there, and how excited everyone was for this little man to enter into this crazy world of ours. So, thank you again!