Well, my original plan was to write a little pregnancy update once a month throughout this pregnancy but I just realized that it has been almost two months since my last one. That makes it clear just how fast these past several months have flying by. I don’t remember feeling this way with Ryan. I really enjoyed the final few months of the pregnancy and felt like I was able to take in all of the amazing moments before he arrived. With this one? It’s been a blur lately. Every time I think about how we have only one month left, I have to double check my pregnancy app because I am in disbelief.
How far along? 36 weeks…although I will be having a c-section at 39 weeks
How am I feeling? While I am definitely experiencing some discomfort, I LOVE this point in the pregnancy. The bump, the movement, the bonding that has already begun…it’s all out of this world incredible. Truthfully, before Ryan was born, I became highly emotional about the idea of not having him in my tummy anymore. While I was obviously so excited to officially meet him, the thought of our special journey coming to an end made me sad. Feeling him inside my tummy (and now feeling this little one) is the most amazing feeling I will ever experience.
As for the discomfort, this little chicklet feels very heavy by the end of the day…like I am walking around with a bowling ball under my shirt. During the night, my hips ache and I have to constantly switch sides. Thankfully, rolling over usually alleviates the pain long enough for me to fall back asleep for a bit. It’s interesting because I was physically comfortable with Ryan during the entire last half of my pregnancy. I am definitely carrying her differently. Just to be clear, zero complaining happening here. I would happily experience these uncomfortable symptoms for years in order to bring this sweet baby into the world.
Aversions? Thankfully, no aversions.
Cravings? Everything. I am only half-kidding. For the last couple of months I have wanted to fluctuate between salty and sweet…within a matter of minutes. If I finish a piece of chocolate, I then immediately want Cheez-Its. The good news is that my fruit craving is still holding strong. Now, if only I could figure out how to maintain that one post pregnancy…
Body Changes? As I mentioned earlier, this baby is positioned differently than Ryan. I am carrying her more towards the front so the one benefit is that I haven’t spread outwards as much as I did while pregnant with Ry. My hips and thighs spread far more the last time around. Being active with a toddler during pregnancy has also helped. A lot less sitting around and resting this time. As far as weight gain goes, I will likely weigh almost exactly what I did with Ryan but I started this pregnancy with 12 extra lbs of baby weight that I never lost. Basically, I will finish at the same weight but will have gained less. I gained almost 50 lbs with Ry and then when I started to lose the weight, my husband opened a donut and biscuit shop so…that explains the 12 lbs that I never kicked. I have ZERO will-power.
Nursery? The nursery is slowly coming together. Because I realized how little we initially used Ry’s nursery, there was less pressure this time around to complete her room. I ordered the furniture a few weeks ago and it was just delivered last week. Well, most of it was delivered. I somehow managed to order everything except the chair so that will be arriving next week. I opted for a fairly neutral nursery. Our house is very monochromatic and it was important that her room blend in with the rest of the house. There is a bit of color but it’s a very muted palette. I have never been a “pink girl” so the gray walls have remained gray although I have selected a feminine wallpaper for the crib wall. The furniture is a soft white with brass accents and her chair will be a sandy colored linen. The wallpaper being hung on the crib wall will be installed today and I am crazy excited for that piece of the puzzle. It should make a really nice impact. I’ll post a sneak peek on Instastories later!
It’s hard to imagine that we will be a family of four in just a matter of a few weeks! Excitement is beginning to dominate and squander the feelings of anxiety. Truthfully, I have been so focused on my fears about being whether or not I can be a great mom to two kids. Will I have enough patience for both? How will I balance quality time with each child, more specifically make Ryan feel as minimal of an impact as possible during this major transition? What does the day to day look like with a toddler and a baby? Complete transparency, I felt overwhelmed by all of this until recently. Now that it is so close to her arrival time, David and I are starting to dismiss those thoughts and just focus on preparing as best we can. While I would love for her to continue growing and stay where she is for a few more weeks, I am insanely excited to welcome her into our world! I just walk into her room and feel overwhelmed with emotion. The best part will be seeing Ryan move into the role of big brother. That alone makes me cry because I know that he will be a phenomenal brother to our sweet girl.
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At this point in the pregnancy, I find myself wanting to be more comfortable. Concert tees, cardigans and sweatshirts are the most appealing pieces currently. Thankfully, the weather is cooling down over the next week (not to mention he fact that I keep our house crazy cool right now because of hot flashes). I recently picked up this velour hoodie and am excited because it it perfect for this phase of pregnancy as well as post-pregnancy. It’s unbelievable comfy!
xoxo
Lindsey
