Category Archives: Baby

Pregnancy Update — October

October 11, 2019

KC thinks it’s hilarious that that t-shirt is one of my go-tos these days, as it’s a souvenir from this Amsterdam beer tour.

Well this is it guys, the last update for babe #3. Pregnant bellies are sort of fascinating and terrifying all at the same time, but since this is the last update for what I am 99% sure will be our last kiddo, I guess I can pitch any remaining pride I have for the moment and show off what a crazy and amazing thing the female body is. And also the pajamas, dirty mirror, and not-at-all picked up bedroom is just the byproduct of #momlife and being so damn pregnant.

weeks: 36.5 (almost 37, really)

baby’s size: papaya. I had an ultrasound on Monday and baby was measuring in at close to 6 pounds now, so he seems to be on track with Prim’s birthweight at this point. (And yes, I’m little and tend to make not-huge but still totally healthy babies.)

i’m feeling: really pregnant. At this point I’m getting into the really physically uncomfortable part of pregnancy. The end is quite the mind trick, as you get so uncomfortable that you start to think “labor doesn’t seem so bad…” I guess that’s ultimately a good thing?

food love: honeycrisp apples. I bought some at Costco recently and if it weren’t for the damn glucose intolerance I would eat them constantly.

food hate: diabetes-friendly breakfast foods (like eggs and Kodiak waffles). I can’t wait to be able to just eat normally again!

3 pros for october: 1. I am really close to being ready for this babe. I’ve got my hospital bag packed (aside from a few last-minute items) and have the house mostly ready. 2. Bedtime with the girls has recently been really tough. Prim going back to school and Lark simultaneously being potty-trained and deciding she was ready for a big-kid bed has meant a lot of big developmental/transitional meltdowns and feelings in general (not to mention that these intuitive babes know that a big change is forthcoming!), but I think we’re mainly through the worst of it now (thank the lord). 3. KC’s mom is making the girls’ Halloween costumes again this year and I couldn’t be more excited. We’ve had a few sneak peeks and my heart can hardly take it — they’re so dang cute!

3 cons for october: 1. I am so pregnant, and SO uncomfortable most of the time. The end of pregnancy is just exhausting. 2. I’ve already been getting some early signs of labor, and while I think it’s still way too early for anything real, it’s a little stressful to weather the waves of consistent Braxton Hicks contractions while KC looks at me in a panic asking, “Are you in labor??” 3. Sometimes I worry that this kiddo is going to be really early (this is definitely the earliest I’ve ever had labor signs) and sometimes I worry he’ll just stubbornly stay put until they force me to be induced on my due date (gestational diabetes means I can’t go past 40 weeks, so one way or another this kiddo will be here sometime in the next few weeks.) Fingers crossed I can avoid pitocin!

currently living in: pajamas, mostly.

looking forward to: meeting this sweet babe! (But cook a liiiiittle bit longer, please!)

dreaming about: eating all the carbs with reckless abandon once this kiddo is out.

Baby / Pregnancy

Pregnancy Update — September

September 9, 2019

I am now officially 8 months pregnant, and it’s sort of crazy to think that there will only be one more pregnancy update posted after this one. I haven’t organized and washed all the baby clothes and accessories just yet, so I’m hoping that another quick round of nesting energy is just around the corner!

weeks: 32

baby’s size: cantaloupe. I had an ultrasound this morning and kiddo is 4 pounds! Crazy to think about since little Larky Lou was only 6lbs 2oz at birth (but trust me, I had zero meds for that labor/delivery and she felt plenty big.)

i’m feeling: a bit uncomfortable. I’m not only sliding right into the really physically tough part of pregnancy, but the little one has positioned himself head-down with his feet straight up under my rib cage. Because of this, he’s been pushing everything upward, which has resulted in re-injuring an old rib fracture on my left side, which is not only really painful a lot of the time, but means I can’t sleep on my left side. (And belly and back sleeping are already off-limits, so… fun.)

food love: not much. Gestational diabetes has made eating a bit of a chore, so there’s not much enjoyment or indulging these days.

food hate: protein bars (aka easy, quick, diabetes-friendly snacks. Getting real sick of them.)

3 pros for september: 1. I am weeks away from being on maternity leave, which I am really looking forward to. Between my broken rib, terrible third trimester sleeping, and long commute, my work days are getting more and more exhausting; so it will be nice to have some time to rest before this wee bairn arrives! 2. The nursery is so close to being finished and it’s coming together so nicely. KC and I sometimes just hang out in there together because it’s such a calm, sweet little space. 3. Prim and Lark continue to be so sweet about “baby brother.” Most nights they will both insist on giving my belly a hug and kiss before bedtime and I can just imagine the snuggles/smothering this kiddo will be in for with these older sisters!

3 cons for september: 1. Pregnancy hormones + everyday stress is a real fun combo. I recently had a nice little meltdown during a therapy session because sometimes managing all these “little” (cough not really cough) stressors feels really big and overwhelming. 2. The broken rib thing is very much not comfortable. I really hope this babe adjusts his feet and it starts to get better soon. 3. Sleep has been so terrible lately. Even though I’m completely exhausted, it’s been torture trying to fall asleep and stay asleep. That third trimester insomnia is no joke!

currently living in: Blanqi maternity leggings and non-maternity Old Navy workout tops (similar here and here).

looking forward to: maternity leave, sleep, and the end of this unbearably hot weather.

dreaming about: having a waist again and THROWING MY MATERNITY CLOTHES AWAY. (By which I mean donating them, obviously. I’m not a monster.)

Baby / Motherhood / Pregnancy

Pregnancy Update — August

August 13, 2019

Enjoying my non-swollen feet and ankles while I’ve still got them.

I can’t believe I’m in the third trimester already, but here we are. Kiddo is head-down and, as I recently discovered, very not into the doppler and ultrasound wand pressing into his very limited living space — he kicks them away at every opportunity.

weeks: 28+

baby’s size: head of lettuce (romaine? iceberg? butter? who knows.) I should also note that my uterus is apparently the size of a basketball now. I can tell you that visually this seems spot-on.

i’m feeling: pretty tired. I’m right at the beginning of when things seem to get more difficult and tiring by the day, and while some days I still feel like I can go about my day without much trouble, there are times when I am so exhausted and uncomfortable by the evening that I end up falling asleep on the couch right after putting the girls to bed at 7:30pm. Our bodies are pretty amazing, but this whole process is no walk in the park!

food love: avocado on everything, tuna sandwiches with extra pickles, and trail mix.

food hate: nothing at the moment. (I mean cake is gross, but that’s an all-the-time thing for me.)

3 pros for august: 1. KC and I recently spent a full weekend working on the nursery. We are converting our office (aka our “catch-all” room) into the baby’s room, which meant we had a lot of KonMari-ing to do in order to even start the process of getting the room baby-ready. I’m happy to say that we are so close to having the room done now; just a few finishing touches and a small chair to breastfeed in and we’re there! 2. We recently took care of a bunch of major house projects that we’ve had on our list since we moved in over a year ago; and while roof and dry rot repairs are not the most fun things to throw money at, our new exterior paint is totally giving me life. 3. As the end of this pregnancy is inching closer, I’m getting more and more excited to meet this little one. While I know that this will be a big transition for all of us and there will surely be some less than perfect moments, I can’t tell you how excited I am to see the girls with their new sibling. (Larky’s current favorite thing is to come up to me, declare “I want to see baby brudder” and lift up my shirt. She’ll hug or lay on my belly and tell me, “I’m gonna smash him.” If that isn’t 2 year old love, I don’t know what is.)

3 cons for august: 1. We have been watching the new season of Orange is the New Black, and while this season is great (so good!), a recent episode that mirrors a lot of current issues in our country made me literally sob (Episode 11 is a doozy, guys. Especially if you have kids.) 2. I was recently diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, despite having no prior risk factors (I didn’t have it in either of my prior two pregnancies either.) I was a little surprised by the diagnosis, but found out that stress can be a major contributing factor, which, given some things I’ve been dealing with during this pregnancy, makes a lot of sense. 3. Given my GD diagnosis, I am bidding farewell to all treats for the time being. Luckily GD can generally be controlled with diet alone, but I’m not gonna lie — I’m not stoked about giving up my nighttime dark chocolate fix.

currently living in: maternity dresses and my new Rothy’s flats.

looking forward to: finishing up the nursery for good. (PS: I did finally track down the perfect paint color — it ended up being Sherwin William’s Blue Peacock. I will tell you though, the first coat was totally nerve-wracking and felt very much like “THIS IS SHARKS TERRITORY” if you know what I mean. Thankfully three coats did the trick and it darkened into the perfect forest-y teal.)

dreaming about: naps and maternity leave.

Baby / Motherhood / Pregnancy

Pregnancy Update — July

July 11, 2019

The babe has started moving with gusto recently, and KC has even gotten a chance to feel some movement, despite my anterior placenta (which blocks a lot). This kiddo is clearly a party animal just like his big sisters.

weeks: 23.5

baby’s size: grapefruit

i’m feeling: ok. I’m not as tired as I was previously, and the nesting instinct has definitely started to kick in, but I’m definitely still not feeling like myself these days. My energy feels perpetually lower than I’m used to and I’m constantly wondering when I’ll actually feel like myself again (after delivery? Later? Who knows.)

food love: granola bars (specifically just the trail mix ones from TJs) and little ice cream treats (TJs Hold the Cone and the mini mint ice cream sandwiches — yum!)

food hate: not much. I’m not actively avoiding anything right now, but I definitely get tired of certain foods much quicker than I normally do when not pregnant (mostly meat and fish).

3 pros for july: 1. KC and I just got back from our little babymoon trip to Hawaii. It was so relaxing and nice to get away (and sleeeeep!) 2. Even though getting away on vacation is so dreamy, it’s so nice to be back in our own house with our sweet and crazy little ones. 3. KC and I have made it a point to go out every Friday on a date, and it’s become such a nice tradition over the past 6-7 months. I look forward to Friday nights every week and the girls get special time with our nanny on Fridays — usually with pizza and a movie — so really it’s a win for everyone.

3 cons for july: 1. I am continuing to despise the heat in my pregnant state. In Hawaii we hiked out to a secluded beach through more than a mile of unpaved/loose lava rocks. It was so hot I wanted to just lay down and die. 2. My mood has been pretty low lately. I’m not someone who stresses out a ton or generally has a lot of anxiety, but some recent life issues have bubbled up a whole lot of these feelings and I am really not into it. (Also, stressing out about feeling stressed during pregnancy is like the least fun Catch-22, ever.) 3. I’ve got the nursery fairly put together in my mind, but have nothing together in real life. I was hoping to take care of one piece, recently — a painted wall — but instead ended up taking two trips to Home Depot for five (5!) different paint colors, none of which are quite right. Ugh.

currently living in: shorts, dresses, and all the SPF.

looking forward to: finding the right paint color for the nursery.

dreaming about: getting the nursery put together.

Baby / Pregnancy

Pregnancy Update — June

June 12, 2019

To answer some (unasked) questions: 1) Yes, I wear that dress a lot — my maternity wardrobe is limited. (And if you think you’re tired of seeing it, just think how tired I am of wearing it.) 2) Yes there is pretty much always clothes on the floor in our room, and 3) sometimes our bed is made, but most often it’s not.

Pregnancy brain has started a bit, though it’s not nearly as bad as it was with Prim (not yet anyway!) Although, I live in a perpetual state of “mom-brain” so maybe that’s why it doesn’t seem so bad this time around?

weeks: 19+

baby’s size: mango

i’m feeling: ok. My nausea is intermittent, reappearing randomly and without reason. I’m still tired a lot, despite my extra iron intake. At my 16 week check I told the midwife that I wasn’t feeling that great, and she informed me that with third pregnancies and beyond the first trimester symptoms tend to last a lot longer and then added “but you likely won’t get back to your baseline energy levels at all this pregnancy.” So… that’s cool.

food love: peaches, grapes, and bagels.

food hate: not too many things. Meat is always a tricky proposition during pregnancy for me, but right now it’s more that I’ll be “in the mood” for something more than actively avoiding another food or food group.

3 pros for june: 1. Summer seems to have officially started. Prim is done with preschool and we’re gearing up for summer swim lessons! 2. I recently ordered a maternity rashguard so I can start swimming laps again (my SPF 100 skin makes me avoid it if I have to put sunscreen on my back — tricky when you’re by yourself.) 3. KC and I just booked a little getaway for the two of us in early July. I’m so excited to relax and recharge (and fly without toddlers!)

3 cons for june: 1. The hot season is just starting and it is already HOT. I’m not sure how I’m going to survive the whole summer with this bump in the heat. 2. My stress levels have been all over the place this pregnancy. Sometimes I feel pretty good and even-keeled, while other times it feels like the world is caving in. Hormones are fun, guys. 3. I am already having birth anxiety even though I’m still months away from delivering. I feel like the anxiety gets worse with each successive pregnancy because your brain/body is like “Remember how it feels like you’re going to break in half when you deliver? FUN.”

currently living in: summer maternity dresses, and swimsuits when I can manage to be near a pool.

looking forward to: vacation!

dreaming about: having more time and more energy.