Welcome to the Third Trimester

The following came from one of the websites I've referred to since the beginning of my pregnancy. It gives weekly updates on your growth and my body's changes, and this is what they had to offer this week--week 28.

"Welcome to the third trimester - the period of leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, itchy skin, aches and pains, swelling, heartburn, indigestion and . . . your baby's arrival!"

Now, except for the "your baby's arrival" part, could they be any more discouraging is what I want to know! After further thought and depending on the answer, maybe I don't want to know. But here's what I want to tell you before the future they've outlined for us comes true: I've loved almost every minute so far. It's not that I haven't complained about aches and pains and nausea, but I think I've managed to keep my sense of humor about most of it, with your dad's help.

However, this is definitely a new trimester...

I've noticed these last couple weeks that you've grown stronger. I think you might grow up to be an ultimate fighting champ. You used to find one spot and bump me a little, but these days you'll kick and punch and bump me in three different places all at once, and hard! You don't joke around about it anymore, and it makes me wonder if you're unhappy with your living arrangements. But I still love it every time!! I've not grown tired of feeling and seeing you in there.

For about a month now, I've started grunting when I bend over, squat, try to get in a comfy position to sleep, maneuver my way off of the couch, and try to use my abs in any way to support myself. My abs, not that they were ever very strong, feel like they're trying to work in mud.

This last weekend, I discovered that shoes with laces are not my friends. As I struggled to lace and tie my boots, not only did I grunt when bending over, but it was an effort to reach and I couldn't breathe. I actually had to take a break after finishing up with the first boot. It was quite an ordeal! It's difficult realizing that things aren't as easy to do as they were just a month ago, that your body can't do what you want it to. I imagine, on a very small scale, that it's like someone taking your car keys away when you've been driving for 60 years of your life. Suddenly you just can't? It doesn't seem right.

Last week, I noticed that I was starting to waddle a little after I'd been sitting a while. I strongly believe that it was because of the shoes I was wearing and that it's way too soon to start that. So I'm going to make a conscious effort to put that waddling business off for a couple more months. Of course, I thought that about the grunting when it started, but I don't seem to be able to not grunt when completing what used to be simple acts of movement.

Three weeks ago, I did get a leg cramp at night that had me limping for two days, and it was definitely not something I could laugh about. I'm hoping that was an extreme and rare event, and that the leg cramps they talk about during the third trimester are not all like that. I've had others that were unpleasant but manageable, and I hope those are the norm.

So these are my big "complaints" so far. Here's hoping that my third trimester is as mild as the first and second and that I'm able to keep my sense of humor, even though this pregnancy has clearly kicked up a notch.

Lime Ambition

Thanks to your dad, we finally have a good start on your nursery. In an effort to not go overboard with pink (for your dad's sake), I agreed to a light lime green nursery--the color of the leaves on your bedding. About a month ago, your dad stayed up until 3:00 a.m. to get the first coat of paint on the walls, and he finished up the next day. It turned out to be the perfect color. Whenever I look in your room and see that pretty green, it brings me joy. I hope you feel the same.

Now it's on... We're ready to fill up that room. Your dad found lots of accessories (night light, light switch cover, sheets, blankets, curtain rod, etc.) that match your bedding and ordered it for you. I wanted frilly, shiny butterflies to hang on your walls and from the ceiling, so your dad found some bendable cloth ones that have sequins and beads and they're waiting to be hung. Your dad fell in love with a doll house bookshelf for your room, so we registered for that. In a couple weeks, we'll be able to get your crib and a dresser, but we still haven't decided on white or a natural finish. I think your dad is a little nervous about putting those together. However, he managed to put your stroller together without much effort. There were no missing pieces when he was done, it looks like it's supposed to, and it seems to be in working order. But I think by the time we're done, your room is going to look like someone threw up "girly-girl" in it, so none of that tomboy business. Although, I was down with trucks, tree climbing, and dirt bikes when I was little. So if that's really the case, we will adjust and so will your room.

So the nursery is coming along at a fast pace; we've registered for all the things that will keep you alive, safe, clean, dry, clothed and entertained (for a while, anyway); we're looking forward to taking some classes in March that will teach us what to do with you when we bring you home; we're meeting a pediatrician this week; and things just seem to be falling into place. For the next three months, we'll be waiting around for you to grow big and strong (but not too big, please). We are so excited to meet you; however, we'll wait patiently until May. We finally stopped procrastinating, but you take your time, little Sophie Bean.