30 Week Milestone!

Well, today is the big 30 week milestone! But because I've been so haphazard as to my pregnancy posts with this baby (Sorry, Joey!), I have a bit of catching up to do before we can call it 30 weeks here on the blog. :)

Pregnancy does funny things to time. Looking back, the weeks are moving in and out rather quickly! I'm taking things in stride, and really life isn't all that bad. But I'm pretty sure I don't feel that way in the moment. :) I know about a month or so ago I was really uncomfortable. I was having a fair amount of abdominal pain, particularly cramping (like round ligament pains) that always originated from the right corner of my incision scar. There were times I could barely stand because of the pressure the baby would exert on my abdomen and honestly, I thought my belly would split wide open! The pubic bone pain was pretty uncomfortable, and to boot the varicose veins in my right foot flared up and my poor foot and ankle were swollen and sore all the time. I remember crying and wondering how in the world I was going to make it to the end! Danny and I both were worried I was staring bed rest in the face if things didn't turn around.

But one thing I have been so much better about this pregnancy is my walking. Really, my morning routine in general. My eating is on point every morning, which sets me up for more success in that regard for the rest of the day. I'm so much better about starting my morning with personal prayer. And I walk for 30 minutes a day during the weekdays...with the treadmill set at a speed of 3.0, I can get exactly 1.5 miles done in 30 minutes. It's just enough to work up a sweat without putting me in undue amounts of pain. :) Then I read my scriptures for 15 minutes while I cool down before hitting the shower. Even when I was so uncomfortable, I just couldn't give up on my hard-earned routine. So I kept going, and maybe that's why after a week or so things eased up and I'm actually feeling pretty good these days. Don't get me wrong, I'm still big and pregnant and uncomfortable all the time. But no acute pain, which I think it pretty awesome.

Want to know what else is awesome? Ice Cream. Ice Cream is awesome! I seem to get this way, at least with my boys. Once I hit the third trimester, it's like I'm a bottomless pit for ice cream! Well, with Luke it was candy bars. But with Johnny it was ice cream. And with Joey we found the most delightful new brand of ice cream and it makes me so happy! And there's a built in safe-guard in that I have to drive all the way to Clinton to buy it at another grocery store. So it keeps me to a somewhat decent limit. :)

27 weeks 2 days

On Sunday, January 24th, I officially hit 28 weeks and thus entered my third and final trimester. So I took my obligatory picture. :) Here's a pic of me with Joey and a pic of me at 28 weeks with Luke. Yeah, definitely sticking out more with Joey! 

A few days later at my 28 week OB appointment, his size was determined to be officially bigger than Luke was. At 28 weeks and 3 days, Joey was measuring 3 lbs 14 oz...which would put him at a gestational age of 31 weeks 2 days. At the same time, Luke was measuring between 2 and 2 1/2 lbs. :) I wish I had any idea what Johnny measured at during this point of gestation! At any rate, Dr. Davis was quite astonished, and must have checked the results of my glucose test twice while I was there just to make sure there was NO hint of gestational diabetes. There's not...I just make 'em big! Dr. Davis again reiterated that we really needed to add a tubal ligation to our c-section plans. And that he wants to schedule that c-section as close to the 39 week mark as possible. I think it's safe to say he's a little more freaked out than we are. :) But while we were doing the ultrasound, we got the clearest picture of Joey's face! I could stare at this picture all day long. I mean, look at those cheeks already! And I just love the scowl, like's he's irritated that we're bothering his beauty sleep or something. :) He's got my nose, just like the other kids. And I can see Luke's forehead on him, too. I just love him already!

A day or so after my appointment, I got a call from the medical assistant at Dr. Davis' office. They needed me to pre-register at the hospital so that I could be scheduled for my section. I went ahead and did that, and it looks like we're all set for the 7:30 am slot on Monday, April 11th! You would think I'd be delighted...but it makes me hesitant and anxious to have a date. I really would rather leave him there and wait until I started labor on my own or my water broke. But I don't have it in me to fight with Dr. Davis. I really, truly believe he feels like he's working in our best interest. I really, truly think he's worried about me! But I'm also worried about taking Joey before he's ready. Before he's physically ready to be in this world, and before he's ready to leave the presence of our Heavenly Father and everyone he knows and loves there. But, just like with Luke, I feel like all I can do is pray that he'll either be ready when that surgery time comes...or he'll come earlier on his own! I pray for that especially; not so much so that I can be done being pregnant, but because that way I can know he was ready.  

I didn't do an official 30 week belly pic...but I did get a picture with my pregnant friends at the ward party last night. :) I'm the least pregnant of both of these ladies, who are both due within the next two weeks! Pretty par for the course for me, I guess. :)

I know I'm missing a ton of stuff, but that pretty much brings us to the 30 week mark. And everyone is getting very excited to get Joey here! This little boy has already blessed my life so much, and I can't wait to see how he blesses the rest of our family. I enjoy feeling all this movements, and especially his hiccups. It's made him feel more real to me. I love that he always becomes so active right at bedtime when Danny can spend some time feeling him do his acrobatic routines.

There's still so much to do to prepare for Joey's arrival, and I am starting to feel the beginnings of the nesting instinct. I want to start sorting, washing, and folding clothes. I want to pull everything up from the basement, get it washed, and determine what we need to purchase. I need to call the hospital and see about delaying the first bath, avoiding the antibiotic ointment for his eyes, and even bringing in my colostrum into the hospital to supplement Joey's feedings until my milk comes in. But I'm also busy throwing a bridal shower for my niece Megan, so it's delaying a lot of these "baby to-dos". Which is good...if I get it all done too soon than I won't have anything to keep me occupied during those last and longest weeks of pregnancy!

As of now, there are only 9 more weeks to go...at the latest! I can hardly believe we've made it this far. :)