75% down!

I am an incredibly spoiled pregnant woman. Throughout this entire pregnancy, my family and our friends have been spoiling me rotten. Maternity clothes, baked goods, free babysitting, snacks, diapers...so many incredible gifts keep coming my way. Some of my very favorite ladies have been showering me with weekly surprises each Sunday. Though HIGHLY unnecessary (you hear me, girls?), it's been such a sweet way to count down the weeks to baby's arrival. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how supportive my parents have been these past 6 months, in spite of this being the absolute busiest year of their lives. I truly appreciate all of the love that has been coming my way from everyone. This baby is so blessed to have such a powerful support network, and he or she isn't even here yet! Thanks to all of you!!

Baby Reeder at 30w0d

How far along?: 30 weeks, 0 days
Total weight gain/loss: +4.5 over 2 weeks, +27 total. Most babies gain about half a pound a week from here on out; in order to get up to 10 lbs, this little one will have to gain closer to 3/4 of a pound each week (baby is likely just under 4 lbs right now).
Maternity clothes?: Prepare to see me in the same outfits over & over again. I can only mix it up so much.
Sleep: It's pretty decent. It's quite a production getting in and out of bed, positioning myself just perfectly within my nest of 5 pillows. The husband jokes about how noisy it is & how much the bed shakes while I get comfortable. He needs to watch his back...
Movement: Constant. They ask that you do kick counts each day, sitting down multiple times a day to count how many times the baby moves over a period of time. I definitely don't have to worry about this; this baby moves ALL the time.
Labor Signs: None.
Food cravings: Food. Just all of it.
Gender: Had my first baby dream and it was a girl. And I was as shocked in the dream as I think I'll be if this really is a girl in 10ish weeks.
New w/pregnancy #3: The back pain that crippled me much earlier in both of my previous pregnancies is just slowly beginning with this one. Though it's daunting to think about dealing with it for another 2.5 months, it's nice to not have been already dealing with it for a couple months.
What I miss: Excedrin Migraine. Started my day with a Pepsi & Tylenol at 9am to combat a headache, the only defense I have these days.
What I am looking forward to: Introducing Rocket to Big Brother and Big Sister!
Best moment this week: My 3.5 year old niece kisses my belly every time she sees me. It's pretty darn adorable.
Weekly Wisdom: Ladies, get pregnant at the end of summer. Being pregnant for the 4 biggest food holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Super Bowl, & Valentine's Day - does not suck. Add to that the fact that no one expects you to give up sweets (or anything, really) for Lent & I'd say the timing is pretty perfect! (Not having to bundle up your teeny tiny newborn in 43 layers every time you leave the house is an extra Spring-baby perk!)
Milestones: Three quarters of the way there, folks! I can see the finish line :)