28 weeks.

I'm exhausted. Had my RhoGAM shot this morning - didn't go so well. I got up at 6 to make it to the hospital at 7, in hopes that I'd have enough time to get it done before my 7:50 OB appt next door. Wrong. I wasn't feeling good to begin with - I could feel the nerves working themselves up, but hoped it was more because I just can't breathe well anymore. Go up to L&D, they check my temp and BP, all the while I'm doing fine. She gives me the injection (which was in the hip, by the way - awkward...) Then she tells me she wants to wait 10 minutes and check my temp/BP again to make sure I didn't react to the shot.

About 9 min and 30 sec later, I start to feel it coming. "It" being my classic hyperventilation symptoms I've grown to know so well - clamminess, trouble breathing, sweating profusely, muffled hearing, blurry vision, immediately very pale. The nurse came in right as it was starting and could tell I wasn't doing well (perhaps because I was sweating through my shirt and colorless). My BP had dropped, but luckily picked back up after a few minutes. I'm fine, but it completely drained me of energy (of which I had little to begin with due to a restless night). I'm not sure what brings this on, but I attribute it to nerves and low blood sugar (apparently a bowl of Cheerios wasn't enough today.)

I ended up being 20 minutes late to my appt (probably also a contributing factor to my nerves,) but they were sympathetic! The appt was great, as usual. Baby Reeder's heartbeat is still at 140 bpm and everything "feels" good to the doc. They had me up 6 lbs for the month, versus my 4 lb at-home assessment (I weigh myself at the same time every day wearing exactly the same thing), so I attribute the extra 2 to heavier winter clothing :) She's not worried that my resting heart rate is now around 100 bpm - it was sure worrying the crap out of me! I go back in 4 weeks, at which time I'll start bi-weekly appts (hooray!)

How far along?: 28 weeks, 0 days.
Total weight gain/loss: +0.5 this week, +11 overall.
How big is baby?: Approximately 2 1/4 lbs. and 14.8 inches long.
Maternity clothes?: Officially have to retire all summer things (why hello, autumn!) so I need to go get a few more comfy wintery maternity shirts.
Sleep: Ditto last week. Still touch and go, the back is improving overall but not when it comes time for bed. Gravity causes my heavy belly to ache when I lay down, but positions that provide relief (far on my side so it actually rests on a pillow) end up hurting the back and irritating the baby.
Movement: Dance party in my tummy these days. I feel EVERY little movement this kid makes. I believe we are now transverse, but the OB says the baby switches positions up to 20 times a day, so I'm sure he won't stay this way.
Labor signs: Pretty confident these are Braxton Hicks contractions I'm feeling every so often.
Food cravings: Sugar.
Gender: Getting really excited to find out!
Belly button in or out?: Definitely surfacing, though it has a ways to go.
What I miss: My heels. I bought supportive old lady shoes yesterday. Sacrificing fashion for my child for the first of what I'm sure will be many times.
What I am looking forward to: December 23rd :)
Best moment this week: Love this - So I bought a supportive bra this weekend to help alleviate some back pain (very tight and slightly painful is apparently a good thing.) After a long day wearing the new bra, I couldn't take the pressure anymore, so off it came when I got home. When the husband got home, there it sat right next to me on the floor. The look of confusion on his face was priceless. :)
Weekly Wisdom: "Supportive" does indeed mean ugly 99% of the time.
Milestones: I'm starting to be able to distinguish body parts when the baby presses against my belly. Weird!

Ribs.

No, I'm not talking about the delicious BBQ-sauce-covered, Montgomery Inn kind. I'm talking about the ones that Baby Reeder keeps round-house kicking with wild abandon. Ouch. As if it weren't hard enough to breath already...

Also lung-constricting is the fact that I'm carrying Jackie Chan pretty high, as evidenced by the fact that my belly and my Girls now touch. I told the husband last night that it felt like they were resting on my belly, to which he replied "That's because they are..." while making a scared-looking face (scared of the body changes or scared I'd slap him for commenting on it? I'm not sure.) I guess it was bound to happen at some point. And I'm pretty sure I'd rather be carrying high than having to literally carry a low-lying belly around.

I know I sound like a whiner, but it's been a very rough 7 days. On the bright side, the back is (I think) on the road to recovery plus I'm going to make it through a full day at work! Speaking of work, only about 2 months to go (and I'm having "The Talk" with my boss next week!!)

Quick OB visit.

This week has been hell. I've only made it through one full day of work (the rest were halves), have been relatively lifeless when I'm at home, and have had many emotional breakdowns this week. Due to an unbearable back and multiple symptoms resulting from said back pain, I went to see the doctor today. I have my monthly appointment scheduled for next week, but really needed the peace of mind that everything was okay. They say the baby feels what the mom feels, so the thought of my little one suffering as much as I have been was very worrisome to me. So I went for a quick check-up.

And, as expected, Baby Reeder is fine, with a heartbeat in the 140's. On paper, I'm also the picture of health. My doctor gave me some tips for relieving the back pain and told me to continue getting a lot of rest. I've had trouble breathing this week, and she assumes this is due to changing hormones rather than my back. I've been asking around about chiropractors lately thinking this may be helpful, but she's not convinced I would benefit very much from this (as I don't appear to have a slipped disk or anything.) She actually recommended I look into getting more supportive bras and shoes (sorry, flip flops, but you're done for the year).

She wanted me to keep my appt for Wednesday, so I'll have my regular check-up then and we'll see how things are going. My goals for this weekend are to try to relax, get as much sleep as possible, and do some light shopping for supportive (i.e. ugly) shoes.

Trampoline.

Baby Reeder,

Mommy's bladder is NOT a trampoline. It is just barely past noon and I have already had to pee 6, yes 6, times today. My back hurts way too much to keep getting up and down for bathroom breaks. So please simmer down. Thanks.

Love,
Your Mama

3rd trimester.

Baby Reeder at 26w4d

Ah, Florida. You were a little slice of heaven. Baby Reeder and I have returned from a lovely long weekend in FL with 2 of his aunts. Our days consisted of beach, pool, sun, repeat :) I coated my body with spf 50 to keep from burning, as my pregnant skin is super-sensitive, and managed to escape with a little bit of a tan to get me through the fall. The girls were incredibly helpful in keeping me comfortable, and I had a rather blissful few days down there.

And then we tried to come home. 12 hours of travelling, and only about 2.5 of those were actual flight time. Needless to say, I became very familiar with the various airport bathrooms. The 3 of us managed to stay happy and entertained for I'd say the first 9 hours - after that, I was done (despite the girls' every effort to make me comfortable - thanks again!) When I finally got home at 2 a.m., I burst into tears the second I sat down on my bed - a combination of utter exhaustion, a sore back, and relief to finally be home. I'm still recovering today, but hoping I can make it through a full work day (unlike yesterday.)

How far along?: 27 weeks, 0 days.
Total weight gain/loss: +2 this week, +10.5 overall.
How big is baby?: 2 lbs. and 14 inches long? Really? Good growing, baby!
Maternity clothes?: The baby loves to punch the waistband of my pants, which isn't super comfortable. I wish I could wear drawstring pants all the time, since they lovingly sit below the belly.
Sleep: Ouch. I still haven't found a comfortable position, now that my back hates me and the belly is so heavy. The back and hip pain I wake up with every morning has me dreading getting in bed.
Movement: Getting very intense - no more nice little kicks. This little man is feisty (like his mama). Yesterday, he simultaneously elbowed me in the cervix and kicked me in the rib. At least he's still head-down, as his daily hiccups are nice and low. Hopefully he'll stay that way, because I don't want to have to play the breech/transverse baby-turning game.
Labor signs: None, though I've had a few moments where I've experienced some tightening/cramping that might be the start of Braxton Hicks (after "booking it" through the Atlanta airport, for example). I guess we'll see...
Food cravings: Baked goods. Anything made with sugar, really.
Gender: Well if Juan the waiter from the Ft. Myers Carrabba's is as accurate as he claims, it's a girl. But he was a bit of a creeper, so who knows...
Belly button in or out?: I think it's slowly surfacing.
What I miss: Thinking of my bed as an oasis.
What I am looking forward to: Next week's OB appointment.
Best moment this week: Swimming! I haven't been in a pool in years and it was heavenly.
Weekly Wisdom: Don't fly through Atlanta when you're 26+ weeks pregnant.
Milestones: Two-thirds of the way there, kids. I still wouldn't say time is "flying" by any means, but September has been as helpful as I thought it would be in keeping time moving.

Proof that I own a bathing suit! (And it's hard to see, but it says "27 weeks" in the sand)

Double Digits :)

How far along?: 26 weeks, 0 days - creeping up on the 3rd trimester :)
Total weight gain/loss: +0.5 this week, +8.5 overall.
How big is baby?: Roughly the size of an eggplant, apparently.
Maternity clothes?: Oh yes.
Sleep: I'm pretty sure my days of getting "good nights' sleep" are over. For at least the next 18 years + 3 months. sigh.
Movement: This child is all over the place. And I'm not gonna lie, it hurts sometimes. Oh yeah, and baby hiccups are crazy!
Labor signs: No, but I had a dream that I had preeclampsia and had to deliver at 37 weeks. Highly irrational, considering pre-e is typically brought on by high blood pressure, and mine is always, and I quote, "perfect" (I'm not bragging, it's the truth. Who would brag about having good blood pressure?)
Food cravings: I really wanted DQ this week for some reason.
Gender: There were moments this week when I wished I knew. But don't worry, it passed.
Belly button in or out?: Still in.
What I miss: Never having to take off my wedding rings. I've been sleeping/working out without them since early in the pregnancy due to major swelling. They still fit fine during the day most days, though, so I guess I should keep counting my blessings...
What I am looking forward to: FLORIDA! Plane leaves tomorrow at 6 a.m. I'm sad to be leaving the husband (no really, I am, I've never enjoyed leaving him) but soooo looking forward to 5 relaxing days on the beach with the ladies :)
Best moment this week: Receiving my baby shower invitation in the mail! Only a few more weeks :)
Weekly Wisdom: My before-bed snack must be substantial or I will wake up 100% ravenous. I'm not kidding, I have the worst pit in my stomach when I roll out of bed in the morning. And unfortunately, I usually don't eat my breakfast until almost 2 hours later at work. (I know what you're thinking, "Sarah, why don't you eat something at home before you leave?" Why? Because I'm an idiot and a creature of habit.)
Milestones: We're under 100, which means double digits from here on out! And I'm entering my last week in the 2nd trimester. Guess the "honeymoon period" (total lie, my 2nd tri was not any easier than the 1st) is over.

100 DAYS!!!

Unbelievable.

We've made it to 100 days!

Of course, this is assuming Baby Reeder makes his appearance on my due date. Lately I've been feeling like he'll come a little early (which almost definitely means he'll be late...) So we could really be under 100 days at this point! Hallelujah!

I've never been so excited for something in my life. I'm thrilled for fall this year and downright ecstatic for winter. The sun is setting earlier and earlier these days, which usually depresses me - "It's only 8:00 and the sun is already down.", "It's only 7:30 and look how dark it is already!", etc. But not this year!! Darkness at 5:00 = baby time :)

Now, if only I could get a handle on this back pain, because the thought of 100 more days of this is incredibly disheartening...

Hiccups.

Baby Reeder had the hiccups yesterday! May not have been her first time, but it was the first time I've felt it. It was adorable (if feeling baby hiccups can be adorable...)

I'm in love.

My back hurts.

Sorry, that's all I could come up with for a title as I sit in my uncomfortable work chair, longing for my heating pad...

How far along?: 25 weeks, 0 days
Total weight gain/loss: +1 this week, +8 overall.
How big is baby?: A pound and a half and 13 inches from head to heel. Get out a yard stick and take a look at what 13 in. looks like. Holy cow!
Maternity clothes?: Just about full time.
Sleep: We are not friends anymore.
Movement: Might we have a little soccer player in there? (Coincidentally, my uterus is now the size of a soccer ball.) I'm actually thinking a rugby player like his uncle, as he loves to forcefully ram into my belly.
Labor signs: Ditto last week.
Food cravings: Oreos, though not the donut-fried ones we had in Frankenmuth. Too awkward.
Gender: Team Green.
Belly button in or out?: Still in.
What I miss: Feeling well-rested.
What I am looking forward to: It's birthday season in the Vonderhaar family. Happy to know Baby Reeder and his new cousin will be extending birthday season all the way into Christmas season from now on! Hooray!
Best moment this week: A tie between the big surprise at the lake and going to the World's Largest Christmas Store. After all, Christmastime = baby time :)
Weekly Wisdom: Don't leave home without the heating pad.
Milestones: Hmmm. Belly looks much bigger to me this week, but that's not really a milestone. I survived road trip #3 of 4 of the pregnancy- does that count? Speaking of road trips, my stomach now looks like a road map - the blue and purple veins are out of control. Totally fascinates me. Boy am I random today.

Pure Michigan.

Baby Reeder at 24w4d

We're finally home after a very relaxing long weekend in Michigan - and Baby Reeder now has a new Aunt-to-Be! We were thrilled to join the family for a weekend on Torch Lake to celebrate the big engagement. 3 full days of pure relaxation made the 7-hour car trips completely worth it. I'm not usually an outdoorsy girl, but I totally took in all that lake life had to offer. The weather was perfection - mid-70's and sunny the whole time.

Baby Reeder also loved being at the lake. She was very active while we were there (not really anything new, she's always very active) and was very kind to her mama. My back, on the other hand, not so much. The combination of long car rides and unfamiliar beds was brutal. Thanks to 2 very ingenious women, an old-school hot water bag did provide some relief. I'm definitely still in recovery mode today, however, and can't wait to get back to my heating pad.

The aches and pains still didn't put a damper on the weekend. Good company, a beautiful setting, yummy food (the scale provided proof of this this morning, oh my!) - a perfectly lovely weekend! Congrats to the bride and groom-to-be! Crazy to think I'll have an "outside baby" for your wedding, isn't it? :)

Oh, and I leave you with a hysterical prom-style pose of the Reeder Family at sunset. (This angle makes me look massive and the hair's a mess, but it's still cute!)

I passed!!

Hooray!! I passed my gestational diabetes test with flying colors. This is a RELIEF! Having GD would have meant no more cupcakes, no more ice cream, no more sugar.....I was not prepared to revert back to my old pre-pregnancy always-on-a-semi-diet diet. But, have no fear - we are GD free! (Yes, having GD would have meant much more than me just not getting to eat sugary foods, it would have meant that my baby was at risk for complications. And don't get me wrong - I'm thrilled that we won't have to worry about this either.) My OB said I was well within the normal range, not even close. One less pregnancy fear to worry about!

Speaking of my doctor, she's very pleased with how we're doing. Baby Reeder's heartbeat was steady at 135 bpm this morning (old wives' tales would indicate this means Boy....) We're both growing right on track. My official weight gain was consistent with my home scale (4lbs. this month,) so I'm still on pace for my 1 lb/week goal.

I keep waiting for that other shoe to drop; for something to go wrong; for my doctor to be displeased about something. So far this has been a, dare I say it, perfect pregnancy health-wise. Knock on wood. I keep praying it stays this way and that my little one comes out as healthy as can be :)

Happy V-Day!

All is well in the Reeder household! Despite a few (some might say many, I say "it could be worse") complaints, I am loving pregnancy. I've joked in the past about how having kids would be "the best 81 months of my life." While the "81 months" part may not be in my future, these certainly have been some of the best months of my life. Being pregnant is incredibly euphoric for me. And finally looking pregnant makes it that much sweeter :)

How far along?: 24 weeks, 0 days
Total weight gain/loss: +2 this week, +7 overall. We were both wrong. Between the Funfetti cupcakes and last night's enchiladas, the husband and I both expected a killer weight increase this week. I wouldn't call 2 lbs killer, but I'll take it. Official weigh-in at the doctor tomorrow!
How big is baby?: About 1-1.25 pounds and almost a foot long.
Maternity clothes?: Pure comfort.
Sleep: I'm exhausted pretty much all the time now. "I'm so tired" is every third sentence I utter. There needs to be a new word for "uncomfortable" because that just doesn't do my sleep situation justice. Oh, and the baby now kicks the bed if I roll too far on my side.
Movement: I swear this child is trying to make an escape. My belly jumped so high the other night that I laughed out loud in bed. So enjoyable to watch.
Labor signs: Ditto last week.
Food cravings: Nothing, but I've reached a new level of hunger this week. Cannot get enough food. Baby must have hit a growth spurt.
Gender: My new response to "Do you know what you're having?" is "A baby."
Belly button in or out?: Very, very in.
What I miss: Eye contact. Eyes have a tendency to dart directly to my stomach every few seconds when someone is talking to me.
What I am looking forward to: Tomorrow's OB appt then a 4-day weekend :)
Best moment this week: Got another stranger comment yesterday :)
Weekly Wisdom: If the people at work knew what was good for them, they'd STOP BOTHERING ME.
Milestones: We've made it to Viability Day!! Hooray!! It provides so much comfort to know that if Baby Reeder made his debut today, he'd have a fighting chance. Let's stay in there another 13-16 weeks, though, okay munchkin?