Hump Day Bump Day: Week 31

A few minor delays in getting this posted but here we go!

Health Stats: blood pressure: 104/68, baby’s heartbeat: 148, total weight gain ~20lbs

How far along? 31 Weeks, 3 Days
Outfit? Regular dress and cardi
Stretch marks/Belly Button? No stretch marks, still an innie! yay!
Sleep: Seems to be getting better a little? Still waking up a few times each night and flipping from side to side but I feel more rested.
Best moment this week: The whole weekend!  We were in Michigan visiting my family :)
Miss Anything? Energy.  Mine has been zapped
Movement: Feeling and seeing very strong kicks these days!
Food cravings: I still have a thing for strawberries but the hubs mentioned watermelon the other day and suddenly that’s all I can think about
Anything making you queasy or sick: Reflux - ugh
Labor Signs? None as of yet
Mood? Tired but overall happy
Looking forward to: Seeing the newly painted nursery this weekend – the in-laws were busy while we were gone!
Worries & Fears: That baby girl will decide to come early.  I’m just not ready yet!
Weekly Thoughts/Questions: Thinking about my birth plan and how things will go.  Also wondering if I should look into recipes and foods that help boost breast milk supply?  I’ve heard that starting these before baby arrives can help immensely in those first few weeks.

Hump Day Bump Day: Week 30!

How far along? 30 Weeks, 3 Days – Just 10 weeks to go!
Outfit? Maternity jeans, regular tank and tee
Stretch marks/Belly Button? No stretch marks yet and the button is still in.
Sleep: Sleep has taken a very bad turn.  If the position doesn’t hurt I’m waking up to pee or because of crazy dreams.  I’m overly exhausted but can’t seem to get any real rest.
Best moment this week: Will be today at my OB appointment when I hear the heartbeat again! 
Miss Anything? This week it has been wine.  I’ve wanted/needed a glass more than 1 night this week
Movement: Lots of strong kicks on the bladder these days… making frequent bathroom stops!
Food cravings: Strawberries still!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not enough sleep, allergies and sinus drainage
Labor Signs? Not yet… we have a way to go yet though so this can wait!
Mood? Exhausted and very cranky
Looking forward to: Punching out today and knowing I don’t have to punch back in until next week Wednesday!  Also, seeing all my family in Michigan and celebrating at 2 baby showers!
Worries & Fears: That we won’t have all the basics in time for Miss Madeline’s arrival!
Weekly Thoughts/Questions: I can barely put 2 thoughts together these days and I don’t know if its pregnancy exhaustion, regular exhaustion from lack of sleep, the raging hormones or a combination of the three.  Whatever it is, it makes my work twice as mentally exhausting.  Its also getting very uncomfortable sitting in my desk chair for 8-11hrs a day or any other chair for that matter.  Basically work feels like mental and physical torture right now and I can’t wait to be done with this 8 day, 80 stretch!  I so need a break!

Hump Day Bump Day: Week 29

Health Stats: blood pressure 116/68, 1hr glucose test results: 94,
baby’s heartbeat 156, total weight gain ~19lbs

How far along? 29 Weeks, 3 Days
Outfit? Maternity leggings, tank and shirt
Stretch marks/Belly Button? No stretch marks, still have an innie!
Sleep: Sleeping decent as long as I make sure not to eat too late!
Best moment this week: Having 3 days off in a row… course the trade off is I’m working the next 8 days straight, 10hrs a day.  That used to be my normal schedule but the pregnancy fatigue made me rethink that schedule and switch to a more normal 8hrs/5days schedule for the past 4.5months.
Miss Anything? Coffee ice cream
Movement: Lots of strong kicks on the bladder these days… making frequent bathroom stops!
Food cravings: Strawberries… hubs even suggested this must be my pregnancy craving because can’t get enough of them!  Thankfully, we are in berry season around these parts.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope not really!
Labor Signs? Not that I’ve noticed.. and I hope I notice something like that
Mood? Been exhausted consistently but other than that mostly in a good mood
Looking forward to: heading to MI next week to see my family and have 2 baby showers!
Worries & Fears: That the baby will come early and we won’t be ready for her!
Weekly Thoughts/Questions: My tummy is feeling hard and stretched and I don’t know where this baby is gonna go if she gets much bigger.  Also?  I think this is the first time in my life I’ve had ever had rock hard abs!

The House

If you have been following along with the Hump Day Bump Day posts, you may have caught on to the fact that we are also currently in the middle of a remodel of our home to be!  A little background… my hubs inherited this 1940’s mountain home when his ‘granny’ passed away.  When he moved to TN from TX about the same time I moved to TN from MI, he moved into her home with his stuff and basically left everything the way she had it when she was living there.  We have been working on paring down (both at the house and in our townhouse), clearing out, refinishing and making the space work for us and baby.  I thought I would post a few before and during the process pics.. after pics will be coming much later because we aren’t moving in until after Miss Madeline makes her appearance.

We aren’t planning to do much to the outside this year as most of our cash flow is tied up on the inside and with buying the necessary baby gear. This was taken a few months ago when the trees were still in full on winter mode and we have a bag of bathroom remodel trash on the porch!

Bathroom before, demo, during remodel. There was no existing shower so we had that added and had the tub surround tile done. Not pictured are the new vanity and toilet and we still need to paint and add the light fixtures but we are *almost* done in here!

The last pics I will post are of the living area/front entry.  We have the dreaded wood paneling in the living room, dining room, kitchen and part of the hallway currently.  I scoured Pinterest and found that it is possible to paint the darn stuff and update the look of the house without having to rip it all out and re-drywall the whole thing.  The results so far have been worth the effort for sure!

The above pic still has the painters tape but you can get the idea.  It went from crazy paneling color to a khaki color with white trim.  Still to do in here: touch up the trim, change out the ceiling fan, clean the blinds (& figure out window coverings), and replace the carpeting.

Still to do: paint the bathroom, paint the 3 bedrooms, paint the kitchen, replace the linoleum in the kitchen, replace light fixtures/ceiling fans throughout, and get the carpet replaced throughout. I know it sounds like a lot – and it is!  But this will be our first family home together not just my townhouse that he moved into after we got married.  More importantly, it will be the first home for Madeline.  A place for her firsts and a place for us to grow together as a family.  The work is more than worth it!

Hump Day Bump Day: Week 28

How far along? 28 Weeks, 3 Days
Outfit? Maternity jeans, normal shirt
Stretch marks/Belly Button?  No stretch marks and I’ve got a shallow innie.
Sleep: Sleeping better the past few days or so.. perhaps it’s because I’m purely exhausted lately?
Best moment this week: Later today! {see answer under looking forward to}
Miss Anything? Missing my family this week but I will see them in about 2 weeks!
Movement: Getting stronger and you can now see them from the outside if you happen to be looking!
Food cravings: Strawberries and Jersey Mike’s turkey with cheese, lettuce, oil & vinegar… mmmmm
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really – I have to say I’ve been blessed not to have too much of this since the first trimester!
Labor Signs? None yet… thank goodness.
Mood? Today I’m exhausted and a bit overwhelmed but overall in a decent mood.
Looking forward to: Hearing Maddie’s heartbeat later today at the OB!
Worries & Fears: Still the battle between the insurance company and the local hospital system over more/less money.  Right now as of July 1 all the local hospitals will be considered “out of network” and instead of being covered 100% we will be faced with high {and unexpected up to this point} hospital fees.  Our next step is to try to get a continuance letter from the insurance company.  To do this we need a letter from myself and my doctors petitioning my case and why continuance of care will be necessary after my 36th week through delivery.  Their response {yea/nay} will take another 30-45 days… tell me again why universal healthcare is a bad idea?
Weekly Thoughts/Questions: Where did my feet go?

Hump Day Bump Day: Week 27

Welcome to the 3rd Trimester!!
The hubs suggested I change up the questions so I will be keeping a few and adding a few that are more pertinent as we get closer to Due Day.

How far along? 27 Weeks, 3 Days
Outfit? Maternity jeans, normal tank, normal shirt
Stretch marks/Belly Button? Not yet and still an innie – YAY!
Sleep: Recently its been rough.. my hips go numb or slip out of joint and the other night I woke up {again} with reflux coming up and out – yuck!
Best moment this week: Shopping for baby items and fabric with my mother-in-law – can’t wait to see the dress she makes for Maddie!
Miss Anything? Sleep…
Movement: Everyone is kung fu fighting in there... apparently her opponent is my ribcage.
Food cravings: Recent obsessions: strawberries and Haagen-Dazs Raspberry Sorbet… so delish!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not much.. just if I eat too much in one sitting.
Labor Signs? None yet… wondering if I will get those Braxton Hicks things or not?
Mood? Today I’m grumpy. Very grumpy.  I blame lack of sleep and a long work day.
Looking forward to: A slightly longer weekend – working 9hrs/day so I can work just a half day Saturday and then it’s a fun filled weekend with the hubs!
Worries & Fears: That the local hospital and our insurance company won’t come to an agreement leaving us to scramble to a) find a new OB at this late stage or b) pay out of network fees to continue on.. neither is a particularly enticing option.
Weekly Thoughts/Questions: Researching and wondering about babywearing… what method is best for baby?