Welcome to Week 29

Posted on March 14, 2010 by

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Sunday, March 14, 2010

28 weeks pregnant … now entering Week 29!
This is the last week of the 20s! Whoa! It is crazy to think that a week from today, I will be in my 30th week of pregnancy.
Once you’re in the 30s, it sort of feels like the baby could come at anytime — even though that’s really just a mental thing, because Week 30 is not too different from Week 29.
Nothing major is scheduled for this week — no more OBGYN appointments until Week 31 — but the nursery will be finished up with the next couple of days. I’m just working on a few final finishing touches.
I was determined to get it finished before my baby shower, and it’s definitely on track! The best news is that seeing the practically-complete nursery has made everything more “real” for Darling Husband. Not too much longer to wait!
Here’s what happening with Baby Boy this week:

Baby’s size: He weighs approximately THREE WHOLE POUNDS! And measures about 16.5 inches long! He’s going to be huge, I know it. He already outweighs the Duggar baby.

Development: He’s beginning to regulate his own temperature. He even pees about a half liter of urine into the amniotic fluid everyday, which I don’t really want to think about.

Appearance: Getting plumped up! Oh, and his fingernails and toenails are growing. Must remember to buy baby nail-clippers!

Weekly re-cap

Posted on March 14, 2010 by

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(March 7 to March 13)

Symptoms: Back pain, leg pain, swollen ankles, swollen FINGERS.

Body changes: Found out at my OBGYN appointment that I’ve gained six pounds since the previous appointment four weeks ago (!!!) instead of my previous high of four pounds between appointments. Oh, and my fundal height was measuring 28.5 — not 27 — so it marks the first time I have measured anything other than “exactly on” my week (i.e. 23.5 cms = 23.5 weeks). Needless to say, this baby has had a growth spurt!

Baby movement: Baby’s Boy’s movement has picked up considerably this week. I can’t believe it was only Tuesday that I was expressing concern to the doctor. He must have overheard, because he’s been very active ever since. Thanks, baby!
What’s new? SAW him moving from the outside! It was the freakiest, coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I think wearing stripes really helped emphasize his movements, because I tried again last night, and it wasn’t as clear looking at bare skin. Stripes it is!
Belly button: Still indented very slightly. However, it looks super-small and wrinkled. I realized — with a horrified shock — that that’s because most of it is already stretched out!
Energy level: Moderate. I get out of breath really easily (because I am so HEAVY to lug around), but I’ve been making good progress on projects, chores, cooking, etc.
Baby preparations: Nursery is painted. Crib is put together. Curtains, cribskirt and tie-backs are sewn. Hand-painted accents on the walls are totally done. All canvases for the walls are done and hung up proudly. Working on painting/sealing hooks and shelves now.
Cravings: Whipped cream (finally had some yesterday).

High point: Seeing my son actually MOVE! It was incredible! It was also fantastic that Darling Husband got to feel a kick for the first time — he had a hard time spotting the movement, though.


Low point: Finding out I have low iron, and need to go on supplements. I’ve been taking them faithfully ever since, and working on eating more iron, but it made me feel kind of bad — like I should have been aware it was low, and done something about it. I worry a bit that that’s why Baby Boy was a bit quiet in there … exhaustion from no iron!

Paranoid moment of the week: Worrying that my rings will cut off the circulation to my FAT fingers. Still haven’t decided what to do. I don’t want to take them off!

We have visible movement!

Posted on March 12, 2010 by

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Friday, March 12, 2010

27 weeks, 5 days pregnant
OK, so it’s not as dramatic — or, um, other-wordly — as in Alien, but it was still movement visible from the outside!
I’ve been watching for it all week, because during Tuesday’s OBGYN appointment the nurse claimed she could see movement — but as you remember, I wasn’t a huge fan of her (and her opinions). So I kind of thought she was full of crap.
I’d been feeling a lot more movement on Wednesday and Thursday nights, which is probably because I was a good little preggo and laid on the couch with my feet up.
The fist “sighting” came this morning. Baby Boy was kicking away, and I was wearing a tight, stretchy top with horizontal stripes. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the stripes move!
I stopped working and sat really still, focusing on the stripes and waiting them to move again. Sure enough, after a pause, they shuddered again! It was the coolest thing!
It wasn’t like I could see an actual foot or elbow or anything sticking out — it was more of a large mass kind of moving beneath my skin. I could see one side of my shirt move, and then the other. A couple of times he made some kind of huge jerky motion and both sides would move at the same time.
After watching it for a few minutes, I grabbed my BlackBerry and tried to capture it on video for Darling Husband, but all you can see is me breathing. I’m going to be quicker to grab it next time! The poor guy has yet to even feel the baby kick, let alone see it, so I hope he gets to experience both this weekend. It’s so freaking cool!

Phat fingers

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Friday, March 12, 2010

27 weeks, 5 days pregnant
Crap, crap, crap!

It’s finally happened. My ankle-swelling has headed north, and now my FINGERS are FAT!
I just absentmindedly went to twist my wedding band and engagement ring, and they were snug! I could probably get them off, but it would require buttering them up … majorly.
My original plan — back in the days before I was knocked up — was to take them off at the first sign of finger-puffing, and buy a $20 silver band (in a larger size) from one of those mall kiosks. You know, so I would be able to wear something on my wedding band finger, and not feel like/look like a cheerleader in trouble. Yeah, that sounds judge-y, but I was super careful not to get knocked up before my wedding day, and I’d prefer to keep that very clear.
But now that the time has come, I don’t wanna take them off! We’ve been married less than two years, so they are practically still NEW and SPECIAL and nooooooooooo, I don’t want to!
But I am kind of terrified of having my fingers get grossly puffy, and my rings look like little welts in their fleshy surface. Someone I know has said on many occasions that she can’t get her rings off until she loses a bunch of weight. Um, that freaks me out. Really.
What is worse? Trading my beautiful diamond rings for a $20 silver band, or constantly fearing that my rings will cut off circulation to my fat, sausage-y fingers?

Never thought that in a million years …

Posted on March 12, 2010 by

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Friday, March 12, 2010
27 weeks, 5 days pregnant
I’ve been listening to Nicolette Larson’s Sleep Baby Sleep album a lot lately, while I’m washing dishes or working on the nursery. It’s beautiful and calming, and I hope Baby Boy can hear it in there, too. I plan on playing it for him a lot.
Lately I find myself playing this song over and over again. I’m a lyrics junkie, and these ones are absolutely perfect …
Starlight, Starbright
by Nicolette Larson

Never thought that in a million years
Never thought that you would come to me
You’re the answers to a million prayers
You’re the apple of my eye

I can hear you breathing next to me
Just how lucky can one person be?
I am looking at a mystery
Everything I dream, more than I can wish for

Starlight starbright, all day all night
I will be right next to you
Here forever, I will never leave
I will never leave …

I’m Heather Laura Clarke. I’m a writer living in beautiful Nova Scotia, I have a 15-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter, I married my high school sweetheart, and this is the story of my handmade life.

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