Baby #3 - 33 weeks! An actual post...with lots of words!

I will start by saying thank you for the kind comments, texts, and messages I got from everyone after my last post. I am by no means feeling great...but compared to how I was feeling last week at my lowest, I am certainly grateful to be feeling better. I am unsure if this is "it" for us but I will say that God willing I will never be this pregnant during allergy season ever again. I expected it would be brutal but I really had no idea just how bad it was going to be. Shingles didn't help, that is for certain, but at the root of all of this sickness is pollen. I will be seeing an allergist soon after this kiddo is born to come up with an actual strategy for feeling better long term.

For now I am going to keep working at getting better like it is my full time job.

In my spare time I have been growing a human.

Baby stats: This week the baby weighs just over 4lbs. The rest of the info for this week from babycenter was pretty lame...hardening bones, less wrinkled skin, about the size of a pineapple.

Bump picture: 

I am not easily offended by much of anything, least of which being my physical appearance while pregnant. I know that I am a petite woman and that no matter what, growing a full term baby inside my own body....things are going to get a little freaky. I started off this pregnancy in the best shape of my life. I will even go ahead and say that I was a little too skinny. As a result I have nowhere to 'hide' this baby belly. BAM, it is all out there and in your face. I get it, I do. What I do not understand is the complete lack of filter that people in general have when it comes to pregnant women. As far as I am concerned the only thing anyone should ever say, if you absolutely have to say something, to a pregnant women (ESPECIALLY ONE YOU DO NOT KNOW) is:

"You look perfect."

Is that hormones talking?! Maybe. But you know what, pregnant women are hormonal...all the more reason to be careful what you say.

All this being said, when a stranger in Portland yesterday went on and on (and ON) about how there was no way they had my due date right or there must be more than one baby in there I was not offended I was embarrassed. I mean really, what was his point?

That is all. I really am not hung up on it or anything, just venting I suppose. In any case more than one person has made it very clear to me that, in their expert opinion, I am carrying so huge that there is no way I will make it to my due date. If it's all the same to them I plan to deliver a beauty of a full term baby on July 21st.

How you doin'?: As I mentioned I am feeling better. Not great, but functional. The house is relatively clean, some of the laundry is done, the kids are clean and fed. Sometimes that is all I can ask for. A huge shout out to my excellent partner in crime for doing way more than his fair share this past week. And thank you for never once complaining about any of it.

Pregnancy wise I am feeling really great. Despite the largeness of my belly I am not at all uncomfortable. I do not have any aches or pains and if it weren't for this sinus pain I would sleep like a baby all night long. I have noticed that the baby alternates between a very comfortable position and  a very uncomfortable one. I will be very curious to see exactly what he is up to at our growth scan on Wednesday. My money is on head down/sunny side up.

This is my 'golden week' for this pregnancy, when the baby's gestational age and my age are the same. I don't feel older but I sort of can't believe that I have been at this whole baby growing gig since I was 28.

Aversions/Cravings: For the first time in I don't even know how many months I have not lived to eat this past week. I am sure I still managed to gain some weight but not being able to taste much has definitely taken the fun out of eating.

Sleeping: As I have learned with each passing night in the last two years, sleep is the key to my survival. On the nights when I was able to get more than a few hours I felt exponentially better the following day. I know I have said it before but under no circumstance will I allow myself to endure the brain damaging sleep deprivation I endured with Ben. Luckily for me I no longer have the tolerance for it. I am getting better about waving the white flag, calling in for backup, and taking a nap.

Movement: Jumping all around but definitely has 'quiet' times throughout the day. Little man still loves to kick me non-stop when I am in the car. Like most babies the more active I am during the day the less active he is. He is always the most active from 7:30 to 11:00 at night. He rarely misses the opportunity to show off and will almost always give a kick or two if someone else puts their hand on my tummy. Occasionally his nighttime shenanigans are too much for me to handle and I will ask Matt to put his hand on my belly to serve as counter pressure so that I can get to sleep.

Milestones: Nothing springs to mind...I allowed myself a tiny glass of wine a couple of times this past week. Is that a milestone?

I am looking forward to: Bonus growth u/s on Wednesday! Matt will get a chance to see the new office and meet the new OB.

Worries: We are SO not ready for the baby to come home. He does not have a clean car seat (let alone a place in the car to install it) or any clothes (my girlfriend has the NB bin, which was totally my call...oops). The crib is currently being used as a toddler bed. I have no clue where the bottles/pump/accessories are...wherever they are, they are not clean. Also not clean, the swing, a single pacifier, or any baby toys. Let me be clear here. I am not at all concerned about caring for a new baby or how it will turn our whole world upside down (again). I am worried that if I do not do any of the work to get ready for the baby before he is born then it will never get done and he will be naked, bored, and sleeping on a towel in the bottom drawer of our dresser.

Let's compare: 

Matt has only been to two Ob appointments this time around, I don't think he missed a single one with Lily. His attendance probably wasn't great for Ben's appointments...he was my only babysitter after all!

I am definitely still bigger this time but the weight gain is slowing down as opposed to ramping up.

I have never been so sick while pregnant. Hell, this may be the sickest I have ever been.

Best moment of the week: This is a hard one because I feel like feeling slightly better than horrible is a pretty weak "best moment". I bought a few new things for my wardrobe today...a couple of dresses, a skirt, and a few tops. There was just no way my old maternity clothes were going to get me to the finish line. I don't love spending money on clothes I will only wear for a few weeks but I am hoping at least a few of the things I bought will still look ok after the baby is born.