Pregnancy Update: Week 29

It's interesting go back and read my updates from the same week of pregnancy from over two years ago. I was also pregnant with twins then, so there is quite a bit of difference. Check out week 29 from 2011 for an interesting comparison.

How far along? 29 weeks, 0 days. Still hard for me to believe! And survival chances are the same as last week, still 95%.

How big is baby? About 2 and a half pounds, similar to a butternut squash, and a bit over 15 inches long.

Cravings/Aversions: Still the same, nothing unusual.

Belly Button: Starting to actually pop out. This is when it just looks so weird.

Movement: Move, baby, move!! I think this kid will enjoy gymnastics classes one day.

Leg Cramps: And let me also add in Restless Leg (and other limbs) Syndrome. Leg cramps are definitely back, the restlessness has never really gone away. Was commenting on this on Facebook (after a particularly bad night) and got many suggestions from friends, many of which I had tried and some of which reminded me of things I had been doing but had let fall by the wayside. So I knew I needed to build up electrolytes again: potassium for the cramps and magnesium for the restlessness, plus other electrolytes are just added bonuses. I checked out the Vitamin Water at the grocery and (because it was on sale) decided to try it. I was surprised that it actually tastes good. I've only had two so far, but I feel better than I've been feeling lately. So, we'll see. Maybe this will help some, maybe not. I still think I'm just more prone to this during pregnancy, regardless of what I do.

Sleep: I've definitely crossed that bridge into laborious territory. It's not been easy the last week, getting up multiple times during the night, unable to get comfortable, leg cramps, you get the picture. One positive I've realized lately is that I haven't had any issues with tendinitis this time around.

Weight gain: approaching that 20 pound mark, but still not there yet. I'm wondering if I'll make it to the end of this pregnancy with only 25 pounds gained. That would nice. Not sure it'll happen.

Ultrasound: None since the last update and none planned for the foreseeable future.

Appointment: Had an appointment on Monday. I'm measuring a couple weeks ahead, but no reason for concern (probably due to having had a previous twin pregnancy, i.e., I'm already rather stretched out). We also chatted a lot just about how things are going, the Vitamin Water, work, and who was going to deliver first. For now, my doctor will continue my care, but if she delivers before I do the MFMs will handle my care since I already know them and have never met any of my doctor's partners. She's due before me, but was late her last pregnancy so is expecting the same to happen this time (that's what I gathered anyway). We'll see what happens. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if I went early, I've pretty much been expecting that since the beginning.

Following my appointment I had to do the third trimester part of a preterm labor study I'm participating in. So I was in the office/building for about another 30-45 minutes after my appointment was over. I was in the lab for a little while, had to give blood and I sat there while I filled up a tiny cup of spit (not the easiest thing to do). While I was in there, another patient came in for a blood draw. She didn't appear to handle it well and was sitting in the back afterwards. I left shortly after that and went to the bathroom before leaving the office. I came out of the restroom to find the girl from the lab passed out on the floor and a nurse standing over her. I had no idea if the nurse just happened upon her or if she was with her when she passed out. So I told her that I had seen her in the lab and she had just had a blood draw. The nurse asked me to stay with her while she went and got more help. So I stuck around for a while to help and make sure she was okay. They eventually got several nurses there, someone called her mom for her, and they were looking for my doctor who eventually got there as well. I don't know if she was pregnant or not, she was very thin so if she was it was pretty early in pregnancy. I stuck around for a while but by that time several nurses and the doctor were there, I didn't feel like I was really going to be much help. She was conscious, but definitely out of it. I did eventually leave, but I felt kind of bad about it. I knew I wasn't being of much help by that point and I didn't want to be in the way. I pray that she was okay after a while. I do plan on asking my doctor about her next time I see her. I just want to make sure she was okay.

The Big Brothers: They still enjoy giving my belly kisses and have started putting their hands on my belly the way they see their daddy do. I don't think they've felt anything yet, though.

We went to the library a couple of weeks ago and got a few books. They love these four books so much that they haven't really looked at their other books at all. The Nascar counting book is a huge favorite! We also got an "I Spy" book that is popular with both of them and a Sandra Boynton book about Little Pookie. Ethan calls the Little Pookie book the "no" book (which can get a little confusing when I don't realize that he's saying "no" in reference to the book and not something I just asked him). Little Pookie answers "no" to lots of his mother's questions. When reading it, I read the questions and wait for Ethan to answer. The funniest one is when Little Pookie says "No, thank you." The boys aren't putting multiple words together yet, so he always just says "thank you" in his cute little voice. And yes, I realize that is two words, but the boys say it like it is one. I don't feel right counting "thank you" as putting words together yet. The fourth book is a Sesame Street Babies book with a picture of Elmo ("Melmo") on the front. I expected this to be the most popular book of the group we checked out. I was wrong.

They got to go to a local bookstore with Hubby this past Saturday. They fed the ducks at the pond out back (which they LOVE doing) and then went inside for a Paddington Bear story time. They got to make little Paddington Bears out of toilet paper rolls (or actually, Hubby made them). When they got home I came out to help them get out of the car and found them both holding their little toilet paper roll bears and giving them kisses.

We also went to Oktoberfest at our parish on Saturday evening. We had brats, sauerkraut, potato salad (which was really good!), and strudel. The boys had hotdogs and chips, Peter wasn't crazy about the sauerkraut but Ethan ate it up. We checked out the various booths and kids rides (the boys aren't interested in the kids rides yet) and we played the Cake Wheel for a little while. Peter loved the Cake Wheel and got very upset when we left it. He kept trying to pull me back to it. We ended the evening with a funnel cake, which the boys loved, and headed home. It was a busy Saturday.

One of the boys' newest words is Geico. I don't totally remember how this came to be. I think they were fascinated by the gecko on TV and they somehow picked up the word Geico from the commercial. Amazingly, they say it very clearly, especially Peter. In addition, they found the Geico logo on a page of the Nascar counting book (on one of the driver's uniforms). I think part of the appeal of the Nascar book is finding the Geico guy under "10 Race Car Drivers." I also learned that there is a book at school with a picture of a gecko in it and the boys both say "Geico" when they see it. I ran into their teacher at the library and she told me this. I had to laugh!

Names: Nothing has changed. Still waiting on Hubby.

The To-Do List: Referring back to last week's update I haven't really accomplished much.

I have met with one pediatrician. Kind of on the fence, but I also have limited options due to my HMO university insurance.

We've made some decisions on the child birth classes we are going to take, now we just have to register for them.

And that's about it. our bigger to-do list includes things like filling in the pond in the backyard (happening this week), several painting projects, replacing the sink/faucet/disposal in the kitchen, and probably 50 gajillion other things.

Prayers: Continued prayers for several friends in difficult pregnancies. Also prayers for my Catholic mom prayer buddy, A. And, some prayers for Hubby and I and our growing family. Not pregnancy related, just in the process of discerning some things. Thanks!!

So 29 weeks! That means 11 weeks to go. Maybe less if I go early. That's just insane!