31 Week Updates: Baby 2.0 (and Iyla's First Recital!)

How far along? 31 weeks today!

How big is baby? She feels like she's grown a lot in the last week. The movements- punches, kicks, rolls, & turns- are much more pronounced, and there have been several times when walking where I feel like she is going to fall out of me, due to moving waaaay down low. AND she is waaaay up high at times too, where I get short of breath. Lots of baby hiccups! The apps say she is about the size of a coconut now- around 16 inches long and over 3 pounds in weight.

How big is Mama? This week the "you're getting so big!" comments have continued. My weight came back up to closer to where it was 2 weeks ago, but is still less than it was at that weigh in (two weeks ago I was at 139.6, then last week dropped to 136.8, this morning I was up again to 139.2). So total weight gain at 31 weeks is 29.2 pounds.

 31 week belly

Sleep? I'm still falling asleep and mostly staying asleep OK, still waking very early. And oh how I need naps! Unfortunately having a 3.5 year old who no longer naps means my naps are reduced to the 2x/week when our nanny is here. This afternoon? I passed out for 1.5 hours! That is crazy considering I am normally a 20 minute napper.

Food cravings/aversions? I've gotten to the point where I am filling up faster due to limited stomach space, and depending on the meal sometimes getting instant heartburn. I've been loving cheeseburgers lately (decent healthier versions from local restaurants)...and ice cream is my favorite treat. Still a no-go on seafood.

Symptoms?

*Oh the fatigue. Both Sunday and Monday I suddenly hit a HUGE wall after eating in the late afternoon/early evening, which saw me with strange symptoms of what felt like faintness, heartburn, heart palpitations, and overall physical exhaustion leading to an immediate need to lay down. And did I mention I napped for 1.5 hours today (thanks to our dear Nanny)?

*Hips have been a little better overall, though my amazing Myofascial lady is STILL OUT OF TOWN. Her one week vacation turned into three, and I am like a junkie who got a taste of the good stuff and need her back ASAP.

Big sister? My parents came to town for the weekend because Iyla had her first ever dance recital! It was amazingly cute, and she was SO excited for it. Her part in the recital was all of 1.5 minutes, and she did maaaybe 2-3 of the choreographed moves, mostly staring with wonder out at the audience for the duration of the performance (this was a HUGE real stage!). It was definitely one of my favorite Mama moments so far!

 Her "official" dance photo. Too much!

I bought Iyla two "Big Sister" books that we've started reading, and she appears fascinated! One of the two books goes into more detail about the pregnancy process itself and discusses how when baby gets too big for the uterus it descends into "the birth canal" to be born. Iyla stares at the picture on that page for SO long and now likes to play act that her animals are having babies and that the babies are in THE BIRTH CANAL. It's hilarious and adorable.

 

Most looking forward to? Our guest room furniture is likely getting moved out this coming weekend, which means I can put the GREEN LIGHT on the nursery furniture delivery! I'm looking forward to seeing how those pieces look and feel in the nursery, to better inform how the rest of the space will come together.

I'm Too Sexy for my... (Baby Shower?) and 31 Week Updates

Finding the right dress.

As a female, there are many occasions where this act becomes a labor of love as much as a pain in the a**. Homecoming. Prom. Graduation. Wedding shower. Wedding. House Hunters (not all ladies struggle with this one, but it was a doozy! Needing at LEAST 3-4 'professional' looking dresses to be seen on National TV. No pressure, right?)

And now the baby shower. This one is proving to be extra hard, given the additional curves I am working with. I have tried on no less than 15 dresses in my quest, and my UPS man has been working overtime with all the mail order deliveries I've been getting (and mostly returning). I actually got a call from the Wells Fargo Fraud Protection Department due to the fact that there were so many recent charges placed to random Maternity stores across the US. I sheepishly verified that yes, indeed, those were all mine. Whoops.

The first real dress contender I had was this lovely wine colored frock:

Fits me very well and was Babycakes approved. The *only* problem is that it is made from a heavier material and has sleeves, and it is still 90 degrees daily here in Austin. AND I am a sweater. I don't think having armpit sweat rings would be a cute look for the shower.

In the last major clothes order that arrived Friday, there were 2 more possible contenders (out of about 8!) I think this little black dress is cuter in person than in this picture:

And then- THEN I tried this on. I immediately was quite smitten- it was SO comfy and it somehow made me, in my almost 8 months' pregnant glory, feel pretty (I added the belt):

I felt like I had found the one. Yes, it was quite fitted and showed all of my lumps & bumps curves- but nothing some good 'ole maternity spanx or a slip couldn't calm (which have been ordered- like I said, the UPS man is definitely earning his paycheck these days!).

Then I showed it to BC.

His response? "Isn't it too small for you? It's really tight."

AWESOME.

BC and I have quite the history with fashion- he was/is the first partner I've ever had who has pretty particular aesthetic opinions on what I wear. In the beginning this was a big source of contention between us, but over the years we have worked it out. However, I felt pretty deflated by his comments, totally 2nd guessing what had minutes before been my favorite choice. I definitely don't want to come off as too va-va-voom sexy for my BABY SHOWER, especially with my mom and my mother-in-law in attendance. So I've gone ahead and ordered the next size up in this dress on express delivery, to see if maybe it fits a little less snug- though I fear the length on the next size will be way too long, as this one is already long on me as it is- needing some elevated sandals to make it work (ah, the perils of a maxi-dress on a 5'2 frame).

Dear Readers of mine- I'd love to have you weigh in on the dresses! I know it is a bit hard going on just pictures, but if you are willing, I'd love to get your feedback on the 3 choices in the comments section. Which dress would you choose?

Now on to my 31 week updates:

How far along? 31 weeks yesterday. Only NINE WEEKS until our due date! That is 62 days according to my pregnancy ticker. Holy s***

How big is baby? She is compared to either a head of lettuce or a pineapple this week, likely around 3+ pounds and over 16 inches. All of her organs are fully formed and functioning with the exception of her lungs, which are still working hard to reach final maturity.

I was able to confirm at my doctor appointment this week that she is already head down! I had suspected as much, given the hiccups I feel daily are always way low on my right side. This is great news- perfect positioning for birth- so here's hoping she stays put down there.

31 week belly

Weight gain? I actually was DOWN 1/2 pound as of yesterday at the 31 week mark- for a total weight gain of 16.5 pounds. Of course this morning things seem to have gone up again- but I am also suffering from a relapse of wicked constipation.

Sleep? I'm having another bout of waking WAY too early and being unable to get back to sleep. Friday it was 5am. Yesterday was a blissful 6:45am. This morning was 6am. I've also had a couple nights where sleeping on my back was leaving me short of breath (yes- I am still occasionally sleeping on my back! But I think those days are getting seriously numbered).

I had my first dream this week where I had given birth. Our baby girl was at the hospital and I was anxious to get ahold of BC and go see her (there was no act of birth in the dream, just the knowledge that it had happened and she was here!) Awesome part of the dream? That I put on my pre-maternity jeans and they instantly fit. Not so awesome part? She had arrived on October 10th- which in my subconscious state I noted as 10-11-12- a very cool birthdate indeed, but that would make her about 6 weeks early, which is not so great. I also took conscious note that I didn't yet have a carseat- one of the first baby gear items absolutely necessary. Cue me upon waking to doing some registry stalking- our carseat hasn't yet been purchased, so I have a HUGE mental note to get that ordered ASAP after our shower.

Food cravings/aversions? Not much new here- still preferring fish to meat & loving my sweets.

Symptoms? Apparently in the 3rd trimester progesterone kicks up quite a bit, and for me that is manifesting in a few forehead pimples, bloody noses, and really extreme constipation. I actually had another awful encore of what happened in New Mexico, and am adding prune juice to the shopping list. I also wonder if progesterone has anything to do with my early waking, as that was happening a lot in the 1st trimester as well.

Physically, I am having weird tugs in my glutes and inner thighs. I went on a 2 mile walk this week (which proved to be DIFFICULT- lots of round ligament tightening coupled with Braxton Hicks)- and it felt like my right inner thigh muscle was totally pulled. I suspect this has to do with the whole hip widening/pelvis opening action going on. On a walk with BC the other night I was getting noticeably winded, which apparently is pretty common at this stage in the game as my uterus starts pushing upward and infringing on my lungs.

Most looking forward to? We have an ultrasound on Wednesday and I am so excited to see our little one again and see how she's grown! Also super excited for my baby shower... here's hoping I can settle on the right dress SOON.