Week 29

How far along are you? 

29 weeks. 

How big is the baby? 

The baby is the size of a butternut squash. She is about 15.2 - 16.7 inches long and weighs roughly 2.5 - 3.8 pounds. 

How I’m feeling: 

Huge but happy. 

Healthy eating? 

It’s going okay. I’ve had more sweets this week than I probably should have. 

Food cravings: 

Fresh, cold foods. 

Food aversions:

Heavy meals. 

Exercise: 

We did two 4 mile hikes in Sedona. Now that we’re in Kansas I’m running around a lot but not doing any specific exercise. 

Total weight gain/loss: 

Again, I’m without a scale. Maybe that’s a good thing... 

Sleep: 

I have hit a rough patch in this regard. The over the counter acid reflux medication I was taking at night in the UK ran out. They have the same brand here but the ingredients in the US version are totally different and not suitable for pregnancy. I’m taking tums instead but they aren’t as affective. So, I’ve been sleeping with 4 pillows propping me up and 2 pillows along the side of my body. Mom calls it my “pillow nest”. Falling asleep is the hard part but then I rest pretty soundly. 

Maternity clothes?

Still half and half. 

Stretch marks?

Not so far. 

Best moment(s) this week: 

Sedona is stunning. If you ever get the chance to visit, do! We went on a handful of hikes around the area and drove up to the Grand Canyon one day. The highlight of the trip was climbing up Airport Mesa to watch the sunset. As we took our last steps to the top Dave pointed out that not only could we watch the sun go down, but we could also see the moon come up. It was one day before the full moon and it was gigantic, bright, and beautiful. Ah, the wonders of nature! 

On Saturday our family took the boys to Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. We saw lots of animals and had a great time! Highlights included: 

• Hudson pretending to be the sleeping goats. (He snored loudly.) 
• Hudson and Arlo feeding the goats bottles of milk and pellets. The boys shared the pellets very nicely with each other. 
• Arlo repeatedly saying “hey, what’s that?”
• The boys riding around in a red wagon together. 
• Their general excitement about the animals and farm equipment. 

On Sunday my mom and sisters threw a baby shower for me. It was woodland themed and as always their creativity impressed me! There were cookies in the shape of fox faces, cupcakes decorated like toadstools, wood ring name tags, and the cutest centerpiece ever! 

It was so much fun to have so many family and friends together in one room. First we ate some food. Then each guest wrote a message on a newborn diaper for us to read during those late night changes. We had a tally going where all the ladies could guess the sex of the baby. Most of the guests thought the baby is a girl. I passed out tiny brown paper bags containing pink jelly beans to reveal the truth. Then I opened gifts. Everyone was so generous and we are so grateful for the items we received! We are well on our way to having everything we need for bub. Many thanks to everybody, especially my awesome mother and sisters for making the day so special!!!

Movement: 

She’s still very busy most of the time.

Belly button in or out? 

Wider by the day! It kind of hurts sometimes now. 

Symptoms: 

Acid reflux. My arch enemy! 

Anemia. 

Baby brain. 

Gender:  

It’s a girl! 

Labor signs: 

None, thankfully. 

What I miss: 

Acid reflux free sleep. 

What I'm looking forward to:

I still have over a week and a half in Kansas. I’m enjoying every minute and looking forward to making more memories.

Weekly wisdom: 

When looking for a bargain, ask my sisters! Lauren found two adorable sleep sacks (retailing for $35 each) on a local buy, sell, trade website for only $20 total! Claire also gave us some great suggestions about where to buy cloth diapers in bulk for a discounted rate and helped me score a secondhand infant insert for a third of it’s original price. 

Milestones: 

We bought our first items for Baby Girl. Prices are less expensive here than in the UK so we are using that to our advantage. We ordered an Ergobaby carrier and a large stash of bumGenius all-in-one cloth diapers. 

Dave’s take:

I knew he loved me when I struggled to reach my toes and he helped me put on my oh-so-attractive compression stockings for flying.

While we were downtown in Lawrence I suggested we stop in Rally House to pick out something KU inspired for Baby Eagle. I told Dave it was his choice. He picked a cute fleece jacket for when she’s 6 -12 months old. It’ll be perfect for March Madness!