Week 28 & the beginning of the 3rd trimester!

I've been told now by multiple people that I'm 'hiding it well' and that I don't look pregnant from the rear view. I don't know as though I've ever enjoyed a shot of my rear view, so I don't even want Clay to take that photo...so, second best - I took one from the front for viewing pleasure. My hips may have gotten a little wider, but overall I'm pretty comfortable with my burgeoning belly. I've gained 17 pounds as of yesterday and Miss Luci is measuring long & high...meaning she's all stretched out and up in the way of my stomach. Over the last few days I've discovered a new sensation up just between my chest & belly that is a sort of numbing burn...it happens only when I am on my left side, but it is fairly uncomfortable. Dr. Johnson tells me it is my stomach being squished & that the pain will only subside when Luci decides to drop a bit. So I've been sleeping more on my right side, which seems to work fairly well when I'm trying to fall asleep, and then when I wake up to shift positions I must fall asleep again before the pain starts up. Hopefully that continues to work until she decides to drop.

Clay & I are enjoying a weekend at home together, as our travel plans to S. Carolina fell through last minute due to our Godson's battle with rota virus. Dr. Johnson recommended we not go...so we didn't. We are bummed but hopeful that the Atkins family can come visit us soon in TX. Despite the change of plans I was still in vacation mode so I decided to take a few days off anyway & just enjoy my husband and the weather. We had a lovely breakfast at IHOP this morning followed by a trip to the DMV to get the long dreaded TX drivers licenses that are now 330 days overdue...it was a successful trip & we should be receiving them in the mail in 2-4 weeks. I think it is a bit strange they have to mail them to you - we just have a goofy little piece of paper for now. Good thing I have a passport to prove I'm me if need be!

Good news to start the week...

Just heard from Dr. Johnson's office and I'm very relieved to report that my blood work came back normal and I do not have gestational diabetes. While the 3 hour glucose tolerance test certainly wasn't fun, I actually felt better throughout it than I did during the 1 hour test. Time flew by as Amanda & I chatted & read trashy celebrity magazines for the first 2 1/2 hours, and then Clay arrived in time to keep me company for the last hour or so. Once we were home he made me lunch and we just enjoyed some downtime on the sofa for the afternoon.

We also had a great weekend...on Friday night we had dinner with Jamie & Amanda & baby Clara (who is 17 months...not so much a baby), who seems to have suddenly discovered that Clay is fun too! Watching him put diapers on baby dolls & teddy bears and read books to Clara (as she insisted that he be the one to read them to her) filled me with warm fuzzies. We borrowed Clara for a few hours on Saturday morning and the baby doll diaper changing continued, along with more reading & a visit to the park. We watched her walk around the house, noting to ourselves what items need to go on the 'remove to kiddo proof our house' list. After the park visit she was a bit sleepy & put her head down on Clay's shoulder during the short walk home...it was one of the sweetest moments ever and it gave me a little boost of confidence that we just might be able to pull this parenting thing off after all...

3 hour glucose tolerance test

Well tomorrow I get to go in for the big dog of the gestational diabetes screening exams. I failed the first 1 hour version I took a week ago today, so now tomorrow I get to go in for 4 blood draws in 3 hours complete with twice the amount of syrupy orange glucose drink to choke down. I was pretty miserable after the first exam...Clay had to institute 'freeze out' in the car on the way home. Freeze out is the game we play when I get nauseous in the car - which is more of a regular occurrence than either of us would like for it to be. We turn the AC on full blast as cold as possible & he takes away any sweater I have until I am uncomfortable and cold...but no longer nauseous. I think it is an old trick he picked up along the way in a cockpit somewhere...it has proven quite helpful in the last 6 months.

Luckily my good friend Amanda has volunteered escort me tomorrow morning since Clay won't be home until the ordeal is about over. And she's bringing a jacket in case we have to go sit in the car & play freeze out. If I throw up I have to start the whole thing over again on another day...so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Worst case scenario I have gestational diabetes & get to go see a dietitian and be on a strict diet for the remaining 3 months, only to give birth to Luci the toddler instead of Luci the baby (Dr. Brooke's words...). I'm hopeful that it will be all right and I'll pass the big dog test...but just in case it isn't I treated Luci to Mc Donald's today for lunch with what may have been her last Filet O Fish for years to come...

Week 26

So I really didn't know I was this big. I changed clothes because I thought what I was wearing was making me huge (obviously)...and then I still looked huge. And now I'm just sort of in shock....Clay kept telling me how beautiful I looked...he must have known what my reaction was going to be once I got a look at them...

Photos from Chicago

Yes...I am in the SAME pink shirt again! I promise to wear something different when Clay takes my 26 weeks photo tomorrow. That is right...our 15 day stint apart hopefully comes to an end tomorrow...I can't wait! He'll either be home by 11:30AM OR 11:30PM...keep your fingers for the AM!

Chicago

I'm home from what was likely my last trip to Chicago before Luci's arrival. I left Monday morning & spent the afternoon with Holly & her 3 month old baby Noelle. It was great to finally meet baby Noelle & also served as a bit of sneak peak of what is in store for us. She is adorable & still very small! Her eating, playing, and sleeping schedule was like clockwork. My favorite was playtime...I may have even witnessed her first giggle! Holly is a very loving, capable mom & I'm sure she will continue to be another great source of information for me in the coming months.

Tuesday I went to work (which makes it sound easy...it was actually quite a task - I've lost my Chicago pedestrian commuting skills) where I did much more chatting & catching up than working! I hardly got anything done because every time I saw someone I was drawn into a 30 minute conversation! Many of my co-workers were able to go out to lunch at My Thai (my favorite Chicago lunch eatery) and it was great to catch up. My friend & co-worker Anita gave baby Luci a beautiful little blue & white linen dress with an adorable blue & gingham diaper cover!

Tuesday night was the second mini baby shower for Luci! My great friends Liz & Jaime hosted a fantastic mini shower complete with Dags pizza (my favorite Chicago pizza) and cheesecake! The girls enjoyed champagne & the ever thoughtful Liz had a wonderful sparkling lemonade on hand for me. Luci again brought home many beautiful baby things including a few books - Little Pea - who wants to eat spinach but has to eat his candy first ;) and Goodnight Chicago - like Goodnight Moon, but Goodnight Chicago with lots of great Chicago sights. She also brought home lovingly hand-made goodies from my economist-by-day, crafty designer-by-night friend (known as Cajankow) including knitted baby booties, a shirt with two kittens on it who resemble our very own Milo & Tallulah, pants to match and a very pretty burp cloth. Luci also received a wonderful green & brown blanket with the softest material known to man on the other side, a fuzzy bunny outfit & matching bib, and her first bottles. She also will be receiving the Sweet Pea boppy and a Pack & Play soon in the mail! Some big, can't deny a baby is coming gear! Thanks for sending those to my house ladies...they would have been tough to get on the airplane! More motivation to get going on the nursery...the rocker is now overflowing with her belongings! And not to forget about Mom & Dad...we received a Chicago landmarks plate and a book of Chicago stories, along with a drying rack for Luci's bottles! If they ever get the opportunity to share baby war stories I'm quite certain Clay will want to get the scoop from Scott (Noelle's dad) on the 'system' he's developed for Noelle's feeding things. I believe the drying rack is required at some point in the process...

Wednesday morning I tried to work very quickly to make up for all of my chatting on Tuesday. I'm much more productive at home (despite the occasional blog break). I left on a 2pm flight and was home by 6:30pm. I'm a pretty anxious flier (and yes, I married a pilot) and the flight home was about as turbulent as I can handle without becoming panicky. Luci was very active during take-off & then periodically on & off throughout the flight. I was trying to decide if she was excited active like her dad, or nervous active like her mom but I couldn't tell. Clay falls asleep whenever he's not actually flying the plane, so maybe she was like me? But I hold my breath & don't move, so that makes me think she's like her Dad. I guess we'll find out in due time!

I feel very blessed to have had such a wonderful trip seeing all of my friends but I'm also very glad to be home in my little cocoon with the stinkpeas Milo & Tallulah. They were excited I was home so they could go outside & play again. Now as soon as Clay gets home my little world will be complete again. I've gotten many requests for an updated belly photo...as soon as Clay is home on Tuesday we'll get right on that ;)