Pregnancy Update, 34 weeks

This baby is going to be here before I know it!  We are very excited to meet her, but also a little nervous - just the idea of having three kids close together in age is a little overwhelming, but we're ready for the challenge (right? right!).  I'm nesting like crazy anticipating that I won't be able to get much done the first 4-6 months, but at the same time I feel like I'm moving in slow motion and not getting as much done as I'd like.

I have been avoiding cameras like the plague, not because I feel like I look terrible, but I never seem to be ready for the day when a camera is around.  I love to lounge around the house in basketball shorts and t-shirts while pregnant.  And getting dressed is kind of a chore at this point, because it's just hard to pick what to wear.  I should have probably bought some cute summer maternity clothes, but I just tend to make whatever I have work (whatever I have meaning whatever I bought from my first pregnancy when I was working at Aon - those maternity button up blouses and slacks are not getting much use these days).  And my hair ends up in a ponytail most days.  Ponytail plus the basketball shorts, and my sweet husband is still telling me how cute I look.  Liar, liar, pants on fire, but I appreciate the "compliments" anyhow.

This pregnancy has been similar to the others - no morning sickness as long as I eat every couple hours, and I feel pretty good without complaining too much.  But here's some complaining for the record - I get HOT a lot, so I've been keeping the house at 78-79 while I'm at home (probably a shocker to those that live out of AZ, but those are cool temps for indoors when it's 115 outside!).  I'm measuring right on schedule and have gained around 30 pounds, which should put me around 35 pounds gained by the end of the pregnancy.  I'm happy with these weight gain numbers!  However, I just don't feel like my body is handling this pregnancy as well.  I am achy and tired and my muscles are weak.  Oh weird, maybe I should have been working out or something?  Duh! But it's just so HOT, I can't even imagine doing pregnancy pilates in my living room even with a fan straight on me because of the heat.  Excuses, excuses!  I blame that darn sprained ankle that put me down for a month - I seriously had to be down and resting my ankle every evening to get it better.  It was the worst, and now I'm a weakling.  I need a half marathon next spring/summer to whip me back into shape - anyone doing any fun ones?

If I had to pick out some things that I've been eating more of, I'd probably say that I've had more rootbeer this pregnancy, and a sweet tooth for candy (no surprise there).  Oh man, there are these super long nibs by Twizzler that they sell at Walmart (not the bites, but NIBS!), and I can't pass them up if I walk into that store.  They are my favorite!  A burger and fries from Five Guys always sounds amazing, but I have enough self control to hold back on that one.  Or a bagel with cream cheese - sounds delicious any time of the day!  I've been a much better water drinker this pregnancy, and I have also made more salads than usual, so I'm not completely unhealthy.  And I think the water intake has helped my ankles - they are not swollen yet (crossing my fingers)!

And so the countdown begins!  I'm hoping to make it to 39 weeks or October 26th, if I haven't already gone into labor then I'd hope to be induced somewhere around then (Nancy has a flight for the 25th and will be with us for a week - yay!).  Andrew came at 38 weeks (8 lb, 1 oz), but that was right after getting my membranes stripped which put me into labor.  That was not the case with Rachel who finally came at 40 weeks and 4 days (9 lb, 2 oz).  It's impossible to guess when this baby will come, but if I could choose, I might like to be induced just to have it a little more planned out (just taking into consideration arrangements for our kids, Brandon's work, and not being up in the middle of the night wondering if I should go to the hospital, etc.).  Or maybe I could have my membranes stripped the 24th or 25th right before having an induction scheduled on the 26th and see if it doesn't do the trick?  Anywho ... Dr. Huish is fantastic and we'll start talking about all this at the next visit, 36 weeks.

Picture taken by Rachel, 30 weeks pregnant