Now entering my 8th month of pregnancy!!! AHHHHHH!!!! Don’t forget to enter in the BABY POOL! Start making those guesses and predictions 🙂
Baby Growth: This week Leo is roughly 3.75 bs (size of a jimaca?) and is about 16. 7 inches long. I had my 32 week ultrasound and check up yesterday so we’ll get to the specifics about that size here in a minute!!! Assuming I gain about 1 lb a week here on out the baby is actually getting about ½ of that! Lots of growing left to do and not a whole lot of space to do it in!
My Symptoms: Well y’all this has legit been the most crazy, emotional roller coaster week ever haha. Friday of last week I spent most of the day prepping for Casey’s baby shower that I co-hosted with Courtney. I wrote more about everything that happened in this post but, long story short, Casey got admitted to the hospital so was unable to come to the shower. It all still turned out super cute and I’m thankful we were able to take a lot of pictures to show her at the hospital to help cheer her up! I was SUPER pumped about the bacon themed diaper cake 😉 I found a bunch of tacky bacon stuff (I love bacon ribbon, some buttons with bacon sayings, and of course a piggy bank!) and then had some baby items specialty made with bacon sayings 🙂 I even found a bacon baby toy! Didn’t it turn out cute?
So last weekend was pretty much spent at the hospital and I had all those pre-term labor type symptoms I discussed in this post! Monday morning I had a dr. appointment at the dermatologist. I had my skin cancer screening and had a spot burned off my cheek. I’m SO thankful I still went to that appointment that morning. Not only is the spot on my cheek completely GONE (and it’s been a mega cause for insecurity for me so I’m thankful to be rid of it!) but that morning appointment was a chance for me to try out another babysitter for the kids. My concern with Casey having her baby was a lot to do with finding childcare since all of the family would want to be at the hospital! A sweet girl from our church came while I was at that appointment…it was only an hour or so but it gave her a chance to get to know the kids and interact with them.
That afternoon I went to the appointment to check on me and Leo…and I learned that the monitoring they did was actually called a non-stress test. I have always wondered what that meant! You can read more about that appointment here.
When I got home my 48 hours of bed rest began. That night Zach put on a movie for the kids and I in our room and they loved cuddling up with me!
Kye also insisted on “cleaning the house” for me so I could rest, sweet boy!
Even though I was on bed rest I still decided to go to my GNO that night. We had planned the night as one last big outing for Casey and I didn’t want to bail on it especially since Casey was home from the hospital and had such a great appointment that afternoon with her doctor! I talked to both Zach and Mrs. Charlotte about it and they agreed that me going to eat dinner was much more relaxing than sitting at home caring for the kids! So I went! And I’m SO GLAD I did!!! It was a super fun night and this ended up being the last photo of both Casey and I pregnant together (and it’s an awful photo at that haha).
On Tuesday I had to go to my foot appointment that afternoon. That morning Zach handled the kids for breakfast before work and then I kept them entertained until Mrs. Charlotte came to get them before lunch time. Our plan was for them to spend the night with her Tuesday night and stay with her through Wed evening after church then she’d bring them back home so I’d be able to get some good solid rest! After my shot in my foot I legit DID rest which I’m so thankful for! I stayed in the bed and still stayed productive. I slept some but I also got my thank yous done from my shower finally!
My shot numbness wore off that night and I was in PAIN. I couldn’t fall asleep and neither could Zach because he had basketball and didn’t get home until 11. We ended up staying up until midnight and were kinda pumped to sleep in the next morning since we didn’t have kids. We were both mad when the phone rang at 7 am Wednesday morning…until we found out it was Mrs. Charlotte calling to let us know Casey was in LABOR!!!! Who needs sleep when you can get a new nephew instead?!?!? 🙂
Thank the LORD I had the sitter come Monday morning because she was able to be at my house super quick to take care of the kids (who Mrs. Charlotte’s sister brought back to our house!) so Zach and I could go to the hospital! It was a CRAZY day for them! The sitter came that morning then Robyn relieved her while the kids napped then Jolee relieved her that afternoon then Zach and I came home! It has always been something that is SUPER important to me: when Casey had her baby I wanted to 100% be there for her!!! I’m SO thankful it all worked out where I was able to be so involved in everything and I appreciate Haley, Jolee, and Robyn so so so so so much!!! My babies were in great hands and had a fun day! They even made me a TON of crafts while I was gone 🙂
While at the hospital Wednesday I tried my best to stay in “bed rest mode.” Everyone was so, so sweet and I did a LOT better job of taking care of myself than I did in the hospital over the weekend. At one point Courtney and I stepped out Casey’s room and were out there for about 15 min while the nurses checked on Casey and took her to the bathroom and such. I had three contractions during those 15 min. I felt WAY less cramps but the contractions were legit feeling and had me a little concerned. I talked to the nurses there (hello…I was in labor and delivery…why not just ask?!?!) and they said to call my doctor and let them know I was at the hospital and could get on a monitor there if needed.
Stacy wasn’t too concerned about the contractions and just said to rest and hydrate and that if I had more than 6 in an hour to call back. It’s hard to remember to keep track of that kind of thing haha! But once I did leave the hospital and got back home I did do a better job of resting. I had a decent bit of cramping and contractions that evening and finally got upset about it all. It sometimes takes me awhile to get emotional. But I was scared. Thinking about our baby being so little and so NOT READY to come into the world. Worried that I’d be stuck hurting and/or on bed rest for 8 more weeks was scary. Feeling like a burden to people. Having to ask for help. It was all just sucky and overwhelming.
I ended up texting Jolee and asked her to come help me the next day. I do NOT like people helping me with my own children at my house. I can’t sit back and let someone take care of them. That’s my job! I also don’t like the idea of them just sitting around watching movies. I didn’t mind it on the day Carter was born because it was a crazy day and I know movie watching is easier for care-givers. But if I’m going to have to ask for more help from people then I have to make sure my kids don’t spend the summer glued to the tv! I packed them a picnic lunch and told Jolee to take them on the golf cart to the park to play and eat and have fun. I felt SO MUCH less guilty knowing they were having a great time! I had a couple errands I HAD to run so I went and took my time doing that and stopped by the hospital to visit Carter for a little while too. Of course 🙂
When I got home I rested some more and even napped for awhile then Kye and I had some special time just the two of us making cookies for Casey and Jordan! I really felt better and all my pre-term labor type symptoms were fading. I TRULY believe it was just a mixture of all the emotions and over-doing it. I also got in the mindset of making rest my #1 priority. I knew I wanted to take food to Casey and Jordan so I spread out making things and chose to make things that could be cooked in advance. I also timed it right so the kids helped me make it all (which meant a fun activity we were doing together!) and didn’t overdue it. When I ran the errands I picked up several crafts and things for the kids to do so I can sit while they do them. I get to be together with them, having fun, but can also rest too! Win win!
After a nights rest on Thursday night I felt like a BRAND NEW PERSON on Friday!!! Like literally 1,000 times better. I took my belly pics for the week on Thursday and I promise you I look SO MUCH better now than I did then haha! I think knowing that Carter is here and healthy and perfect and that everything is okay with Casey really helped my emotions to settle down and for me to feel less anxiety and worry. Zach has been AMAZING and just stepped up BIG TIME and handled so much for me (I’m being SPOILED!) and that made all the difference! I also had to put my pride aside and ask for some help with things and I know that did allow me to get the rest I needed!
I had my 32 week check up that morning (more to come later in this post) and then the kids and I decorated Casey and Jordan’s house to welcome Carter home!
Not only was it a roller coaster of emotions this week…but it was also a roller coaster of pregnancy symptoms. I went from feeling AWFUL and like I was about to give birth to feeling drastically better and more like myself again!
The cramping has gone pretty much away. I am still having a good bit of contractions but I feel like they are just Braxton Hicks and they aren’t regular and don’t have a pattern and don’t grow more intense. I do notice they get worse when I am doing too much or on my feet for too long though which kinda stinks. But it’s a reminder to me to drink my water and REST!
My discharge has increased this week. It’s def more like I remember with previous pregnancies now than it has been earlier in this pregnancy. I slipped in the laundry room this week while cleaning and thank goodness Kye happened to be standing there and literally caught me before I fell! He totally redeemed that accidental kick in the stomach from the beach 😉
I have also had a good bit more headaches than I’m used to having. Which is odd because I am drinking so much more water? I think it may be related more to the foot shot than the pregnancy?
Weight: I didn’t weigh last week in time for my post but gained 2 lbs since my 30 week post so that’s 1 lb per week which is perfect at this stage of pregnancy. I’m at 21 lbs total which sucks but honestly I’m just thankful for a healthy baby and I’m cool with weight gain as long as it means I’m still pregnant!!!
Also I went to the doctor twice this week. Monday due to the scare and Friday for my regular appointment. When I went on Friday I wore my tennis shoes (with my new insert) and didn’t take them off for the scale because it’s a pain to take them off and put them on. When the nurse came in to talk to me prior to seeing Stacy she said “um…I’m a bit concerned about your weight gain” HAHAHA I had gained 4 lbs since Monday which I know was due to my dang shoes! They ain’t no joke!
Gender: It could go either way, but my pregnancy is just so much like Kye’s that it must mean boy right?!!?!? My belly looks straight up exactly like it did while I was pregnant with him!!!
Maternity Clothes: This week I wore a sports bra rather than a regular bra pretty much the entire week. Comfort comes first right now! And I’m totally struggling to find shirts long enough already. Not good! My maternity tank tops are even too short!!! This belly is LEGIT!
Movement: I have NEVER been so thankful for my active baby as I have been this week!!! It is such a source of comfort when I’m afraid and a reminder that our baby is healthy!!!
Sleep: I hit a wall every day at around 2. And, yes, I drink my Spark in the afternoon! I still am just exhausted. I know they say 1st trimester stuff comes back and this is something I vividly remember dealing with during the first part of pregnancy. I was exhausted! So much so that’d I’d straight up fall asleep while the kids were playing…and that’s totally happening again!!!
Cravings: I haven’t had my ice cream at night snack in YEARS. But we got a thing of ice cream to make a brownie sundae the other night and I couldn’t resist making myself a bowl like I used to back in the day. I would, legit, eat a bowl of ice cream every single night. I’m thankful I’m no longer in that unhealthy routine…but it was FOR SURE a mega special treat! (Yes, I topped it with coconut and sprinkles!)
Things Accomplished This Week: Yes, 8 months in and I’m adding a new category to these posts haha. I am stressed with how much I have left to do before this baby comes. And resting makes that stress a little worse because I can’t get things done while I rest! So I’m trying to really focus. Rest and then accomplish things! So far it’s going pretty well!
This week I sterilized our bulb syringes. How about I never knew you were supposed to do that!?!?! Oops! Good thing we’ve rarely ever used them!
Zach got the nursery painted last weekend and the decals came for the map so he started working on them!
I also went through and packed away my regular bras and put my nursing bras in my normal bra drawer. I talked to Jolee about coming and caring for the dogs if needed while we are in the hospital. I also confirmed that when I go into labor that we will first contact Jordan and if he can’t come with our kids that we will also contact Mema and Jolee as well as Katie and basically just cross fingers that one of the people on that list can come 😉 Obviously since Casey had the baby I no longer have to worry about childcare for that haha!
What I Miss: I’m NOT trying to take away from this pregnancy. I’m so, so thankful to be pregnant. I’m thankful that my pregnancy has not been more difficult. That it’s been pretty smooth with few concerns. However, I do totally miss last pregnancy! I was just very spoiled! It was EASY. I looked awesome! I had so much energy! This time is nothing like last time at all. I seriously cannot believe I was in HAWAII right now at this point. NO. WAY.
Best Moments of the Week: DUH. This precious, perfect, sweet boy was born!!!! I seriously have NEVER loved a child other than my own the way I love this one! Usually I see people’s babies and I’m like “oh cute” but it’s just kinda like whatever. But I am totally in that whole biased mode you get in with your own babies. Carter is so beautiful and I can’t find a single flaw and I’m already super annoying to people b/c I keep talking about him all the time haha. I have cried SO MUCH this week! I cried a ton when Casey was in the hospital b/c I was just so worried about her. Then I cried with my fears about my baby stuff. And then I cried when Carter arrived. And I continue to cry about just how PROUD I am. I am blown away by Casey and Jordan and just simply adore Carter. This whole experience has made me truly realize that they all mean the world to me and are my family 🙂 We may not be blood related but I truly do love each of them unconditionally. They are stuck with me!!!
Aside from the baby we are able to hold in our arms…we also got to see the baby in my belly this week!!! I had my 32 Week Visit yesterday morning. I woke up feeling SO good which was such a blessing going into the appointment. I had felt nervous all week about things but I really felt confident that everything was fine at that point. Zach and I went together, just us, for the 32 Week Ultrasound! Last time to see Leo before he or she arrives!!!
The tech was amazing. Thank GOODNESS she asked us “is it a boy or a girl?” before she started b/c, once again, both Zach and I forgot to tell her that we don’t find out haha. She said one time a lady came in at 39 weeks pregnant and forgot to tell them she didn’t want to know and they told her. Can you imagine?!?! I know never to ask during the ultrasound if everything is okay. They can’t really tell you and I don’t want to make it awkward for them but she volunteered the info that our baby is PERFECT. Such a blessing to hear!!!
Compared to the 3d/4d images we got to see…these def ain’t so great but Zach and I were just so thankful to hear how healthy our baby is and how everything is right on track like it should be at this point!
Leo is so funny b/c at every ultrasound he or she is the same way. Head down, spine facing out. They always have a hard time getting good pictures (better not be the case once this baby is born…kid you are gonna be in pics so deal with it haha). Everytime he or she is balled up too. This time she said he or she had his or her feet crossed at the ankles and had them all the way up near his or her face. AND had the hands crossed too! So funny!
They are all shots of the profile view…you can see the fingers in a lot of them
Can’t believe the next time we see our baby it’ll be in our ARMS!!!
The tech was so confident that everything was fine with Leo that Zach went ahead and went to work and I just waited to see Stacy solo. I first saw her nurse practitioner so I asked most of my questions at that point and she went over the ultrasound with me.
The heartbeat was 159 which is super high for this child! Usually I don’t pay ANY attention to the weight of the baby. I don’t care the size, I’m gonna have it naturally regardless so why worry about a big baby??! Also I know it’s often wrong! But my big concern this week with everything was I just kept thinking about our little 3 lb baby and it’s scary to think about it coming into the world that small. It was VERY comforting to me to see that they are predicting Leo weighs 4 lbs 7 oz right now 🙂 She said he or she is right on target in the weight and will probably weigh right around the same as Kye and Britt did (in the 7 lb range). She said our baby is PERFECT and all the dates are matching up and everything just as they should be!
I went over some other questions with her as well:
- I talked to her about my swelling from last week and she said as long as it goes down it’s fine. With it being summer and hot it’s normal to swell more
- I mentioned that Kye did kick my belly on accident on the trip and she said it’s nothing to be concerned about. If it was blunt trauma, like a car wreck, then yes we’d be worried but that the kick was no big deal.
- Both the nurse and Stacy confirmed it’s fine to get my teeth cleaned this far into pregnancy.
- It’s also okay to sleep on my right side and on my back if it’s the only way I can get comfortable but that I need to prop myself up on some pillows if on my back
- I asked about the intimacy contractions and basically they said it’s okay but just to avoid the areas that cause me to contract.
Stacy came in and we talked more about my issues during the week and she said that it’s normal to be more in tune with my body and know what a contraction feels like so I’m better able to recognize it. She said it’s okay even if I DO have more than 6 in an hour but it’s just important to make sure they aren’t getting worse and that they aren’t having a pattern. Changing positions is important and to keep being hydrated and resting. I am thankful for her b/c she’s pregnant with her third too so she GETS IT. She knows it’s impossible to rest the way I really need to rest and I’m appreciative not to have some unrealistic expectations put on me about it!
The only really bummer news is that Stacy said I need to stick close to home for the rest of my pregnancy. With my issues this week it’s not worth the risk of leaving town. Zach and I had planned to go to Jekyll Friday just for one night as a little getaway but we did cancel as soon as we found out Casey was in labor b/c we knew we’d want to be home to be with them. I’m glad we did cancel with everything else going on anyway but I’m also bummed that we can’t really go 🙁 We will def do it down the road for sure! And I guess that means we will go ahead and open our anniversary gifts haha!
It was a GREAT appointment and I left feeling SO much better about everything! Now I start going every two weeks! It’s getting real people!!!
Both kids have been SO sweet this week and I think Carter arriving has made them even more excited about our baby. Britt one night told me to leave the room when I was tucking her in (which is an every night thing. Child LOVES some sleep and gets annoyed with me trying to cuddle her too long haha) then as I was leaving she said “hold on let me see my baby” and rubbed my stomach and kissed it! Kye also drew me several pictures of him and Britt holding our babies hand 🙂 Sweet siblings!
Questions/Concerns:
- Now that I’ve watched Casey in the hospital I am thinking about hospital attire…I need some GOOD SUPPORTIVE slippers. I don’t have any and I know I won’t want to wear my tennis shoes in the post partum bed so I really need some good ones that won’t cause foot issues but that I can wear to and from the bathroom and such…any suggestions?
- Also I’m thinking about what to wear while in the hospital after I change out of my gown. What did you guys wear?!?!
Goals for the Week:
- Pack my hospital bag!!!! It’s def TIME!
- REST but also be productive in my time of rest
- Finish ordering stuff for nursery
- Order stuff to complete registries
- HYDRATE!
- At this point in pregnancy I had JUST heard about the Bradley Method and was still able to have Kye naturally…so I know it’s not too late to do better on my Bradley prep!
Belly Pics: I look a hot mess in these. This was pre-Emily-feeling-good-again. You can tell how SHORT my shirt is. And I have a long length maternity tank under it and it’s still so short! I’m in trouble!!!
Notes from Past Pregnancies: Here is my combo 32/33 week post from my last pregnancy. I was in HAWAII. I still can’t get over that! Reading this post makes me feel sooooooo much better. I tend to glorify that pregnancy, and it’s nice reading that I was getting pretty miserable at this point. It was also a SUPER mega busy week with Hawaii…kinda like this week was so mega busy too. So it’s extra comforting that during two busy weeks this late in the game I had a hard time and my body reacted to my over doing it. Britt stayed put and was only 3 days early so I feel a lot better about Leo not coming soon either 🙂
You can see my 32 week post from my 1st pregnancy here! I’m still 2 lbs behind where I was at this point with Kye’s pregnancy. But I do think I look similar, don’t you? Also you can see his last ultrasound pic in this post as well. SO COOL that both Kye and Leo weighed exactly the same at this point! 4 lbs 7 oz! Kye’s heartbeat was 146 which is a little lower than Leo’s was at our appointment.
You can compare to Britt’s last ultrasound here! She was weighing 4 lbs 10 oz and her heartbeat was very low (in the 130s). I love how you can see her BIG lips in that last picture…she still has that same nose too!
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When I was preggo last summer I lived in the tami tanks from Old Navy. I ordered them in my normal size but in tall, and they lasted me until my due date. They are super soft and super stretchy, and I still wear them now. Way longer than any maternity tank I had. Plus they run sales all the time. I have almost every color and got them for $5 each. Good luck!
I can't believe you're 32 weeks already (I guess 33 now, huh?). It always seems like other peoples' pregnancies FLY by.