34 Weeks

I am not quite sure why 34 weeks was such a milestone for me, but at this point, every two weeks seems to be a monumental success.  Truthfully, I am really looking forward to week 36, nearly full term and only 4 more weeks to go, but 34 was big too.  I am constantly reminding myself that even though I am meeting these milestones, there is no guarantee that June 14th is the day.  Nope, its just another milestone.  

Evie Frances has been so very active lately and because she is getting bigger she is getting stronger.  Between the constant movement and occasional punch to the ribs, hip and side sometimes I feel the hours of the day just crawl by.  I am having constant braxton hicks contractions which is normal, but sometimes so unnerving.  I have had days where I have had 15+ contractions.  No they aren't painful, but they are tight and can be uncomfortable.  Her little head is way, WAY down in my pelvis so the hip, low back and ligament pain has been at sometimes excrutiating levels.  This sounds very melodramatic, but with so much discomfort I tend to feel a bit crippled.  There are days when a trip to the grocery store or Costco feels insurrmountable.  Yes, this is coming from the marathoner.  

I have been completely averted to meat lately and am contemplating taking up a vegetarian diet.  Aside from the occasional light sandwich, I have found myself wanting salad, bread, veggies or just a smoothie.  My nausea is staying at a consistent level and in case you wanted to know, I threw up this morning......HARD.  I have a little popped blood vessel on the inside of my nose and I keep seeing it out of the corner of my eye thinking it is dirt.  Please laugh......if you don't, I am just going to fall to pieces again like I did this morning.  Most days I can wake up, say my "Lord help me" prayer, and get on with my day.  Such was not the case this morning.  For a good 15 minutes, the misery beat me and I could do nothing other than cry into my pillow and let my husband hold me.  This of course came after a wonderful afternoon yesterday complete with a long and overdue pedicure followed by a wonderful dinner out.  The silver lining.

I got to help my photographer friend out again by modeling for a posing guide she was putting together.  The Lord has really blessed me with the opportunity to model for her photography.  It helps me see the beauty of creating life instead of only seeing my pregnancy through the haze of sickness, pain and vomiting.  She makes me feel a sense of wonder, awe and admiration for the woman captured in these images.  And then I remember, thats me and my little Evie.

Big Sister, BIG Mommy

 

Well, I am at that stage in pregnancy that some people loving refer to as the "growing" stage.  For those of us not foolish enough to believe its as sweet as that, we recognize it as the stage where you are just plain big.  I think I was hoping to be around 34 weeks before I really felt as big as I feel, but the other day my daughter brought to light the fact that I am already there.  We were all driving in the car and Bob asked her about the playground.  She said she went down the slide so Bob asked if Mommy went  down too.  She instantly replied, "No Daddy, Mommy BIG!"  No pretense, no hesitation, just pure hard facts, yes, I am BIG.  Now to many I still look small and frankly am a smaller woman in general, but even 25 extra pounds on my frame feels like 50.  I now turn backwards on the scale when I go to the doctor.  I just don't need to know the number anymore, trust me, I am "growing." Whew.....7 or 8 more weeks to go (please Evie, no longer!).

Lily has started to take her big sister role very seriously and has taken to kissing and hugging my tummy on a regular basis.  She says "I wuv baby Evie!" and is only too quick to point out that "Baby Evie's kicking!"  She is just so precious and simply loves this mysterious little sister of hers.

This past week we had our final ultrasound to follow Evie's growth and Lily was my little companion.  She stood on the chair next to me all the while telling the ultrasound tech all she knew, including everything about horseys, Evie Frances and tickles and throws.  What a talker.  Evie has been growing like a weed (Praise the Lord), and is now weighing in at around 4.2 pounds and about 19 inches long.

Her head is down, WAY down, and her feet are lodged somewhere between my ribs and my right hip bone.  Evie is so low that the ultrasound tech checked me vaginally to see if I was dilated (I'm not) while telling me, "Boy, she is knockin' at the door, huh, you must be feeling a lot of pressure?"  Um, YEAH.  I am ultimately so grateful that she is in the right position.  Call me crazy, but I am still targeting a drug free natural birth.  I am not as die hard as I was last time about it though and no longer fear the epidural.  That little thing is like heaven in a needle delivered by a smocked angel.

For those of you anxiously wondering, I am still sicker than sick.  In fact I threw up yesterday and the day before.  Oh the nausea is just never ending, but I have learned how to manage it.  When in doubt...EAT..... and when I eat, eat simply.  Sandwiches are wonderful these days, fried foods and super spicy foods are like death.

I am craving dairy of all kinds right now.  I told my midwife about it considering that I can only get my prenatal down 1 in 7 times right now and she said that it was absolutely the right time to crave calcium.  Evie's bones are in their "get strong" stage.  A nice cold glass of milk sounds amazing, mmmmmmmmm, and I NEVER crave milk.  We only ever have milk in the fridge for recipes.  My fridge is now full of cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and milk.  I refuse to stock up on ice cream, but every Saturday Bob takes Lily and I out for frozen yogurt.  Yummy.

The Lord is blessing us richly right now, I know its a cliff hanger, but they are blessings for another post on another day.  Today I am just relishing the joy that Evie is growing (with a full head of hair I might add) and looks simply perfect.  Relishing that my little Lily has the most beautiful heart and how I simply cannot wait to see her in the big sister role, and that even though I am BIG, I am beautiful.