Category Archives: Family

36 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is about the size of a papaya at 18.75 inches long and 5.8-6 pounds.

Highs

I had another doctor’s appointment at the end of last week and got to meet another doctor in the practice who I liked as well. She did a quick ultrasound and Caleb was head down and face down, and she said that might be why his movements were more painful lately – since his back and his butt are what’s pushing out against me.

Saturday was my last baby shower! It was great to see so many of my friends from Berry and catch up with them. They spoiled me with great food and cute presents, and I really enjoyed the onesies they designed as well as the playdough babies.

More of a fun fact, but sometimes when Caleb is moving around, I’ll hear a click or a pop like when you crack your knuckles. I Googled it, and apparently it’s a thing! Pregnancy is so weird.

Another fun fact, shared with me by my friend Jacque, is that eating 6 dates per day in the last 4 weeks prior to delivery is proven to help shorten labor in a majority of women. 6 dates is a LOT in one day, and I’m still working up to that many, but I’m thinking that eating some dates is better than none! Although that story continues below…

Lows

Oye. In an attempt to get more dates into my diet, I bought a pack of Cashew Cookie Larabars. My friend Keri introduced me to them, and they only have 2 ingredients – dates and cashews! Since they have 2-3 dates per bar, it was a more tasty way to eat dates.

I noticed on Thursday that my lips were stinging, and then I woke up on Friday morning with tiny blisters on my lips. I am very thankful that they weren’t terribly noticeable, but it was both physically and emotionally disconcerting. Google was no help because if you search anything about blisters on your lips, everything says herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) which is not what I had.

The blisters persisted through the weekend, and Sunday night I was back on the internet trying to find an answer. The only thing I found that looked anything like what I had was a lady who wrote about getting blisters and a rash from eating mango because mago is in the same family as poison ivy, and the skin can have urushiol oil on it.

I’ve had poison ivy enough times that I realized that is what it looks like what was on my lips, so I typed “poison ivy on lips” into Google and found that not only are mangoes related to poison ivy but so are CASHEWS. And that the more reactions you’ve had to poison ivy, the more susceptible you could be to a negative reaction to cashews or mangoes.

Further searching let me know that others have had reactions to Larabars specifically, so needless to say, I won’t be eating them anymore. I’m not sure if it’s a pregnancy-related allergy or just the type of cashews in those bars, but I will likely avoid cashews all together now just to be sure.

I did a couple of baking soda paste applications on my lips to dry the blisters out, and now I’m just waiting on everything to fully heal up.

Other than that saga, it’s just the normal ups and downs of late pregnancy. Everything is big and heavy and swollen, and I’m tired a lot. But now I know it could be worse!

35 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of a honeydew melon at about 18.2 inches long and about 5.25 pounds (though see the growth scan estimate below).

Highs

I’ve had a couple of weeks of feeling really good! It is amazing to me that I can feel better at 8 months pregnant than I did at 6 months or other earlier times. But that’s just how pregnancy is! Always full of surprises, so it’s best not to plan ahead too far and to enjoy the good times while they last.

I had a growth scan on Friday, and it was nice for Josh to be able to be there this time! No good pictures unfortunately since they said his face was too squished, but it was nice to see him for a bit. He’s also head down which I suspected from his movements, but it was good to confirm. They estimated his weight as 5 pounds, 11 ounces, which was almost directly in the middle of the growth charts. It’s just an estimate since they take the diameter of the head, the diameter of the belly, and the length of the femur and plug it into a formula, but it was good to hear that he’s estimated to be average.

Josh and I enjoyed a lazy 3-day weekend which was just what we needed. I turned my nesting energy on the HRV and full cleaned it out. It was full of grass and incredibly dusty, and now it makes me happy to see how clean it is every time I get in. All ready to install the car seat now!

Monday was a great mix of lazy and productive as well. I went to the river for the first time in months and did a nice 3.5 mile run-walk. I’ve definitely missed being out there, but I struggle to get up early enough to dedicate to the commute to and from the river for not being out there that long. Then I cleaned out the bathroom because our renovation started Tuesday! Because why would you start a major project at any time other than when you’re 8 months pregnant?

Lows

Fake fall is over, and we are back to humid and mid-70 mornings and mid-ninety afternoons. It’s just so dang hot.

My left foot has been achy/having some plantar pain, so it takes me a bit to get moving after I sit for a while. Still trying to get out there in terms of walking or run-walking 5 times a week, though! Surprisingly, that helps with the swelling in my feet.

I was lucky enough to make it through the majority of the pregnancy without having to need a bathroom break during the night, but now I get up between 2 and 4 am probably 5 nights a week. Luckily I’ve been able to fall back asleep most of the time!

34 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of a spaghetti squash at about 17.75 inches long and 4.75 pounds.

Highs

I put some shelves up above the changing table and despite the struggle to get them on the wall. Did you know that increased clumsiness is also part of the third trimester? Fun times.

We spent the weekend in Greenville with Josh’s family and had a lovely baby shower! Grandma Morrison could have a side hustle as a party planner, and the decorations were just so cute!

It was great to spend time with family and get some advice as well. We also did a Mad Libs fairy tale game that was hilarious. They will be fun to read to Caleb as he grows up!

We had a few days of “false fall” that felt nice to not be a constant pool of sweat! And my back has been behaving nicely to the point that I’ve done a few 3-mile run/walks which is the most I’ve done since Peachtree. It’s just funny how things can change on a week by week basis! I’m trying to enjoy the times when I can get out there and don’t feel like I’m limp/waddling.

I have a growth ultrasound at the end of the week, and I’m so excited to see him again! I imagine he will look a lot like a baby this time which will be fun. 🙂

Lows

The special thing about 34 weeks is that the timeframe of his arrival feels ridiculous. I’m 6 weeks away from my due date, but babies typically come between 38-42 weeks, meaning he could come in the next 4 to 8 weeks. 8 weeks is literally twice as long as 4 weeks, hence the feeling of ridiculousness.

I’m getting more uncomfortable, some days worse than others. I’m very thankful that I work from home since I can sit or stand or lay on the couch or my personal favorite of putting my laptop on the couch and hunching over it from kneeling on the floor. Just doing what I can!

33 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of a pineapple at about 17 inches long and about 4.2 pounds.

Highs

We had a great anniversary weekend with the biggest present to ourselves being a cleaning service. I was so excited to not have to clean the house this weekend and to have someone do all of the extra stuff like wipe the light switches and clean the microwave. She also told me that I’m her 4th pregnant client recently!

We went on our hospital tour on Sunday. Similar to the childbirth class, it made me feel ready to go! Northside also seems very nice, and the rooms are spacious, and we feel better knowing the lay of the land now that we’ve visited.

We got our glider as well! I didn’t account for the extra space it needed (you know, for the gliding part) in my floorplan, so we did some rearranging, and I feel like all of the major pieces are all set now! There’s still plenty of organizing to do and a few things to put on the wall, but functionally it’s done. The glider is super comfortable as well! I’ve spent some time just sitting in there thinking and planning in the evenings.

I’ve had a lot of improvement in my back and was even able to run-walk earlier this week! It’s not something I can do every day, but I’m thankful for the times I can.

Lows

Summer in the south is no joke, and I’m ready to not sweat to death 24/7. The little generator I’m carrying makes that difficult, though.

The middle joint of my fingers are pretty much constantly swollen now, and my fingers/hands have started to hurt. I’ve heard of pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel, and some people have to wear wrist braces, so at least it isn’t that bad!

There’s something about checking nearly all the things off the list (hopital tour, childbirth class, etc) that makes me so (impatiently) ready for him to be here. 7ish weeks isn’t that long but it’s certainly not close either.

32 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of jicama at about 16.75 inches long and about 3.75 pounds.

Highs

It has been quite an exciting week! We started our weekend with an all-day Kopa Birth class. It was fun to be there with 10 other couples as well as to learn about various coping techniques during labor. Josh took plenty of notes, and we’ll eventually get around to writing down our birth plan as well. Overall I would say the class was definitely worth it, but I do wish it was an hour or two shorter! 9am – 4pm is just a long day, especially on a Saturday.

Then we headed to a party Saturday night! Our Sunday Bible study class has a number of pregnant couples, so there was a triple shower for us and a couple due in September and another in October with us. It was a lot of fun to eat delicious food and also sit and chat with the other moms-to-be about our various aches and excitements. And now we have quite the stash of diapers and wipes!

Sunday I headed home to Cleveland for a baby shower! And Becka is home! I grew up in a great neighborhood with lots of kids my age, so it is always fun to come home and visit with the families I grew up with. There were plenty of funny stories and advice to go around as well!

I’ve spent some time trying to organize the nursery now that we have our dresser/changing table as well as diapers, clothes, and various baby items from the shower. It’s all starting to come together. 🙂

Yesterday we went on a meet and greet tour of a nearby pediatrics office. We really like the doctors there and got some helpful information from them. Another item off the to do list!

Finally, Josh bought Crib Sheet by Emily Oster, and I’ve really enjoyed reading it so far. She’s an economist and focuses on the data behind various claims and debates when it comes to babies and raising children. It definitely speaks my language, and I recommend it for sure.

Lows

I had quite the saga on the phone with insurance and lab billing last week. We decided to do the blood test to find out the sex back in April only because we were quoted $136 for the test. I was very displeased to get a bill for $645 four months later! It took about 45 minutes, and I had to call three times (billing, my insurance, billing again) and definitely cried some tears of frustration, but I managed to finally get the bill down to almost to our original quote. I’m still angry at the injustice of them charging 5x the original quote because I’m sure they would happily take my money if I didn’t bother calling them. Always call!

I have mostly been feeling good and had quite a nice stretch of exercising last week, but today has been rough. I didn’t get much sleep due to storms and then having an hour+ segment of being anxiously awake, and now I’m having another bout of heartburn, but hopefully I can get some better rest this evening.

31 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of a bunch of asparagus at 16.2 inches long and about 3.3 pounds. Josh read today that he’s the size of a jug of Sunny D and remarked how huge he is. You’re telling me.

Highs

Now that I’m on my every-other doctor appointments, I get to check on Caleb more often! I also got to meet another doctor in the practice since there is a possibility that my doctor won’t be on call when I deliver. She was really friendly, and I’ve started asking questions about interventions and birth strategies now that it’s getting closer.

I have had some improvement in my back which is nice! I made the mistake of running (for 2 measly minutes) this morning, and then was reduced to limping for the next 15 minutes of my walk due to that. But I’ve found some renewed motivation to work out, so I started being more consistent about lifting. Even though it’s tough to get up in the morning, I feel a lot better (and happier) if I do something athletically productive in the morning.

I am extremely excited about this upcoming weekend! We are going to a childbirth class on Saturday, a triple shower for us and two other couples in our Sunday Bible study class (built-in buddies for Caleb!) that night, and then I’m headed to my parents’ house on Sunday for another shower. And my sister will be in town from Seattle! This weekend starts a very busy month of August, but I’m looking forward to it helping the time pass more quickly.

Lows

I had a rough weekend! After celebrating my best friend’s birthday with Mellow Mushroom (and then ice cream on the way home), I found myself with a severe case of heartburn. I was awake from roughly 2:30 – 5:00 am due to that lovely development. After taking some Tums, I propped myself up on the couch, eventually falling asleep, since staying upright seemed to be an essential part of feeling better.

This made my Saturday less than ideal due to the fatigue and lingering effects of the heartburn for the rest of the day. Thankfully I was better by Sunday!

30 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of a zucchini at 15.7-16 inches long and about 3 pounds. Apparently I can expect him to gain half a pound a week from here until the end!

Highs

30 Weeks is a fun milestone! It’s like the final lap of a mile race, time to kick it in. I’m also excited for August since we have lots of exciting things on the calendar like baby showers and hospital tour and a childbirth class.

Big shout out this week to my best friend Jenn for a couple of reasons. First, she gave us a bag of hand-me-downs from her nephews/son, so Caleb has some clothes in his closet now! It was fun to go through the items and squeal over how tiny some of the items. And little overalls!

Second, because she’s a PT and let me come over and lay on her floor for a couple of hours on Sunday while she worked on my back. While there’s nothing that cures the fact that my back is literally pulling itself apart to make room for the tiny human, I can definitely get some relief!

Only other baby prep was a trip to Costco where I bought some diapers and wipes for the first time as well as a lot of protein options to start stocking the freezer.

Lows

Have I mentioned that my back hurts? I feel like a broken record, but it’s been a week since I’ve been able to run-walk since the pain on my left side is just too much. I’ve forced myself into a couple of walks, but they are more waddle-limps than anything.

I also struggle with the disparity between my mental energy and ambition and my physical energy. It just takes me a long time to get through my to-do list on weekends because I have to take breaks or stretch my back or even take a nap. I’m not the most patient person, and I’ve got things to do! I’m also not very good at relaxing in general as Josh can confirm.

Some of my fatigue is certainly coming from the difficulty I have falling asleep. I start getting wired around 10pm every night and just lay in bed trying to turn my brain off, so I can fall asleep. I would guess that I’m getting about 6 hours of sleep every night right now which does not bode well with all of the “store up on sleep now!” advice that people like to give (even though that’s now how sleep works anyway).

29 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of a butternut squash at 15.2-15.5 inches long and about 2.5 pounds.

Highs

The nursery is well under way! Josh’s dad came down this weekend and assembled the crib and helped us set up the rug and generally clean up all of the tools we had accumulated in the room from building the closet last weekend.

If you want your excitement level to increase exponentially, put a crib in your nursery! I just love the setup so far and find myself sticking my head in there whenever I walk by.

Venus also approves and has tested out Caleb’s bed for him. So considerate of her.

We also finished up the closet with Josh mudding over the old nail holes and sanding it down, so I could patch up the paint. I caulked the closet unit to the wall, so everything looks nice and clean. Now we can start filling it with tiny clothes!

I had another doctor’s appointment this week, and everything continues to look good. Caleb had a strong heartbeat at 145 bpm, and she said I’m measuring well. I felt very prepared when she asked me about a hospital tour and a childbirth class since we have those booked for August. Now that I’m in my third trimester, I get to go to the doctor every 2 weeks instead of every 4. Oh boy!

Lows

It hasn’t been the best week for my self esteem. I don’t particularly care about the number on a scale or the baby bump, but I’ve really seen the weight gain in my face this week, and that has been hard.

(I don’t say any of this because I need encouragement or for people to tell me it’s normal and all that. I understand, but it doesn’t mean I’m happy to see my puffy face.)

Other than that, today has been a bad day for my back, but I’ve had quite a few good days, so I’m sure it’ll feel better relatively soon.

28 Weeks

Baby Size

Caleb is the size of an eggplant at 14.8 inches long and about 2.2 pounds.

Highs

We made some good progress on the nursery over the weekend! Josh bought a closet organization system weeks ago, and a dozen or so boxes have just been sitting in there waiting to be assembled.

We spent about 5 hours on Saturday and then maybe 3 on Sunday to get it finished up. It was definitely a more complicated project than my bookshelf since Josh had to cut the shelves, but I got to use our impact driver for the first time! And now we have a nice closet AND space in the rest of the room to start moving his furniture in.

We toured a few additional daycares and are pretty much done touring commercial places in the area. Just still need to decide on budget and commercial versus in-home versus…some other arrangement. You just have to decide so early because one daycare we called had a waiting list until May 2020!

Caleb moves a LOT some days, and I love it. I don’t always love when he pushes specifically on one spot, but that has been rare. I’m getting so excited to finally meet him!

Lows

I overdid it with my run-walking early last week and got pretty sore. The weight of the the belly really pulls on you and all of the surrounding ligaments!

Ya know, some days I just don’t feel good. Not always full days. But the extreme amount of energy I’ve had before is definitely gone. Sometimes I just need to eat (like half a pizza, eat), and sometimes I need a nap, but I still have the ambition to get a lot of things done, so there’s some tension there.

Other than that I’ve noticed some shortness of breath or inability to take a deep breath, especially when I sit since it feels like my belly just takes up all of my lung space.

27 Weeks

Baby Size

Baby Mo aka Caleb is the size of a cabbage at 14.5 inches long and weighs 2 pounds. My own little cabbage patch baby!

Highs

Hellooooo third trimester! I am excited to be in the home stretch even if the third trimester is the equivalent of the last 10k of a marathon.

I got to do Peachtree! My friend Jenn ran-walked with me, and it went by much faster than expected. I thought it was going to be hard to walk so much of the race because it would stand out, but there are so many people, that it didn’t matter! We did a pattern of 5 minutes walking, 2 minutes running for the first half and then 5 minutes walking, 3 minutes running for the second half, and then ran the full last half mile or so. It’s probably the first time I’ve never negative split at Peachtree!

Since there’s walking to the start and walking to the car after the finish, it was quite the day on my body! I took a lot of rest days after the race and have been able to run-walk longer segments since then – sometimes even with no pain! It certainly isn’t easy with my ever-growing belly, but at least my back doesn’t feel like it’s breaking.

We made some great progress on the nursery as well! My parents spent Saturday with us, and we moved my desk upstairs. I feel like I have to do a double-take every time I pass the nursery now because it’s so empty! That will certainly change as the giant pile of boxes in our entryway are full of nursery items.

Moving out my desk really helped with my visual planning as well. With the back wall cleared out, I measured the whole room and windows and doorways and closets and drew out the floor plan to scale. Then I drew the planned furniture pieces to the same scale, colored them and cut them out, so I could move them around the floor plan. I’m getting excited! And I got a lot of enjoyment out of all the planning this weekend.

Last nursery update, isn’t this the cutest clock you’ve ever seen?! It was only $8.50 at Bed, Bath & Beyond!

We went on our first 2 daycare tours at the end of last week and have some additional tours planned this week. Josh has been spearheading the daycare search, and it’s been great to just show up when I’m supposed to and not have to do the research.

We also registered for our childbirth class. I’ve been reading a lot about them, and since I’ve never had a child before and would prefer to not have an epidural, I’d like to prepare myself. I saw one quote from a woman where she said it’s not enough to just want to make it through without drugs. It was like she read my mind! I just assumed since I’m an athlete and am decently mentally strong and understand dealing with pain, that would be enough. Probably better to be prepared, though! Interested to see what we learn there in August.

Lows

Mainly just the general aches and pains of growing. I’m hot a lot, my back hurts a lot, and I find myself out of breath very easily. I had a rough Monday in my new office space since it is so much warmer, but it’s improved with a small fan and with using natural light from the window instead of having the overhead lights (aka generators) on.