Oh Hi, 3rd Tri

"To be pregnant is to be vitally alive, thoroughly woman, and distressingly inhabited. Soul and spirit are stretched -- along with body -- making pregnancy a time of transition, growth, and profound beginnings."

(Anne Christian Buchanan)

My previous post covered this current pregnancy from the beginning through 24 weeks ("More Than Half-Baked and It's A Boy!"); and the timing of that update also coincided with Lila's 2nd birthday. This time, Ava just turned 4 and I'm somehow feeling the urge to post another update to cover weeks 25 through 32.

I love pregnancy, but pregnancy hasn't loved me much this time around. Now that I only have about 7 weeks left, I'm just trying to soak in the moments and memories. I'm looking forward to being pregnant through the end of fall into winter, and over the holidays -- Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Year's Eve (which I'm sure will be spent on my sofa) -- because it's such a rich time for family, traditions, and of course food. Oddly, I haven't truly had any cravings. I've always gravitated towards carbs and sweets, so that's nothing new, but in my earlier pregnancies there were definite hankerings for certain foods throughout.

Bucket list of things to do this fall

When I was pregnant with Ava and Lila, I shared the names we chose for them at the end of 2nd trimester. I'm already 6 weeks behind schedule, although it's baby number 3, what can I say? But we have a name: Noel Yehan Son.

Noel is of French origin, derived from Noël, meaning "Christmas," which may come from the Old French nael or Latin natalis, meaning "birth." It was traditionally given to male babies born during the Christmas season. My due date is January 7, 2019, which is just after Christmas; the 1st day of Christmas being on December 25, the 12th day on January 5 -- when Sam was born, so there's a chance they will have the same birthday -- and the Epiphany, also called Three Kings Day, on January 6. Yehan is his middle and Korean name.

I was not at all conflicted about girls' names, but this one, including the Korean middle name, has been the hardest to decide. There aren't as many boy names that are short and simple -- the way Ava and Lila are as girl names -- that hold meaning to me, and that aren't too common or already used by friends. Interestingly, Noel is unintentionally almost a mix of the names Joel and Nolan. If Lila had been a boy, we would have named her Joel, and Sam also liked the name Nolan for our son. And fun fact: If I didn't go the short and simple route, I would have liked long names such as Josephine, Susanna, and Zachary.

25 Weeks

• Baby is the size of a cauliflower.
• Sense of equilibrium is kicking in, and he knows which way is up and which is down; also growing more fat and more hair.
• Symptoms: Dizzy with spotty vision; pinched nerve issues; bad leg cramp (though after regularly eating bananas daily, and trying to drink more water, I haven't had another one); painful abdominal cramping and spasms.
• We celebrated Lila's birthday with family at the end of this week.

26 Weeks, 2/3 of the way there

• Baby is the size of a bunch of kale.
• His eyes will soon start to open, and his eyelashes are now grown too; he's getting his immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up my antibodies; and he's taking breaths of amniotic fluid.
• Symptoms: Started feeling movement closer to the surface of skin; feels harder at the surface when baby moves.

27 Weeks, 3rd Trimester

• Appointment at 27w2d: Drank glucola beverage for 1-hour glucose test. Prenatal appointment followed, which included having urine sample, weight, and blood pressure taken, then met with NP. Blood was drawn back at the lab afterwards. Then I went to the perinatal MD for an ultrasound. She took measurements, said baby looks great and is measuring in the middle of the growth curve; still breech.
• Baby is the size of a head of lettuce.
• Lungs are going through major developments, which (combined with the opening of previously plugged nostrils) means he's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling.
• Symptoms: Sciatic nerve pains.
• Started drinking raspberry leaf pregnancy tea.
• Only prenatal massage during this pregnancy (so far) at 27w6d.

27w0d baby bump

Bottoms up!

Ultrasound at 27w2d

28 Weeks

• Baby is the size of an eggplant.
• Is breathing and showing brain activity, lungs are maturing, and skin is still pretty wrinkly (from living in amniotic fluid) but will smoothen as fat continues to deposit.
• 3D ultrasound at 28w3d.
• Received a voice message (which was left the day after my 1-hour test, but I had missed it) saying that I failed the 1-hour glucose tolerance test and had to take the 3-hour test.
• Symptoms: Nerve issues; terrible abdominal cramping and spasm (lasted all night from 28w4d to 28w5d). 

Looking much larger than corn or eggplant at 28w0d

Pregnancy pillow situation

3D ultrasound at 28w3d

29 Weeks

• 3-hour glucose test at 29w2d: This was pretty dreadful, not just because of the fasting and all the blood draws, but because I had Lila with me the whole time.
• Baby is the size of an acorn squash.
• His energy is surging, thanks to white fat depositing beneath the skin, and he's growing fast (weight will triple before birth).
• Symptoms: Congestion, insomnia starting up again; heartburn/reflux; vivid dreams.

4 blood draws in 3 hours

The "after" on 1 side

Picking and smuggling pumpkins at 29w6d

30 Weeks, 3/4 of the way there

• I found out that I passed the 3-hour glucose test! Just in time for Halloween.
• Appointment at 30w2d: Urine sample, weight, and blood pressure taken. Tdap vaccine given. OB checked baby's heart rate, measured my abdomen (said baby is measuring perfectly; still breech).
• Baby is the size of a zucchini.
• He is moving a lot and plumping up; skin is smoothing out; increased surface area of grooves and indentations in his brain making more room for essential brain tissue; his grip is strong enough to grasp a finger.
• Symptoms: Very congested; on the verge of abdominal cramping and spasms; heartburn/reflux.
• I celebrated Halloween with the girls, who dressed up as a bumblebee and ladybug and went trick-or-treating for the 1st time.
• Ava and Lila got their flu shots this week, and Lila had her very belated 2-year well visit.

My appointment buddy

Ava and Lila on Halloween!

Sweater weather and red cup season at 30w6d

31 Weeks

• Baby is the size of a bunch of asparagus.
• Going through major brain and nerve development; eye development, as irises now react to light; and all 5 senses are in working order.
• Symptoms: Continued congestion, abdominal muscle discomfort.
• Video clips of movement at 31w0d and 31w5d.

32 Weeks  

• Baby is the size of a squash.
• He's getting ready to emerge, and has even less space as he tries to fit in my increasingly cramped womb and prepare for his eventual descent.
• Symptoms: Congestion and insomnia; vivid dreams; abdominal pain; heartburn/reflux.
• Our firstborn Ava turned 4 years old!

Ava's 4th birthday on November 12, 2018 (when I was 32w0d pregnant)

This week, we took some family photos, celebrated Ava's birthday, and should start to put together the baby's room, which is currently a storage space and Lila's nap room. I haven't had many nesting instincts yet, but must gather items to have at home so we don't run out of postpartum necessities or basic toiletries and household supplies after I deliver. I should also pack my hospital bag, because I have no idea when or if I'll go into labor. I was induced for both Ava and Lila, but it's too early to tell if I'll need to be induced again. On one hand, induction is tough, but on the other hand, at least I'll know when I have to go to the hospital and won't be caught off-guard. We'll find out in a matter of weeks! Next week is when my OB appointments really ramp-up.