Third Trimester Wrap-Up

Today is my little guy’s due date…9 months of preparing all for this long awaited day.  It feels a little surreal that at any moment Baby Hoov could make his arrival into the world!  As I am sitting here writing this I am having contractions lasting about 30-45 seconds every 7-10 minutes apart.  They feel mostly like period cramps and it’s hard to tell if I am really starting labor or if it is false labor.  I lost my mucus plug over the last 2 days as well so that’s a good sign too!  At first I was like, “What the heck is this stuff?”  It looked like jelly and kept coming when I wiped.  Looked up mucus plug and sure enough…that’s what it was!  Then, last night when I went to the bathroom I felt something “fall out.”  Haha, looked in the porcelain bowl and there was the rest of it!  It made me happy because that meant I was progressing.  (I should mention that at my last doctor’s appointment 4 days ago I was only dilated ½ centimeter and my cervix wasn’t effaced much, so I thought that I had awhile and was going to have to be induced.)  So, with probably having already said too much I am excited about today!  Wouldn’t that be something if he actually came on his due date?!  So fun.  Ok, so here are the highlights and lowlights of the third trimester!

Highlights:

1.       Preparing Baby Hoov’s room: It was a lot of fun planning and preparing his room with Greg.  I love all the little owls and special touches that went into making his room special.  I painted the tree, Greg put up the wood wall, my mom pained the frames and wall art, my grandma Lee made the curtains, and Greg’s mom got us the bedding!  So much love went into this room! 

2.      Baby Showers! I was able to have three showers with lots of friends and family.  I felt so blessed to be able to receive such wonderful gifts for our little boy to prepare us for his arrival.  Organizing it in our house and his room was fun too!

3.      Watching Baby Hoov grow in my tummy: I love that this trimester my belly has grown immensely.  Although it does make sleeping and moving more uncomfortable I love being able to feel my stomach for “body parts” and knowing where he is in my tummy.  It makes being pregnant more “real.”

4.      Maternity Leave!  I decided to go on maternity leave at 36 ½ weeks because working all day was getting very tiring with kids, and with the holidays the weeks were busy busy busy!!  So, over the past month I have been able to rest and get so much done at the same time it’s fantastic!  I also have been able to focus more on Baby Hoov which is wonderful as well.  Thank goodness for maternity leave!

5.      TODAY!  Today is one of my highlights as well because it is his due date!  For 9 months I have been looking forward to today. J  Whatever happens I am so glad that I have made it to today!

Lowlights:

1.       Continued Restless Leg: So I didn’t think it was possible to get this any worse but I was wrong!  Anytime I wanted to lay down to rest my leg wouldn’t let me.  I had to either stand, walk, bounce on my exercise ball, or stretch.  SO ANNOYING!

2.      Breathing, or lack there of!  As the Baby Hoov grew he began to be pushed into my ribs.  This not only was uncomfortable but made it hard for me to breath at times. I would be talking to someone and just start running out of breath.  Can you say awkward?!

3.      Insomnia: Well, I guess it is a good thing that God starts to prepare you early for having a baby because at around 32 weeks I stopped sleeping through the night.  I would wake up to go to the bathroom in the beginning but as time went on I would just wake up!  Every 2 hours like clockwork my little peepers would open.  Sometimes I would just lay there and stare at the ceiling and other times I would watch a movie or eat a snack.  Either way waking up several times during the night is not fun.

4.      Getting dressed/finding something to wear.  So as my stomach grew bigger it became not as fun anymore to wear clothes.  When you start to outgrow your maternity clothes you know you are getting huge!  Putting on shoes, finding clothes that are comfortable to wear- all struggles of having a huge baby hanging off your front side.

5.      Contractions..although they just started about 2 days ago they are pretty consistent now and I must say that having cramps every 5 minutes is not the most fun thing in the world.  Although I am putting this as a lowlight it will soon be a highlight because I get a prize at the end…my baby boy!

Well, we have our bags all packed and in the car waiting to be taken to the hospital.  We had them packed a week ago just in case Baby Hoov decided to make an early appearance.  I hope I have everything I need and if not, then we will find out soon enough!  (Oh man it is hard to focus and write when I am having contractions!...so if this blog is random that is why…)

            Can’t wait to share my labor story with you all and hold my little boy in my arms. J  Good times are coming…yahoo!!  Here is a picture of me on New Years Eve-his due date!

Full Term - 37 Weeks!

Well, it has been 2 months since I have posted anything and this blog is WAY over due, but with working, showers, and trying to get everything ready for Baby Hoov to arrive it has been busy!  I guess this is a little taste of what it will be like to be a working mommy! :-/  Lord help me!

So, I am offically full term!!  Baby Hoov could come anytime from here on out and be fine-Lord willing!  When I look back over the last 9 months they seem to have gone by so slow and taken FOREVER!  I remember wishing so many times that I was to this point in my pregnancy.  But, now that it is here I am starting to get sad that it is all going to be over in just a few short weeks.  That could just be the hormones talking but I have come to realize that I dont want to wish away having Baby Hoov in my tummy because he will never be in there again!  Once he is out, he is out for good!  I want to spend these last few weeks enjoying the movement I feel and dreaming about what he is going to look like :-)

Over the last couple of months I have had the privilege of having 3 showers to help get me started on items for Baby Hoov.  I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such great family and friends who support Greg and I and want to help our transition into parenthood that much easier.  Thank you for all of your prayers and support, it means more than you know!  With getting little clothes and items for our boy it stirred up so many emotions.  I was excited, overwhelmed, anxious, in awe, and sometimes sad.  Again, I blame it all on those stinkin hormones!  When you're pregnant you really are a rollercoaster ride...lol.  I was excited because I can't wait to meet my son (that still seems so weird to say!)  I was overwhelmed because I kept thinking what if I do not know what to do?  I was anxious because I felt like time was running out and I still had so much to do to get ready.  I was in awe because I still cannot believe that God has given us such a precious little gift and what an amazing process growing a baby is!  And I was sometimes sad because of the fear of the unknown.  It will never be just Greg and I again, and I know this is ok and it will be good, but just not knowing how different life will be makes me nervous and sad to miss our alone time together :-)  But through all the emotions God has placed a wonderful husband in my life who reassures me that things are going to be wonderful, and family and friends to give me encouragement and advice.  I can say that as each day passes I am feeling more and more at ease about the arrival of Baby Hoov and calm about being a mother.

Some other things that have helped me prepare for this little guy is taking a birth class at the hospital.  Now, in the beginning I didnt know if this was more helpful or hurtful because after the first one I was freaking out!  Watching those videos are terrifying and nobody should have to see so many nasty vaginas in one sitting!  lol.  I got nauseous after the first video and almost had to walk out of the room, lol...but I told myself to hold it together and I did!  And although at times I felt the instructor gave us way too much information and was a little strange, looking back on the class it was very educational and at least now I will know a little more about what is happening to my body.  And Greg knows what to expect from me as well.  It was a great experience for the both of us, but I must say I am glad it is over!  And now I have a little certificate of completion to add to Baby Hoov's scrapbook..lol.

The last thing that has been awesome this past week is I am finally off on maternity leave!  I cannot tell you how wonderful this has been!  Since I wake up every 2 hours to go to the bathroom, move my legs, or stare at the ceiling, I never really feel fully rested.  However, now if I need to, I get the option of sleeping in a little more!  I can totally tell a difference in the way my body is responding to this rest.  My legs dont look like I have elephantitis as  much at the end of the day, and my vagina doesnt feel like somebody punched me there all day long.  It's glorious!  I have also had a chance to get caught up on things around the house, finish Baby Hoov's room, and wash all his clothes/organize them.  I thinking this is what they call nesting :-)  Thank goodness for maternity leave!

Well, I only have 17 days to go as of this point, and Im telling you I plan on enjoying every minute of it no matter how miserable my back may feel or huge I get!  (I say this now cause I am feeling in a good mood...dont ask me when I am not!)  I am looking forward to the coming holidays to spend it with family and as I celebrate the birth of Jesus, I am looking forward to celebrating the birth of Baby Hoov!! 

Here is a picture of me and Baby Hoov at 37 weeks :-)



Im starting to get the pregnancy dark spots on my cheeks and nose. 
They look like little freckles and you can kind of see them in this picture. 
I kinda like them because its a sign of motherhood!