31 Weeks

!

At 31 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a bunch of asparagus. Baby's about 16.2 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds. Baby's getting so big, he is definitely crowding my lungs. He is going through major brain and nerve development. His eyes are developing too—the irises can now react to light! (A little light does shine into my belly at times!) In fact, all five of baby’s senses are in working order. How far along? 31 weeks

Weight gain/loss: 31 lbs :-/

Sleep? I'm dreaming of sleeping on my stomach again.

Best moment this week?We had a beach cleanup day this week at work. It was nice to be out of the office and outdoors doing something good for the community and getting a chance to get to know some new people in the legal department.

Movement:Tons. I think he moves more than my other two. It is crazy sometimes to just see my stomach moving around from the outside.

Food cravings:Still on the roasted veggies. And kombucha.

What I miss? Energy. I am getting really tired very easily these days and it bothers me to feel like I can't push my body anytime when I want to. I really want to get things done at home but find myself unable to do it all.

What I am looking forward to? Joaquin has his first real swim meet tomorrow and he was chosen to swim all 5 races by the coaches. He is definitely Jay's son. It will be fun to see him and I am so proud of him.

Milestones: I'm calling only 2 months left. Technically 2 months and 2 days, but I've never made it to term before so I think it's a safe call.

What I'm nervous about:Well, we had to let go of our nanny on Tuesday. It's a long story. It is very stressful and we need to find a new nanny for at least the summer. We have the next two weeks taken care of thanks to my step mom and mom (thank goodness!) but childcare issues are very difficult. We have one interview scheduled for this weekend that looks promising. Fingers crossed.

30 Weeks

AAt 30 weeks pregnant, baby is the size of a zucchini. On average, babies at 30 weeks are 15.7-inches, 2.9-pounds, and grow about half a pound and half an inch each week. However, our ultrasound last week (I promise, I will get to posting pictures soon) showed baby as two weeks ahead of schedule - at 3 1/2 pounds. His skin is now getting smoother, but his brain is getting wrinklier—that’s to make way for all that essential brain tissue. He is now strong enough to grasp a finger!

How far along? 30 weeks (and 1 day)

Weight gain/loss: 30 lbs :-/

Sleep? No real change - lots of getting up to pee but otherwise I am still able to sleep relatively well, all things considered.

Best moment this week?Right about now. I am very happy that it's a holiday weekend and we don't have a lot of plans. I like those days when I am not feeling rushed and have plenty of time to tidy up the house, get laundry done and even have time to get a few baby or house related projects crossed off the list.

Movement:The kids finally felt him and they loved it. It was so cute how excited they were.

Food cravings:Well prepared veggies. I love when I can find something unusual that is also healthy.

What I miss? Yoga. It's been 10 weeks since I stopped yoga and this week I even had to stop doing the treadmill (I started having contractions while I was walking). I miss the exercise and the mental benefits of yoga A LOT. One of the reasons I was most hesitant about having a third child was going through such a long period without real exercise. I feel like I was finally in a place in my life where exercise was something I did for enjoyment rather than obligation and I hope I can get back there in a few months. But it is something that is really based on momentum and I know it will be hard to get back into it at first.

What I am looking forward to? Enjoying this long weekend. Oh, and some of my clients at work are throwing me a baby shower on Tuesday, which is so amazing. I feel really flattered that they would go out of their way for me, especially for baby #3.

Milestones: 10 weeks left. Everyone keeps telling me it will "fly by." I'm not so sure about that, but I will still count it as a milestone.

What I'm nervous about:Braxton Hicks contractions. Ugh. The bane of my pregnancies. I hadn't had any until this week and then all of the sudden I got several on the treadmill and have noticed them sporadically otherwise. Never enough to get too worried or call my OB, but enough that I know I will probably be on Procardia again and may even be ordered to take some bed rest. Unlike my past pregnancies, I really do not want to be on bed rest this time. I like going to work and seeing my friends there and doing my work from home just sounds too stressful compared to being in the office. So I am hoping it doesn't come to that.

29 (and 28 and 27) Weeks!

Yup, I'm a slacker (plus I went on vacation) so I am 3 weeks behind!

At 29 weeks, baby is the size of an acorn squash and measures about 15.2 inches long. He weighs about 2.5 pounds, but still has a way to go—he will triple in weight before birth.

At 28 weeks, baby was the size of an eggplant. After putting on layers of fat, he measured about 14.8 inches from head to toe and weighed in around 2.2 pounds. Baby's starting to develop more fat, so his once-wrinkly skin is starting to get smoother. In pretty amazing news, baby's practicing breathing. His lungs are mature enough that if he were to be born now, he would probably survive.

At 27 weeks pregnant, baby was as big as a head of lettuce. The average 27-week fetus measures 14.4 inches and weighs 1.9 pounds. But baby's not just getting bigger—he is also getting smarter. Baby was practicing inhaling and exhaling with his rapidly developing lungs. And it's official: Baby's showing brain activity! From here on out, baby’s brain will keep getting more complex, turning that 27-week fetus into a real smarty pants. How far along? 29 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I will find out this afternoon.

Sleep? We've had some short nights since getting back from Hawaii just due to schedules. Otherwise, sleep is about as good as can be expected (with 5-7 potty breaks a night).

Best moment this week?Well, all of Hawaii pretty much counts. We went on a helicopter ride and saw the whole island (gorgeous and informative), had some delicious seafood, enjoyed tons of time at the pool watching the kids go down the waterslide, played at the beach and generally just had a lot of fun as a family.

Movement:He's moving a ton these days. I think the kids will be able to feel it soon if I can get them to just sit still for 5 minutes (ha!)

Food cravings:Kale salad with lemon. Yum. And roasted veggies with parmesan and red chili flakes. And sparking water. I'm so thirsty lately.

What I miss? Hawaii for sure. Can I go back??

What I am looking forward to? I just found out a bunch of people from work are throwing me a baby shower, which is so nice. It's not even people in my department - it's people I support with legal help who put it together. I am excited and feel really lucky and appreciated. It's about 2 weeks away.

Milestones: I'm well into third trimester at this point with 11 weeks to go.

What I'm nervous about:I've still got a lot of baby gear to gather. I'm sure I'll pull it all together in time but I guess my nerves are more related to the astronomical cost of everything. I probably should not have given so much stuff away a couple of years back. Oh well. I am going to stop by a kid consignment store tomorrow after an ultrasound appointment (yay!) and see if I can pick up a few things on the cheap. Wish me luck!

26 Weeks

At 26 weeks, baby is the size of a bunch of kale (boy, even the baby fruits and vegetables are keeping up with trends these days!). He measures about 14 inches and weighs about 1.7 pounds. He or she is developing senses, features, and even talents! Baby's taking breaths—of amniotic fluid, not air. Baby's getting his immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up my antibodies. And baby's eyes are forming, and his eyes will soon start to open. Can you believe he has already grown eyelashes? Soon, he will start batting them.

How far along? 26 weeks (and 2 days)

Weight gain/loss: Haven't checked since last week. I'll go with 5 lbs ;-)

Sleep? I've slept really well since getting back from my trip. I LOVE my own bed.

Best moment this week?Coming home. Four days is a long time to be away from my family, especially when it's spent in a not so fun place. It was so nice to be back home and give everyone big hugs and kisses.

Movement:Still no luck getting the kids to feel him kicking. Patience is difficult for them (wonder where they get that?)

Food cravings:Yesterday I went to Taco Maria for lunch with my mom and it was amazing. So I am pretty much craving that food, because I could eat it all day.

What I miss? Normal clothes. My mom and I visited the boutiques in SoCo yesterday and there were such cute tanks and tees and dresses. But alas.

What I am looking forward to? Hawaii a week from Tuesday. I am not sure how it's going to work with work, but I definitely need a break and am very much looking forward to that trip.

Milestones: I am going to give myself the 6 month mark. I am a bit short but given that my kids tend to arrive early, I've probably got almost exactly 3 months left.

What I'm nervous about:Work lately It keeps getting more intense and I feel like I am constantly playing catch up with all of the meetings and days out of the office. Hopefully it gets back to normal soon but I am tired.

25 (and 24 Weeks)

It's becoming a trend folks. Last week we were on vacation and I am even late on the catch up post. Oh well!

At 24 weeks, baby is the size of a cantaloupe. He is 11.8 inches and now weighs about 1.3 pounds. His see-through skin is gradually becoming more opaque, and it’s taking on a fresh, pink glow, thanks to the small capillaries that have recently formed.

Baby at 25 weeks is as big as a head of cauliflower, measuring 13.6 inches in length and weighing nearly 1.5 pounds. Baby's enjoying his new sense of equilibrium; he is now learning which way is up and which is down. In the arena of 25 weeks fetal development, baby’s growing more fat and more hair too.

How far along? 25 weeks (and 3 days)

Weight gain/loss: 25 lbs. Ugh. Same as Joaquin at this point but 10 more than Emi. Must be a boy thing.

Sleep? Eh. It's a bad day to ask. My alarm went off at 4:45 am to catch a flight to NJ.

Best moment this week?We went to Ojai last weekend. And it was amazing. AMAZING. I love that place so much. The kids had a fantastic time playing at the pool, making new friends and collecting eggs at the easter egg hunt. Jay and I enjoyed playing with them and the delicious food, gorgeous views and unbelievable landscaping at the property. I still can't believe how great the trip was. I was nervous about sharing a room with the kids but it worked out great and it made me even more excited for our upcoming trip to Hawaii.

Movement:Lots. I really want the kids to get a chance to feel the baby kicking but they are less than patient so we haven't had lucky timing yet.

Food cravings:Well, I am stuck at the Embassy Suites in Piscataway, NJ at the moment so I would kill for anything approaching a decent salad or some sort of interesting roasted veggie. I do not recommend you visit.

What I miss? My family. I've only been away for less than a day and I wish I was home hanging with Joaquin, Emi and Jay. It is pretty lonely in an empty hotel room. And I can't even enjoy a glass of wine in a nice bathtub!

What I am looking forward to? Coming home! That will happen Thursday, which seems like a really long time. Sigh. I am so glad work travel is an abnormal thing for me.

Milestones: We passed V-Day. Check out my previous posts on this for the other two kiddos. But in short, as of week 24 baby is developed enough to have a chance of survival if I want into preterm labor. Of course, I hope that doesn't happen but it's nice to get past this milestone and have every day that passes be another day to develop and get ready for life on the outside.

What I'm nervous about: Right now, it's simple: access to healthy food. Jeez, I sound like my dad. I realize that I may be a bit of a prima dona, but budget travel like this just doesn't work for me. I cannot eat the kind of food they serve in these hotels. I think we have a nice dinner out tomorrow night, so hopefully I will find something wholesome.

23 (and 22) Weeks!

Another combo post this week. I've been super busy at work with our transition to J&J and generally just tired and busy in life, so apologies for the late update.

At 22 weeks, baby was as big as a coconut and is about 10.9 inches long (from the crown of the head to the heel of the foot) and 15.2 ounces. Now that baby's eyes and lips are more developed, he is looking even more like a newborn. Baby's sleeping in cycles—about 12 to 14 hours per day.

At 23 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a grapefruit (are grapefruits bigger than coconuts??) and measures 11.4 inches from head to foot and weighs 1.1 pounds. Baby is forming little nipples (yeah, really!) at this stage. And his face is fully formed—he just needs a little extra fat to fill it out. Baby's entertaining himself by listening to my voice and heartbeat, and can even hear some loud sounds like cars honking and dogs barking.

How far along? 23 weeks

Weight gain/loss: No idea. 2 weeks ago it was 17. I actually don't feel like I've gained much weight recently so maybe just 18 (or maybe that's wishful thinking).

Sleep? Okay. This has gone downhill in the last few days. Nothing too disruptive but I am waking up uncomfortable more often. Luckily I am really great at falling back asleep quickly.

Best moment this week?We went to Joaquin's elementary school silent auction gala last weekend. It was a prom like event for parents with a Great Gatsby theme. We rented costumes and looked the part and had a fun time. It was much more fun this year than last year, partly because it was just a better event and partly because we are starting to get to know other parents. I am really happy with our school and so grateful to live where we live with other supportive (and generous) parents. I am looking forward to many more of those (and OMGosh, I am realizing there will be a LOT. Like 14 years in a row of being parents at this school - WHAT?!?!). Good thing we like it!

Movement:Tons and I even saw my stomach move one time. He's not kicking hard yet and I'm definitely not at the point of seeing my stomach move like in the movie Alien but I definitely know there's a baby in there. Jay gets to feel every now and then but it's hit or miss. It will be fun when he's kicking enough for the kids to feel him.

Food cravings:Cuties. I'm eating at least two a day. They are tasting really good right now and bonus points for being healthy! This is much preferable to the period of time when I was craving almond twists from Pain du Monde (which are delicious but not exactly nutritious).

What I miss? My clothes and shopping for normal clothes. This is the time of year when everything in the stores is my style. I love the vacation/summer style and it is hard to have to wear the same old (mostly second hand) maternity clothes. On the bright side, I guess it makes it easier to save some money. I did, however, just get two new bikinis for our vacations and am considering some other accessories (shoes, jewelry) that work whether pregnant or not.

What I am looking forward to? Joaquin's closet. The guys came and removed all of the old stuff in the closet today so this weekend Jay has to patch, sand and paint to get it ready for Monday. Then we have the installation of his custom closet. It is exciting because I've been waiting for this to get all of the old baby clothes out and start actually prepping for the little guy to arrive. I am fairly sure Jay is not going to know what hit him after this week, because I am going to go all Melissa on him getting the baby stuff in order (yes, I just said that, and yes, you probably have a good idea what that means ;-)

Milestones: At this point, every week I can check off feels like a milestone. I LOVE my kids but oh man do I NOT love being pregnant. 17 weeks to go!

What I'm nervous about: I have a lot going on in the next month or so. It's Spring Break next week and I am taking Monday off to hang with the kids and because of the closet install. I'll be at work on Tuesday and Wednesday and then we are off to Ojai on Thursday. And it's super busy at work, so it may be difficult to manage everything - people are not used to me being out of the office that much (HA! They'd better get used to it!). Then I have a normal week followed by a trip to NJ for work for 4 days and then two weeks later we are off to Hawaii. So it's going to be a lot of hectic work stuff mixed with these vacations, which is great but can be stressful. I am sure everything will be fine in the end, but it would sure be nice if coffee was allowed!

21 Weeks (and 20 Weeks) - MORE THAN HALF WAY THERE!!!

Okay - So it's been busy and I totally flaked on my 20 week post. This is a combo.

At 20 weeks, baby was as big as a banana and weighed about 10.2 ounces and measures about 6.5 inches from crown to rump. Baby now has working taste buds. He is gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day—that's significantly more than before.

At 21 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a head of endive and is about 10.5 inches from head to toe (yes, we now measure differently) and about 12.7 ounces. As baby's digestive system preps for the outside world, he or she's manufacturing meconium—the tarry black substance you'll find in the first dirty diaper (gross). How far along? 21 weeks

Weight gain/loss: 17

Sleep? Okay. My shoulders are sore from sleeping on my sides but otherwise no complaints here.

Best moment this week?Watching Joaquin's first baseball game was really fun. The kids are adorable and Joaquin seemed like he was having lots of fun.

Movement:YES. And even Jay has felt some kicks. It's pretty neat.

Food cravings:All kinds of fruit

What I miss? My yoga practice. I am still trying but it is a bit frustrating to be so limited and easily worn out. I love the way I feel after a really difficult class and it is hard to take it easy. This is very different from my previous pregnancies, as I did not really exercise at all during either (I know!). I really only discovered my enjoyment of exercise in the last 7 years or so and this has been the single hardest thing for me to give up over the last few months. I am truly dreading the "dark period" in late third trimester and after the baby is born when I am not allowed exercise at all. Until then, I will keep trying (but not too hard).

What I am looking forward to? Can I just keep saying vacation?! I am SOOO excited.

Milestones: I'm over half way done. This pregnancy business is long and boring so it's nice to be on the downhill.

What I'm nervous about: I really need to start actually preparing for the baby's arrival at home. We got rid of everything thinking we were done (and not wanting to store a bunch of stuff). So we need a crib, changing table, Rock n Play and all that other baby stuff again. Joaquin's closet is being done in two weeks so once that's done I will really need to get to work. I am hoping we have some generous friends who want to get rid of unnecessary baby stuff because the idea of spending all of that money again is just too much. Haha.