29 Weeks 6 Days

How Far Along: 29 Weeks 6 Days (10 weeks 1 day until due date)

Size of baby:  15 inches long and weighs 2.5 pounds (size of a butternut squash).

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, tops and bottoms. I'm close to all maternity tops - baby has grown and don't want to expose the belly in public! I think that I can still get away with wearing a few non-maternity dresses.
Weight gain: + 12 pounds (official measurement last Tuesday, November 22, from the MD appointment)
Movement: YES! Emma is active all throughout the day, although I think it's getting a little cramped in there; Her movements are slower.
Sleep: Sleeping okay. Waking up a few times with dry cough, although I am finally getting over this cold.
Symptoms: Developed a cold. Other than that, doing great!
 What I miss: Not too much - the growing belly is a bit daunting.
Cravings: Homemade chocolate chip cookies - delicious! (Greg said the batter was the worst thing he's ever tasted - note the sarcasm)
Best moment this week: Good visit with the OB. Blood pressure & urine are perfect. Fundal height is right on track and weight gain is going well (slowed down dramatically from last visit). We had a great time at the baby shower - I'll be blogging and posting pictures about it sometime early next week.
What I am looking forward to: Atlanta Baby Shower this weekend.
BellyButton: still an "innie" but stretching out. Greg's excited that it's almost an "outie" 

28 Weeks 4 Days

How Far Along: 28 Weeks 4 Days (11 weeks 3 days until due date)

Size of baby:  14.8 inches long and weighs 2.25 pounds (size of a Chinese cabbage).

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, tops and bottoms. I'm close to all maternity tops - baby has grown and don't want to expose the belly in public!
Weight gain: + 13 pounds
Movement: YES! Emma is active all throughout the day. Greg feels her bouncing around almost on a nightly basis and thinks he felt her foot during one of her rambunctious moments. I love to watch my belly move and shake with the forces of Emma.
Sleep: Sleeping great; hopefully my snoring isn't disturbing Greg's sleep too much. Greg says I roll to my back a lot.
Symptoms: Not too bad. Some acid reflux, tired, back hurts if I'm sitting for too long.
 What I miss: Nothing. I can't complain, really, with the pregnancy so far. It's been enjoyable and I'm getting excited about meeting Emma.
Cravings: Sweets - trying not to eat too much.
Best moment this week: Feeling Emma move, every hour or so. UGA vs KY was ugly on Saturday but it's great to be SEC East Champions; hope we get tickets to the SEC championship so that Greg can go.
What I am looking forward to: off to Savannah for the holiday weekend: excited about Savannah baby shower! Doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Short work week.

Baby Classes

Oh yes, the exhilirating busyness of finalizing preparations for Emma has begun. Our classes started this week. Greg and I signed up for as many classes as we could and two of these classes were this past Monday & Tuesday: Baby Nutrition (breastfeeding) and Baby Basics. With something going on every weekend until the end of December, time is going to fly by! (Although, the pregnancy has been going by very quickly - I can't believe that we are in the 3rd Trimester and 7 months along.)

The husbands were encouraged to attend the breastfeeding class; Greg is still unsure why he had to go but he'll probably go with me for the second class too, unless he has to travel for business. The first hour was very boring and pointless - the video was advocating breastfeeding. Why sign up for the class if you aren't going to breastfeed? I did learn that I will be nursing within one hour of the birth so let's hope that I will remember the basics when I'm drugged up and exhausted. (Yes please for the epidural/spinal) I am going to make nursing work but let's hope that Emma let's Mommy have an easy time with it. We go back the week after thanksgiving for the 2nd portion of the class.

Baby basics was interesting; we learned to change diapers, swaddle and bathe the baby. We also had a small tour around St. Mary's. Although we didn't have too much of a decision to make, I am glad that we chose St. Mary's because of the one-on-one attention by the staff. The rooms are nice & roomy. It's also a Catholic hospital and they have daily prayers read over the intercom twice a day. Emma will be born in the same town where Greg and I went to college and met; also, the same town where we spend many, many Saturdays.

Greg & I are exhausted after the fun weekend of tailgating and football, combined with these two classes after work on Monday and Tuesday. We are looking forward to sleeping in this weekend, attending the last home game of 2011 and Molly's 1st Birthday Party.

27 Weeks 6 Days

How Far Along: 27 Weeks 6 Days (12 weeks 1 days until due date)

Size of baby:  14.5 inches long and weighs almost 2 pounds (size of a head of a cauliflower).

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes, tops and bottoms. I'm close to all maternity tops too - baby has grown and too much belly!
Weight gain: + 12 pounds
Movement: Depends on the day. Some days, Emma is very active, especially when I am sitting at the desk all day. During the weekends, I don't feel her as often probably because I'm on my feet or on the go. I have felt her hiccup a few times, which feels like a consistent light kick. My belly moves around with her movement and Greg has felt her move, most nights, when we are in bed.
Sleep: I'm SO tired when I get home from work but try to keep myself busy so I won't take a nap on the couch. Once asleep, I'm sleeping fairly well.
Symptoms: I'm tired all the time. I've been uncomfortable several times throughout this week with a tightness across the belly. Acid reflux has been bad - makes me nauseous at bedtime. I think the ease of the 2nd trimester has come to an end and it looks like the 3rd T might be the worst part, most likely due to growth. I also had a leg cramp Saturday night - maybe from too much standing at the game?
 What I miss: I think that Greg misses less hormones. I'm not going to lie, I miss cookie dough. It was extremely hard this week NOT to eat cookie dough when making oatmeal cookies.
Cravings: I miss chocolate milk and hot chocolate - thanks Greg for buying some hot chocolate yesterday!Best moment this week: Ending the 2nd trimester. Beating Auburn and tailgating. Baby Nutrition and Baby Basic classes - I'll blog about the classes later.
What I am looking forward to: Last home football game (vs. Kentucky) - to clinch the SEC East.

26 Weeks 3 Days

How Far Along: 26 Weeks 3 Days (13 weeks 4 days until due date)

Size of baby:  14 inches long and 1 2/3 pounds (size of an English hothouse cucumber).

Gender: Girl - Emma

Maternity Clothes: Yes. Trying to dig in the closet for more clothing options. Comfy is the way to go. I can still get away with wearing maternity tank top under regular long sleeve cotton t-shirt.
Weight gain: + 11 pounds (official measurement from the Doctor)

Movement: Emma is active throughout the day. The glucose test on Tuesday wiped me out but kept her active ALL day. her movements are getting strong enough to make the belly move.
Sleep: It usually doesn't take too long to fall asleep but waking up several times throughout the night.
Symptoms: I'm tired all the time. I'm exercising but walking seems like I'm running a full sprint. Also, clumsiness and being uncomfortable.
What I miss: Bending over, getting up smoothly from a chair, being more active.
Cravings: Eating apple pie this week - yum! I've cut out the chocolate milk for the week because I feel like I'm buying the bottle of Hershey syrup way too often.
Best moment this week: Dawgs beating the Gators. Positive visit at the doctor's: Blood pressure: 120/71, weight gain: 11 pounds, Fundal height is measuring one week ahead. Passed glucose test; no gestational diabetes! Next appointment is three weeks away: November 22. After that, I visit every two weeks.
What I am looking forward to: The next two months are going to fly by with baby classes, baby showers, holidays, maternity photos, football.