34-Week Baby Belly Eve

Wow, tomorrow I'm 34 weeks along! So here's a picture to see how much I've grown. Notice the ever-present item I'm missing--my rings. It feels strange not to wear them, and I miss my beautiful engagement ruby that Damon spent 3 months selecting. But I can enjoy them again in a couple months. ;-)

My hands and feet have gotten a bit swollen, and I now enjoy a laundry list of common pregnancy symptoms that thankfully are not all constant: cold-natured me is now burning up while Damon freezes with AC running, aches, congestion, reflux, nausea, need to eat frequently, easily exhausted and out of breath, baby kicking ribs and stomach, etc. However, this is all worth while as I feel Elanor moving around. I think I might miss her acrobatics.

The baby responds to Damon!
Sometimes when she is especially actively kicking and elbowing me, he will come talk to her and rub the appendages sticking out. She consistently calms down. Beautiful!

Recent cravings: Milk, Silk (soy milk), cottage cheese with fruit on a bed of spinach.

It's hard to believe she's due in 6 weeks. Only 4-8 weeks remaining...

Sweet dreams to all!

32-Week Baby Belly

We had our 32-week checkup today. Due in 8 weeks, there's only 6-10 weeks until we meet her! Baby Elanor continues to be healthy. Mommy had a 31" belly measurement, and has gained a total of 23... so far. I miss the flat belly and sleeping on my back and tummy, but baby girl's strong and busy movements are a joy. Wow! Time sure flies!

I'm constantly eating and drinking (water, milk & Silk primarily) to keep up my energy. This is the last week of tutoring at school for the year. Yay! I'll take a week off and then start summer classes which end 2 weeks before my due date. We are working to get ready for her arrival. I still have a lot to do--I hope to complete most of that this first week after work ends.

P.S. Two hours after my bedtime snack I awoke feeling hot, achy--and hungry again. After turning on the fan and stretching, I realized the food I'm craving is cottage cheese! I rarely eat cottage cheese more than once or twice a year. So, in order to avoid a 1:00am trip to Kroger, I made do with milk and salty green olives. Tomorrow I'm going shopping so I can make cottage cheese and pears on a bed of spinach. That sounds ridiculously good right now! (Elanor must think so too, because she is very busy at 1:20am!) Now to attempt sleep...

26 Week Baby Belly!

Okay, technically these photos are from one day shy of 27 weeks (this most recent Tuesday), so take it either way. :-) With a due date of July 21st, she's officially 13 weeks away (11-15 weeks in all probability). Time flies when you're having fun! Damon & I are savoring our last weeks of sleeping in and mostly functioning on our own schedule. Natural changes, however, serve as a gentle way to break me in to being wide awake in the middle of the night, and having to pause whatever I'm doing to feed (myself) again.

Elanor is a very busy little girl. She is now active enough to sometimes wake me at night. Just today I could feel her little feet at the top of my belly during lunch. I'm starting to be able to distinguish the difference between her head and feet sometimes! Today one of her feet seemed to reach my ribs as I was lounging around. I find that a good, tall posture typically increases overall comfort... although sometimes she can make good posture quite uncomfortable! In those cases my belly sticks out a bit more, like the first pic.

A baby moving and growing inside is perhaps the most awe-inspiring journey I have yet experienced.

21-Week Baby Belly

I'll try to upload the 21 week pics in the next couple of days. :-)

...better late than never:

14 Week Baby Belly

For all you dear friends and family asking if and how much I'm showing. Here's a little treat. Two photos say it all (so far): 8 weeks along as taken December 10th, and 14 weeks as seen on January 23rd... I had to graduate to slightly more forgiving lounge-wear in the second photo. :)

For those who care about other silly pregnancy details... I have gained 2 pounds so far since pre-pregnancy weight.





Most interesting and fun to me: my belly has grown most noticeably in the last two weeks.
Best change: Nausea has lessened over the last week, although today wasn't quite as nice
What's making this easiest: A sweet and thoughtful hubby who makes extra grocery trips to feed my ever-changing tastes, to name just one blessing.