36 Weeks: OH DEAR GOD

The title kind of sums up life right now. I'm 36 weeks pregnant with bub #2 and I am officially over it. I know, I know, I should enjoy every minute of these last days where I only have one little one to look after. BUT, this pregnancy has been so much harder than the last one that I can't help but wish it along towards the finish line.

I have enlisted an army of childcare help with Lyla in the form of her four local grandparents. I knew moving ten minutes away from our parents would prove to be a good decision at some point and right now, it is an absolute lifesaver! Although I'm about to lose two as my folks are jetting off on a three-week South American adventure all the way up until 3 days before my due date. Great timing! (not) Honestly it was entirely our fault, they had already booked the trip when we got pregnant...the timing is just really ironic.

I've come down with a chest cold. So, on top of being 9 months pregnant, chasing a toddler, and taking care of two dogs, a house and a husband, my body is now fighting this nasty bug that has me coughing up gray boogers and all but bed-ridden. It's not my finest moment. This pregnancy is far from glamorous and I am just now realizing how easy I had it the first time around.

First pregnancy I worked out till I was 8 months pregnant and even after that would still take regular long walks with the dogs. This pregnancy I haven't so much as seen my toes or broken a sweat voluntarily since I was about 5 months pregnant. Between first trimester nausea and then a teething and/or sick baby I rarely got to the gym and even froze my membership till August. First pregnancy I hardly ever gave in to cravings and would satisfy my sweet tooth with fresh organic fruit or small morsels of dark chocolate and almonds. This pregnancy I have gotten and devoured a Chick-fil-A cookies and cream milkshake before 11am more times than I am proud of. Milkshakes are a freakin' revelation! I have never had a huge sweet tooth but something about a cookies and cream milkshake always sounds good these days. Number one pregnancy craving for sure. First pregnancy I took it easy when I needed to and took excellent care of my body. This pregnancy I am lifting a 22lb toddler every day, contorting in odd ways to get her dropped shoe or her thrown binkie, breathing like a mastadon every time I get up from a seated position.

This has been just so much harder in every way. Again, I hate to complain because we are completing our family with a little bouncing boy and couldn't be more excited. BUT I am DONE having kids after this. I'm saying it now. We are having our little four-pack family and then (assuming all parties are healthy and all goes according to plan) we are putting this chapter to bed. I will probably have to re-read some of these posts when I get a bout of baby fever in a few years but I'm confident that I will scare myself out of wanting a third.

XOXO

L

28 Weeks: Third Trimester

Well here we are in the final stretch. Going to the doctor every two weeks now and getting so big I need a hearty push out of bed in the morning.

This past week has been crappy. I went to the OB on Wednesday and I am measuring 2cm behind, which basically means my tummy is the size it should be at 26 weeks, not 28. So if I am still small at my next appointment they will want to do another ultrasound in order to make sure baby boy is growing well. I have also given myself a hernia on my belly button, probably from lifting Lyla and running around with her. It's not major, but it could get worse and look awful in the long run. On Thusday (yesterday) I went for the dreaded 3-hour glucose tolerance test. This is a test I never had to do with Lyla because I passed the preliminary 1-hour test. This test determines whether or not you have gestational diabetes. So I sat in a lab for three hours and got my blood drawn four times, all while fasting and being fed this terrible syrup drink they give you. I wont know the results for a couple of days.

So this hasn't been the best week for me. The grand cherry on top is that Lyla has a bad cold that she picked up from her cousin on her recent visit. It was inevitable, but it is still hard to see her feeling bad. She had a rough night of sleep last night and wont eat much which is extremely unlike her. Hopefully it passes quickly.

My anxieties about having a second baby seem to be subsiding. I am still dramatically aware of how hard life is about to become, and trust me, it scares the hell out of me. BUT, I keep thinking about that little boy that is going to complete our family, and how quickly Lyla's first year has passed. Hopefully I can keep the fear at bay and cherish these last few months of being pregnant and only having one child out in the world to worry about.