Maternity Monday: Third Trimester

Hello third trimester! And a warning: this is a long post...

Week 29: We're starting the third trimester! I can't believe how incredibly fast this pregnancy has gone. I feel like we only just announced that our family was growing, and now we're starting the third trimester. 

During December, I've been working lots of nights shifts, so emotions and being tired have continued. Outside of flipping, I've felt really great and had energy. I've started getting up one to two times a night for a potty break, and I'm loving being pregnant during the holidays and enjoying tasty foods. I'm also so thankful I haven't experienced any nausea during this pregnancy! I'm excited to also say I've continued working out 3-4 times a week, doing Pure Barre and walking Aida. 

Week 30: Christmas is here!

One huge perk of being in my third trimester is that our families are so sweet and have traveled to us to celebrate Christmas! My in-laws came the weekend before Christmas, and my family came the weekend after.

My SIL and I are exactly two months apart in pregnancies! It has been so much fun to share this experience with her. We cannot wait for Baby Boy P to arrive in April! We loved celebrating Christmas with them, and while they were here we went to Bida Manda, Gonza Tacos & Tequila, cooked a Christmas breakfast, celebrated a "Christmas day" and just enjoyed being together. 

This year, I had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day nights. Although, I hate working holidays, this year was sweet because J and I picked what we wanted to do to celebrate together. The 23rd we treated as our Christmas Eve and had a tasty dinner at the Angus Barn. Christmas Eve was our Christmas Day, so J cooked a great breakfast and we opened each other's gifts. J completely surprised me with a Christmas/push gift of a Tiffany's ring! I have been drooling over it for a long time but never dreamed he would surprise me with it now.

After our breakfast, I napped before getting up early for Christmas Eve service and dinner before heading into work. I had a great patient both nights of work and enjoyed celebrating with co-workers. It was definitely a different but great Christmas! 

Week 31: Christmas continues! 

My family came into town for the weekend, and we celebrated Christmas morning again. We loved having time together, and my parents loved going to an Indian restaurant with us. 

A week ago, at my last OB appointment, we had a little scare: I was measuring behind. I love my OBs, and this week they scheduled an ultrasound to measure CHP. Thankfully, she is growing fine and is already 3lbs 15oz! They said that if I measure three or more weeks behind they'll do another ultrasound. Keep growing CHP! 

At the end of this week, we drove to DC to celebrate my sweet, little niece's birthday! We always love seeing her and family. She is the cutest, and I'm so excited that she and CHP will be so close in age. Life is going to be so much fun with two little girls running around. 

Week 32: I'm still feeling great and working out. I've started craving citrus all the time. My new favorite drink is passionfruit la croix with grapefruit juice, and I have to take a sliced orange to work every shift. 

Week 33: We had so many fun events this week! A few of my friends from work threw me a PICU shower on Sunday. Everything was adorable, and I felt so loved having everyone spend the afternoon celebrating CHP's little life. It was incredible! Thanks Amanda, Erin, Julianne, and Lindsay! 

J and I have been going on lots of dates, especially as we get closer to CHP's due date. This week, Wicked was in town, so we had dinner at Piedmont before enjoying the show. It's our third time seeing it, and it seems to get better every time. (Our first time was in DC, and the second was in London). 

Week 34: This was baby week!

Monday, we went on our L&D tour. I'm so glad we know where to go, park, and the process of the birthing suite and post-partum room. I might regret it later, but we decided to skip the eight hour birthing class since I had and L&D clinical in college, and everyone we talked to said it was a long day with not a lot of helpful information. Instead, on Wednesday, we went to a breastfeeding class that was so helpful, and I loved the lactation nurse who taught the class. I hope we see her when CHP arrives.

Over the weekend, my in-laws came down to help us with projects. J finished re-finishing the dresser, so my MIL and I organized the nursery. My FIL and J bought shelving and organized the attic, hung curtains and removed blinds in our dining room. We hung CHP's gallery wall, bought containers, and finished organizing her closet, so all that is left is replacing the light fixture and waiting for her gorgeous rocker to arrive. I hope it gets here before she does but regardless, I'm so relieved that her nursery is now complete and ready for her. 

We're getting so close, and every day it seems more real. CHP moves all the time now, and I love feeling her kicks and bumps. It's fun trying to figure out if she's hitting me with her fists, heels, or legs. Pregnancy is so incredible, and I'm so overwhelmed with how thankful I am for her little life.