Hello 3rd Trimester!

"There are far, far better things ahead 

than anything we leave behind." 

                                                                                                                C.S. Lewis

This week everyone in the house got a nasty stomach bug so Sunday-Friday was filled with lots of puking, pooping, fevers, and fatigue. We don't know what it was exactly, but it spread like wildfire and we all hope it's gone for good. 

Saturday I went with my mother-in-law and brother-in-law to set up a couple registries for my upcoming baby shower. It was fun, but also very overwhelming. I'm glad my mother-in-law was with me or I would have been lost-- babies need a lot of weird things I never would have thought of. 

On the bright side, a date has been set for my baby shower! The last baby shower I can remember attending in person was Little Bear's mom's back in 2009. Since then, baby showers have been a bit too difficult for me to go to. Helping my mother-in-law and ladies from the ward (church thing) plan a baby shower for me has been an emotional ride. 

I have waited for and wanted a baby shower for a long time and now that it's happening, I find myself breaking into tears over it at random or getting anxious and wanting to cancel the whole thing. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be more thrilled, but it's odd too. 

Having a baby shower makes the whole "I'm having a baby" business feel a lot more real; plus, it's my baby shower and that part doesn't feel real yet. 

Kevin and I almost have a living baby and this baby shower feels like the final milestone before her birth. I keep thinking, "Now it really feels like this is actually going to happen," and every time I think that something else happens that makes me feel that all over again. I bet I'll experience the same thing even after Baby J is here. 

How far along: 27 weeks! I am officially starting the third trimester!

Maternity clothes: I have some, but I don't fit in them yet. I can only fit into one of my pencil skirts now and that's with a lovely muffin top. Yoga pants and stretchy skirts it is!

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Sleep: I'm really good at sleeping, but I wake up on my back a lot which freaks me out.

Movement: Baby J was a crazy wiggle worm this week! While I was sick it was awful because her making my stomach physically jump around was not helping with my nausea, but now that I'm well again I'm enjoying it.

Cravings: Fresh pears. Mmmmm.

Symptoms: I'm growing and possibly nesting? I want to clean and organize everything, but I also like doing that just for fun while I'm not pregnant so that could just be me being me. 

Belly button in or out? In.

Signs of labor: Zero. 

Best moment of the week: Being in bed with Kevin while he played his guitar and we sang to Baby J. Oh, also when she names herself  "Turd Bucket." Kevin had his head on my stomach and was asking Baby J who was in there (name wise) and told her to kick him when we got the name right. He went through our list of names and she made zero movement so I asked, "Is your name Turd Bucket?" and she kicked, haha. We're not naming her that. She also can't have cookies for dinner. 

Size of Baby: Apparently Baby J is the size of a cauliflower today; a cauliflower that is 14.4 inches long and weighs 2 pounds. 

Baby J, the cauliflower

Milestones: Baby J now resembles what she will look like at birth, only she is smaller and skinnier. Her hearing is now mature enough that she should be able to recognize mine and Kevin's voices. Her retinas are developing more fully and she should be able to detect changes in light so if we shine a flashlight on my belly, she may move to or away from the light. 

Sleep: I still haven't figured out her sleep schedule yet, but I know she doesn't sleep in the morning. 

Well, here are a few more videos taken earlier this week for you to enjoy. 

And here is my first third trimester bump photo:

27 weeks

And that's all folks. 

Over n' out.