I Didn't Get the Memo That Baby E. Signed Up for Jazzercise

You know all those annoying pregnancy symptoms women talk about enduring while pregnant? With the exception of morning sickness, I think they were merely referring to 3^rd trimester. And I may have entered it. The definition of 3^rd trimester is arbitrary. Some of my pregnancy books define it starting at 27 weeks and some at 28 weeks. Some try to divide 40 weeks by three and thus indicate that it starts at 26.667 weeks (can you do the math on that and figure out what day that starts?) whereas others define development based on the embryonic, fetal and baby developmental stages. Nevertheless, I’m 27.5 weeks and since I’m halfway between 27 and 28 weeks, I’m going to officially enter myself into the FINAL trimester (woohoo!).

First off, time has gone wicked fast. How the heck do I have approximately three months to go? I used to look at girls in third trimester and envied them for being near the end, and look at this—here I am. I’m the one being envied! Lest I not be fooled though because just like you don’t tell a marathoner who has run 22 miles that they are “almost done” (hint: they are not) there is still much to transpire in these final months and from what I’ve learned from other’s experiences, it can be monumental—both literally and figuratively.

I kicked off the unofficial start of third trimester last Friday and by the next day, baby E. signed up for Jazzercise without telling me. On Sunday, baby E. threw a temper tantrum when the Vikings lost their season opener and last night I beckoned Jon over to the bedside to watch our baby rock side to side as though it were rocking the boat (my belly). Yes, the baby must’ve gone through a growth spurt recently because the movements have became stronger, more frequent and even more reactive than ever before. Those first few kicks and flutters you feel are quite amazing, but nothing compares to watching your belly sway side to side with obvious movements. Baby E. weighs approximately two pounds and is about 14.5 inches long (according to the books). If he or she was born today, baby would have a nearly 90% chance of surviving. Baby needs to gain 5-6 pounds in the next 12 weeks which means I.Am.About.To.Get.Huge.

This past weekend I had my first official question from a complete stranger , “when is your baby due?”. Not a, “are you pregnant?” or a, “are you expecting a little one soon?” but a flat out “I know you’re pregnant because you’re big enough and I have no doubt in my mind so I’m going to flat out ask you your due date”! It’s for real…..

Last night I was sitting on the couch with Jon watching TV and feeling that annoying feeling of swelling in my legs that I sometimes endure after sitting for too long towards the end of the workday or in the evening. I looked down to examine the swell when I noticed that (gasp) my feet were now swelling, too. Here I thought I would be lucky enough to avoid any feet swelling and (please no) “cankels” (calves meet ankles). So many talk about how their feet swelled in pregnancy and I just shrug my shoulders as to say "well, I guess I lucked out". By the morning the swelling in the legs and feet were gone, but now I am starting to struggle with putting my rings on my fingers. These are all symptoms I've heard women complain about, but I figured I was an exception since I hadn't experienced it yet. Nope. I just needed to reach third trimester.

We've officially gone into full baby-mode planning.

Last weekend Jon and I bought the crib and dresser from IKEA. The "Baby Bargains" book I'm reading is like the Consumer Reports of baby buying and surprisingly rated IKEA cribs with an A rating. We then started clearing out the guest room and the den so that the queen bed in the guest room can go in the den, and the guest room can turn into the nursery. This weekend we will be painting both rooms as well as paining the crib and dresser into the nursery theme colors we've picked out. The following weekend we will start our registry. I hope that by mid-October we have the nursery ready.

I signed Jon and I up for some labor skills, breastfeeding and newborn care classes. We begin those classes next week.

If I thought that my first two trimesters were uneventful and slow-moving, I think 3rd trimester is going to change all of that in more ways than one. Here we go!