30 Weeks - Update

I should have started doing this much earlier, but I am just now finding the motivation to do it. I would just put it off all together, but I always wanted to know what my mom's pregnancy was like in more detail, especially now that I am pregnant.

Countdown: 10 weeks

Baby size: The baby is a bit over 3 pounds (she was 3.2 right before Christmas, 62 percentile for weight) and around 18in long. Roughly as big as a head of lettuce according to my what to expect app.

Symptoms: I still have right hip pain if I stand or walk for a long time. Other than that, just minor issues like occasional heartburn. It's starting to get really uncomfortable to sleep, like I just can't find a comfortable position anymore and wake up every 2-3 hours.

Cravings: I don't have strong cravings for any particular thing right now. I do still have an aversion to chicken but it's not as bad as it was in the first trimester.

Best Moment of the Week: We had an ultrasound on Christmas Eve and Eleanor was doing wonderfully. It was so fun to watch her moving around and she has the most adorable cheeks.

Worst Moment of the Week: D surprised me with brunch at a place in Hollywood on Sunday. When we got up to leave, there was a gush of liquid that made me think my water had broken. It was really scary because Eleanor definitely isn't ready to come out yet. It turned out to not be a premature fluid rupture and everything was okay. But it was a scary moment nonetheless.

What I am Looking Forward to: I'm looking forward to getting more stuff to prepare for Eleanor. We still need a lot of the big items (car seat, crib, etc.) and I'm starting to get anxious about it. We also just signed up for a baby care class at the end of January. We may sign up for more but that one seemed the most important for now.

Coming and Going - Holiday Edition

This Christmas was a little odd for me. I guess I have been to distracted thinking of the baby, work, and everything else to get really excited for it. Plus, it doesn't feel exactly real since D and I stayed in Los Angeles. I've never had a Christmas without family or Tennessee weather.

That said, it was a nice respite from everyday life. The roommate went home, so it was just D and I all alone. Our Christmas was literally book-ended by doctor's appointments that went excellently, so I'm a happy girl.

Anyway, here are some pictures of our Christmas celebrations.

We drove by the Christmas lights of a nearby block that goes all out to start the holiday. 

We saw a really good Santa when we stopped at a mall in Century City after dropping the roommate at the airport. 

On Christmas Eve, we got to see our girl! Those cheeks. I die.  Funny story... they were trying to get her to move her hand for the picture, but instead she just rolled over. Already stubborn. 

Our family as we celebrated later on Christmas Eve. 

Our lovely little tree on Christmas morning. 

Eleanor is already getting spoiled on Christmas morning and she isn't even born yet. She got some sweet clothes, a handmade blanket, some books, monogrammed bibs, and a monogrammed pillow from various members of D's family. 

Hot chocolate (with marshmallows and sprinkles) made in our new Keurig. 

Happy Holidays. 

Baby Kicks

 The other night, I was complaining to D that I hadn't felt Eleanor move much in the past few hours. I'm a very paranoid mama to be. Anything out of the ordinary makes me worry. Knowing this, D was instantly trying to put my mind at ease and reassure me that everything was fine. He pointed out that everything else had been perfectly normal that day. As he was acting as the voice of reason, he laid his hand on my stomach and pressed down slightly. Sure enough, Eleanor kicked the tiniest bit in protest to the invasion of her space. She is already teaming up with her dad to make me look unreasonable... the next eighteen years should be loads of fun. Really though, feeling that one little kick was enough to put my mind at ease. It let me know that she was still in there and that she was okay.

Later that night, she was back to her typical activity level and a little more. It almost made me feel silly about worrying in the first place. Only almost though. I mentioned her crazy movements to D and he turned to look at my belly. Within a minute, she kicked so hard that my entire stomach moved. It's not the first time it has happened, but it's the first time that my husband got to see it. His reactions are always so funny, as if he is convinced at first that I am somehow manipulating my non-existent ab muscles in some crazy way. He was the same way when he felt her move for the first time. I get it though  It's really weird thinking about the fact that there is a tiny little person living inside me that wiggles, kicks, and hiccups. It's weird but wonderful. Just like my husband's silly reactions.

There are so many down sides to pregnancy and I have complained about plenty of them. Trust me, I've told my fair share of people to never get pregnant because it's awful (usually on days I am being dramatic). There are some things I am going to miss though. Feeling Eleanor kick and move is definitely one of those things. In just a few short months, she will be here and I won't be able to put my hands on my belly and wait for her sweet little movements anymore.