26-27 weeks, big boy beds, and number three's ETA

Howdy, third trimester! Allow me to welcome you with a washed-out, shiny, deer-in-headlights expression:

 

I think I've grown since last week - check out the below picture and judge for yourself.

 

Here I am at 26 weeks and some change with Kara, who wanted to join in on the photo-snapping fun, and here is photographic evidence of being pregnant with both Kara and Nathan at this same point. Man, is my body predictable when it comes to gestation.

Things are going fine, incubator-wise. I continue to have an appetite that cannot be satisfied; I've only gained about eight new pounds with this pregnancy so far, but half of that was put on in the last two weeks. My diastasis recti is easing up, thankfully, but it's being replaced with an easily-triggered fatigue that I assume is the result of hauling around another ginormous baby, if Baby Brother 2.0 stays the path carved out by his older siblings; at 27 weeks, the boy is already measuring at 28 centimeters, according to my OB/GYN. My latest appointment was three days ago, which involved throwing back a fruit-punch-flavored glucose drink for my gestational diabetes test. The results of the bloodwork showed that my sugar levels are fine but that I'm slightly anemic (which would also account for some of that fatigue). This same thing happened with Kara, so I will just take my prescribed iron supplement and carry on as normal.

The most exciting thing about my visit was getting my c-section on the books at the hospital - Wednesday, June 29, 9:30 a.m. Mark your calendars!

Finally, I have now reached the point where I need to visit my OB every two weeks. Things are really starting to move along - and not just with the child occupying my uterus. Kara and Nathan are in for some changes soon, too.

 

Kara spreading her own PB&J. In case that wasn't supremely obvious already.

Grandma and Grandpa Dunscombe were in town this week to help us out with some spring-cleaning type projects and also to order parts for Kara's "new big girl bed" - also known as The Extra Bed We Desperately Need To Free Up The Crib For The Baby. Kara will occupy the new twin (to arrive in about two weeks), Nathan will inherit Kara's toddler bed, and the baby will get all of the furniture in Nathan's room. Luke and I have been talking to the kids ad nauseum over the past month about how they'll be sharing a room soon and the big kids will all be together and Won't that be so much fun? Kara's taking it all in stride, but Nathan hasn't readily embraced the concept yet.

Monday night while getting ready for bed, after having talked about the move for the eighty-seven-millionth time:

Frema: Hey Nathan, are you a baby?

Nathan: (smiles) No.

Frema: That's right, you're a big boy. And do big boys sleep in cribs?

Nathan: No. No, they don't!

Frema: That's right, they sleep in big boy beds! So pretty soon, you're going to sleep in a big boy bed! And you can bring all your blankets and all your stuffed animals - the only thing that's changing is that you'll be in a big boy bed!

Nathan: (pauses, then reaches out to touch his crib) I want to sleep in this big bed.

Frema: No, honey, that bed isn't for big boys, it's for babies.

Nathan: I like this bed.

And to think we want to take away his beloved pacifier at the same time! (Because only babies who sleep in cribs use pacifiers! Not big boys!) We're prepared to be flexible, but still, this transition should be super-duper fun.

Money-wise, things are going well. After a grueling six-week wait, we finally received our federal tax return on April Fool's Day, which allowed us to cut our credit card debt almost in half and set aside the out-of-pocket cash we'll need during my maternity leave. We continue to funnel money into savings and cut corners in our budget to make all of this happen, and it feels like it's finally paying off. We sailed through all the major bills of spring - car insurance premiums, school registration, vehicle registration renewals - without using our Visa; in fact, we haven't touched it at all this year, AND we've been making steady progress in lowering our balance even before receiving our tax check. We buckled down when it counted the most, and we are seeing the rewards, and it feels awesome.

To celebrate our financial success, we drove 40 minutes to our local creamery and blew nine dollars on organic ice cream. Hey, all work and no play, right?

 

I'm not sure what the kids are staring at. Certainly not the camera.

After spending so much of the winter cooped up indoors, it felt great to venture beyond our zip code and blow a few bucks on something as indulgent as dessert. We weren't there that long, but Luke and I had such a good time, and the kids, too.

 

Of course, can you have a bad time when ice cream's involved?

 

The cows were in the barn and mooing something fierce when we arrived, so Kara and Nathan wouldn't venture much farther than the doorway.

And...that is my blog update! I hope you all are just swell.

Comments

[Must Be Mom]

I can't believe you've only gained 8 lbs, you lucky girl! You look fabulous, and I think the kids are staring at a chicken in that picture. Or rocks. Equally exciting items at that creamery, in my opinion. :)

[Jen L.]

You look great! How exciting to know when Baby Brother 2.0's birthday will be. Sometimes it's nice to have a "deadline" of sorts. I hope the transition to Big Boy Bed goes well for Nathan. I'll bet he thinks it's cool once he sees it. (fingers crossed)

[daddyd]

Another good job all around. It was fun visit and so smooth, just like that cow ice cream.

[kim]

Sounds like a fun outing! You look great!

A friend of mine did this when taking away her child's paci, they went to Build-A-Bear (I know a little pricey) and put the paci in the bear. So her child would have the bear to help comfort her. I have also heard of having the child give them to the paci fairy.

These are just a few things I have heard, my daughter sucks her thumb so a little harder to get rid of that.

Good luck on the transition. It might not be as hard as you expect. He might enjoy being in the room with his big sister.