Pregnancy Update- 37 weeks

I haven't blogged much about this pregnancy... no doubt I find this experience, just like the first one, fascinating, miraculous, and surreal.  I just have plenty of daily distractions in caring for Grace Louise that send the time whisking away.  My EDD (estimated due date... because we know they really are just estimates...) is three weeks away and I feel like we were just sharing the news!  Time is flying!

In one of my last pregnancy updates, I mentioned my struggle with Restless Leg Syndrome.  Symptoms seem to have improved as my magnesium levels have come back up, and sleep has been much better too... until now...  insomnia!  Baby moving around.  Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions through the night that keep my belly hard and uncomfortable.  Frequent urination- need I say more? Nesting urges that I find hard to suppress even at 3 in the morning.  I've tried Benedryl on and off, but it loses effectiveness after a couple of days.  I'm trying to nap in the afternoon, or at least lay down and relax, especially after restless nights.

I'm still teaching my yoga class on Wednesdays, only feeling the effects of being so pregnant in the past two weeks.  I aim to continue teaching until I give birth, modifying as necessary :-)  So what is that?  Two?  Three more weeks?  I hope so :-)

My pubic bone and pelvis has been very sore for the last month.  As it gets ready for birth, the body produces a hormone called relaxin that allows the pelvis to separate and make room to birth the baby.  This also means that my pelvis is susceptible to painful misalignment and other discomfort from old or overuse injury- of which I have both.  I've been seeing a great chiropractor who is certified in Webster Technique and am getting relief from weekly adjustments.  I'm so thankful to have Dr. Mike as part of my prenatal and birth team.

The baby, however, seems to be in an awesome position for birth.  Very anterior, giving my belly a nice, round basketball shape.  I'm hoping for an August 7th birthday that he can share with his daddy.  How sweet would that be?  The III and the IV both born on the same day.  Then again, having your own birthday is nice too... so earlier would be good!?  August 1st?

The"nursery corner" of our master suite is almost finished... stocked and ready for caring for sweet Baby James H.  Clothes are washed and sorted.  My bag is half-way packed, and I'm only waiting on a few more essentials to arrive in the mail.  Things seem more simple this time.  I know what is really needed and what is not.  No dresses in the picture for baby boys... that has really thrown me for a loop. Like, what in the world do they wear besides onesies???

I'm looking forward to experiencing labor again, hopefully this time having a more joyous, peaceful, and alert immediate post-partum time.  I can't wait to hold this sweet boy in my arms, love all over him, and then share him with a few other special people I know :-)

The element of sibling excitement and discovery, as I shared with some guests at my shower, is one of the things I'm looking forward to the most.  We are still not sure if Grace Louise will be present at the birth.  She has been so involved in my prenatal care, coming to all of my appointments, helping the midwives check the heart "beep" and doing her own check-ups at home with her doctor's kit.  We've talked about the upcoming birth, how she was born in water too, and she has visited the house where I will give birth in Winter Haven.  I think given the right circumstances, her presence at the birth could be wonderful.  There are several things to consider, though, so we will see!

Shower

A few of my friends hosted a baby shower for me and James H. on Saturday.  It was a lovely time of fellowship with friends and family, and we received many cute gifts and much-needed BOY clothes!  

Lovely (and creative!) hospitality.

 Waiting for our party to start!

Grace Louise was super excited to be a part of the celebration!

A few of our sweet guests...

Perhaps my favorite picture of all!  My friend, Audra, and I are due within a month of each other.  

She has been coming to my yoga class during her pregnancy and will be birthing with the same group of midwives as me!

 A big thanks to my generous friends who hosted this lovely party in honor of me and my growing family!

Lessons learned.

...something I wrote down in my Eucharisteo Thankfulness Journal this morning.

I mentioned having hardships on our family vacation this past week.  Really.  You have no idea the number and craziness of these obstacles.  You would have to laugh... or else you would cry.  One of the more aggravating trials we faced was a broken golf cart on the second day.  Did I mention we were like 400 yards from our dock, and quite a jaunt from the beach as well?  That there are no cars or roads on this island?  Oh, and that I'm 8 months pregnant with bruised heels??  Let's just say I was limited in the area of transportation.

By the end of the second day waiting for our cart to be repaired, I was beginning to wonder if our rental management company was going to do anything at all about our dire straits!  I called and left a message to ensure they knew the urgency.  I was fretting.  I was fretting despite the encouraging Oswald Chambers article about NOT fretting that I posted on facebook just that morning.  I was fretting and restless in spirit despite naming all the ways God was working on our behalf... blessing us with beautiful weather, forced downtime at the beginning of our trip to simply be together as a family, an eager and excited child who was thrilled with our circumstances.  I knew these blessings.  I had been counting them all day (and the day before).  But in a moment of weakness I gave in to my desire to tend to things myself.  I didn't believe God was going to come through for us without my help.  Ouch.

I tossed and turned all night after making that phone call, knowing that I had moved out of a place of rest, trust, and true eucharisteo, and into a place of self-sufficiency and justice.  Ugh.  I had been trying so hard!  I read Psalm 37 that morning.  I started the day with praise, prayer, and thanksgiving.  I embraced the time with my family.  I am so human... and thankfully, His grace is sufficient, His mercies are always new, and His discipline is loving.

So today I am especially thankful for lessons learned.

And I'm reminded once again that God is believable.  He can be fully trusted.  And that He's got my back even when circumstances don't appear favorable.

Be still before the Lord

    and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

  do not fret—it leads only to evil.  

The Lord makes firm the steps

 of the one who delights in him;

though he may stumble, he will not fall,

    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

I was young and now I am old,

  yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken

  or their children begging bread.

They are always generous and lend freely;

   their children will be a blessing.

from Psalm 37

A Gasparilla Island Sunset

Beach Vacation

An entire week away from the normal responsibilities and routine of daily life?.... um, yes!  I'll take it!  Jimmy and I haven't been on such a long vacation since our honeymoon, eight years ago, and I almost forgot how refreshing it could be!  We joined his parents and sister for a Little Gasparilla Island vacation that was riddled with faith-testing obstacles from the start!  (This must mean we desperately needed this trip and all the life lessons that came along with it!)  By Wednesday, our trip was smooth sailing... lots of good memories just being together, fishing, beaching, swimming, fireworks.  

Our drive back to Lake Wales yesterday was bittersweet, reflecting on all the fun we had, but glad to be heading back to our very own comfy home.  Grace Louise loved every minute of our trip, referring to our condo as our "vacation home", but was also excited to be coming home to our dog, Millie, and her neighborhood friend, Emily.  (This is truly an understatement.  "Can we go to Emily's house?" is something we heard repeated 5,263 times before getting home.)

 Beach play.

We found lots of pretty shells to bring home.  She loves sorting, counting, and stacking objects like shells.  I think we'll spend the next week painting and crafting with some of our shell treasures.

 Taking a break to swing.

 Spending QT with Aunt Linz.

 Beach bums.

 Bait anyone?

Her attention span for fishing with her rod and reel is very short, but she could play in the bait live well all day!

Happy 4th of July!

Bebe bought glow jewelry for everyone and we watched fireworks from our front porch!  

Grace Louise doesn't generally like loud noises but handled the fireworks well, oooing and awwing at the pretty colors.

Baby Holden

My last doula client ended up with this sweet little bundle, Holden Bryce.  My cousin, Danna, experienced an inspiring fight for vbac, and in her words, ended up with an empowering cesarean section birth with her second baby boy.  I was honored to serve her during her labor and even more tickled to love on him when he finally arrived in all his glory!  Grace Louise and I went to visit the new baby, deliver some happy placenta pills for his mommy, and get some practice for when our own baby boy arrives!