Week 28

Dear Elliot,
A lot of exciting new developments have taken place during week 28. Here are a few of the highlights:

1. My breasts have officially started leaking. Sorry if that's gross or too much information, but hey this did start as a pregnancy blog after all! It's not a lot, but it did kind of weird me out when I first noticed it. I'm hoping this is a sign that I'll have a good milk supply!

2. I've come to the conclusion that 99.9% of maternity dresses are ugly, frumpy, and designed to make pregnant women feel horrible and fat. I have a wedding to go to this weekend, and Grandma (my mom) and I spent hours and hours on Saturday shopping for a dress, since I literally have nothing wedding-appropriate I can squeeze myself into. Well, I finally found something at Motherhood Maternity, and after arguing with the cashier for ( and I'm not exaggerating) over five minutes about how I did not want to provide all my personal information and be 'entered in their system' (seriously, the last time I was pregnant I bought one pair of pants, gave them my info, and received stupid formula and diaper coupons and samples from them for over a year!), the dress ordeal was finally over. Thank God.

3. I went to my first baby shower since Stevie died on Sunday, and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it might be. It was for my sister-in-law, who is due about three weeks before me with a little girl--my first niece, Madeline. You and Madeline are going to be so close in age. I'm really excited that you are going to have a little cousin to grow up with! My own family shower is coming up soon--on January 28th. I am really looking forward to it, but there's also that fear in the back of my mind that something is going to go wrong again if I plan ahead too much or too confidently. Silly, I know, but I can't help it.

4. I passed my three-hour glucose screening test on Monday morning. I'm really glad I passed and don't have Gestational Diabetes, but man did that test suck. Like hands-down one of the most unpleasant mornings of my life. Worst of all, I wasn't able to eat anything for over 16 hours (and I can't usually go over two or three without my stomach growling), plus sitting in a waiting room for three hours is never fun, and neither is getting those painful finger prick blood draws done four times. Shots no longer phase me (I mean I've been injecting myself in the stomach every night for the last five months so I'm kinda used to it), but those finger pricks hurt! Anyway, by the time the test was over, I was so hungry I nearly passed out. I was able to make it to the restaurant (where I met Dad for lunch), but as soon as I got there, the dizziness and sweating and light-headedness started and I had to lay down on the booth for awhile. Fun times. I rewarded myself with a huge piece of oreo pie, and it was so good it almost made up for my horrible morning :)

5. I am feeling huge. And I love it. I feel like I'm finally to the point where I look so obviously pregnant that doors are held open for me, old ladies look at my belly and smile, and when I ordered nachos at Target's little concession stand the other night, they gave me two cups of cheese sauce without even asking. The main reason I love my growing body is that it's proof that you are growing too! Keep it up, Little E!

Crappy cell phone pic at just about 29 weeks

6. Hypnobabies classes are still going really well. In addition to the self-hypnosis tracks we have to practice with at home, I have to listen to a 'joyful pregnancy' affirmations CD everyday, and that has been incredibly helpful. It's basically just 30 minutes of positive thoughts about pregnancy and childbirth that you can repeat in your head. I usually listen to it when I'm taking a bath and it's been great to have that time each day to relax and think only positive thoughts. "Pregnancy is natural, beautiful, and safe"..."My baby is growing and developing perfectly"..."I am confident in my body and my ability to give my baby everything he or she needs"...Slowly but surely, I am really starting to believe these things and it feels really good.

Alright, I think that's it for today. I am about to run to Target to pick up a birth ball so I can start practicing the prenatal exercises/stretches we learned in class last night. 

I love you so much, baby boy. 

XOXO,

Mom