Glucose Test & Week 27

89 days left ...wow! Time just keeps flying by! And my little Andrew just keeps getting bigger!

This week, he should weigh over 2 lbs, and measure almost 10 in from head to butt, and around 15 in from head to feet! He is working on developing muscle coordination and is super inquisitive. He is exploring everything in his environment and working on developing his lungs and lung functions. He should also be able to recognize my voice, and probably his daddy's :-) His tastebuds are almost fully developed, and he actually has more taste buds now than he will when he is born.

I had my monthly doctor's appointment this week. He said I am measuring right on schedule, and that everything looks good. I also had to do my glucose test, to see if I am developing Gestational Diabetes. I was less worried about the results than I was about the test itself! Lol! I have heard horrible things (as well as not so horrible things) about the test, and I was dreading having blood drawn. I drank the sweet stuff -- it wasn't all that bad really. It was orange-y tasting, and super duper sweet, but not disgusting like I was afraid it would be. It wouldn't be something I would choose to drink in the future, lol, but it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. I know that it makes some people sick, but it didn't make me sick, thankfully. And I did really good with the blood being taken. I didn't hardly feel light-headed even! I think it helped to know that the lab lady that takes the blood is really good, so I was less nervous about it. It barely hurt, and I only have the littlest bruise! I don't know how long it will take to get the results. But I will let everyone know how it turns out!

Also recently, I am starting to feel rather.....stretched........and cramped......at the same time. How is that even possible? Lol... I feel cramped because the little munchkin is growing so much, and he is starting to squish my stomach and lungs. I can't eat very much at one time because I'll feel miserable afterwards if I do. It feels like everything I eat is being squished back upwards....sorry if that's kind of gross, haha, but it's true. I can also tell when he is sitting up higher because it gets hard to breathe. I find myself short of breath a little bit when I'm doing nothing more than watching TV. At least it's making me sit up straighter! I also feel stretched...well my skin feels stretched more than anything. I have to put lotion or oil on my stomach at least twice a day, otherwise I will itch and my skin will feel terrible. The lower part of my abdomen is what feels stretched, more so than my upper abdomen (which feels cramped). I assume that's because that is where Andrew is, and he's pushing everything else into my upper abdomen. But that's just my non-medical, unscientific opinion. I could be wrong. (But as my husband would agree to, I'm usually not wrong...hehe)

I'm still tired, and I don't expect that that will go away any time soon. I hope to get caught up on my rest over winter break so that I can be ready for school to start again in January. I also have started to have a little bit of swelling. It is not bad yet, but I have noticed this week that my rings are leaving little indentions on my fingers, and certain shoes are a little tight. The doctor said that was perfectly normal, and he wouldn't be worried about it unless it was severe (which could signal preeclampsia). He also gave me some tips to help control it, such as laying down for a few minutes in mid morning and mid afternoon, and wearing a pregnancy belt to hold the weight of my belly off of the nerves and veins leading to my legs. I can't really lay down mid morning since I'll be at work, but I do have a stool under my desk so that I can put my feet up, so that helps. He also said that getting up and moving around often will help; it keeps the blood flowing and fluids moving, keeping them from settling.

Oh, and I now weigh more than I have in my entire life. Just thought I'd throw that out there. I've gained 14 lbs, which puts me at 141. Blech. Did I mention I feel like a cow? Or maybe a house? And I'm not even close to being as big as I'm going to be. And, yes, before you start lecturing, I do realize that I am supposed to and allowed to gain weight being pregnant. I am well within the healthy range and right on target for where I'm supposed to be. So there. I'm still allowed to feel huge. :-P

Another random observation: If I stand straight up and look down, I can't see my toes. I have to lean over about an inch or two and I can see them again. Just thought I'd share that little tidbit...

I promise that with all of this info I have shared, I am not trying to scare or discourage anyone from being pregnant. It is still by far the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I just want to honestly and openly share what is going on with me, as it is happening. I hope that you find all of this informative and helpful, and possibly uplifting and encouraging. I would do all of this over again in a heartbeat because the reward is so amazing. I would never take back any of the experiences I have had during the last 27 weeks! I already love this little booger too much :-D

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! It's been snowing some here today, yay! Have a great week!!