28 weeks

Hello third and final trimester!  I can't believe you're here.  It has already been an eventful week - we had more hiccups, we can actually feel her little legs, feet and arms under my skin (and recognize what they are!) and Mom had her first official Braxton Hicks contractions.  My back was hurting just a bit on Saturday just before Derek and I went for a walk.  During the walk, my stomach got really tight at the top and the tightening spread to the bottom of my belly.  This happened a few more times and stopped after some rest.  It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable and strange.  I also haven't had any contractions since.  

Another trend I've noticed this week is my daily 3 a.m. wake-up call.  Every single night this week, I have woken up at 3 on the dot.  Strangely, I'm not dreary or exhausted, I just have to go to the bathroom.  Its been hard to go back to sleep because Madeline is moving around...and then my brain starts wandering - counting her kicks, thinking about her nursery, thinking about her.  This morning, I had random heartburn and/or reflux when I got back in bed...and I kind of wanted Cheerios (what!?).  I think M may be a 3 a.m. eater, though, and this is God's way of preparing me for whats ahead.  Bring it on!  I'll be an old pro by May. 


I also got news that I passed my Glucose Tolerance Test and that I am not anemic.  Wahoo!  I was so thrilled with this news that I gave into the sweet tooth. VieVie introduced  us to a new brownie recipe this weekend...and I could eat the entire pan!  Basically it's a whole lot of butter, sugar, more butter and other "bad for you things," mixed together and baked into a gooey hot mess.  My sweet tooth and baby M are thankful, my thighs, not so much.  


I went on Monday to get my Rhogam shot (if you're RH negative, you have to get this shot as a preventative measure in case the baby is RH positive and your bloods ever cross).  OUCH!  It seemed to take forever to get all of the medicine in and it burned.  If I have to have one after Madeline's birth, I'm sure it won't hurt nearly as bad, compared to labor.  But for now, I'm glad its over! 


Madeline should now weigh about two and a quarter pounds and measures almost 15 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She is about the size of a chinese cabbage, or an eggplant. I'm wondering if she's any larger than the average, though. She was measuring larger in her 17 week ultrasound and the tech at the 4D appointment said she's pretty long.  We may have a big baby on our hands.  We'll find out in 11 weeks!