into the third trimester

Well, hello there.

I know, I know...it's been quiet around here. Thankfully, my husband is a much better blogger than me, and he's already posted an update.

Part of my quietness is due to the shock and grief I've been feeling over the losses Mary Ellen and Steve recently experienced. I really haven't had it in me to post. My heart aches for them and for their three little girls. I think of them daily and send love and light and hopes for peace in their direction.

And here I am, in the third trimester of my own pregnancy, finally starting to believe that this might really happen for us. I'm nearly 29 weeks now, and I feel Bumble (or TES - her "official" initials) nearly all of the time. I've started trying to actually imagine myself as a mother instead of just worrying about our endless list of tasks and to-do's that we hope to accomplish before she makes her entrance.

And...her entrance could be as soon as 8 weeks away (see below). Unbelievable.

We are now on a twice monthly ultrasound schedule. My last ultrasound was on Feb 15. Since neither John nor my mom could go with me to the appointment, John's mom agreed to accompany me. She was a real trooper when they unexpectedly whipped out the vag-cam to check on my cervix. Apparently, that needs to be monitored now too. If I recall correctly, my cervix shortened about .3 cm in two weeks, which seems like a lot. It still seems to be in normal range though, so Dr. Love didn't place me on an additional activity restriction (thank goodness!). My placenta seems to have migrated back over my cervix, so a c-section birth is looking even more likely. With the placenta previa, they want to make sure I do not start to dialate or go into labor on my own, which means we could be delivering as early as 37 weeks. So, we go back again on Thursday to see Dr. Love once again - we'll check on my placenta and cervix - and we'll find out how much little Bumble weighs at 29 weeks.

At my last appointment, I took (and passed) the glucose test and was checked for anemia. The results showed that I'm pretty severely anemic. This probably explains the severe fatigue I've been experiencing for the past week or so, along with the heart palpitations and dizziness. Fatigue doesn't even really seem to come close to describing what it has felt like though. I am MUCH more tired than I ever was during the 1st trimester, and when it hits me, I need to sleep that very second, so watch out. For the past week, I feel like I've been asleep more than I've been awake, including last night where I rested for 12 1/2 hours!  So, I've started on supplements, and I do seem to be feeling a bit better, as long as I don't overdo it.

My crazy muscle issues seem to be getting much worse since arriving in the third trimester, so I'm looking into a referral to a neuromuscular specialist to confirm my diagnosis and to see if there is anything I can do to help. The stiffness used to be most pronounced in my legs, but lately, it feels just as prominent in my torso, neck, arms, hands, and feet. It's making it pretty tough to do much, including working on jewelry, which I have completely stopped for now.

But enough about that.

There have been big changes happening in the Sarvay household. John and I are are finally trying to tackle a zillion projects we've been meaning to do for the past couple of years. Our house is looking pretty different these days, at least to me. We've moved out a ton of furniture, installed ceiling fans in our bedroom and the nursery, updated towel racks in my bathroom, totally reorganized my studio, and put together a nursery. (Please note that when I say "we," I really mean John or the guy we've hired to help us with the things we're smart enough to not do ourselves. I really can't take credit for much besides the organizing and scheduling). If you'd like to check out the changes, you can look at my flickr page. I haven't put the most recent photos up, but I'm hoping to do that today. And, I chopped off all of my hair (but there aren't any real updated pictures of that on the flickr page). Be warned - there are pictures of my ginormous belly living there too.

It's a good thing my energy seems to be coming back, because our dear friend Angie sent us home with our entire jeep loaded with baby clothes and gear. I'm going to need some serious stamina to sort through everything. Throughout this pregnancy, I have been completely amazed and overwhelmed by the generosity of friends and family - maternity clothes and gifts and items saved from their own children - not to mention the continuing love, support, and hope that have helped to get us through the most stressful of times. My heart is filled with love and gratitude, and I really can't thank you enough.

Well, this post has taken me long enough to type that, in spite of my 12+ hours of sleep last night, I'm feeling the need for a nap...

Comments

[Sunny]

I LOVE your belly pictures. You look SO good!

[Megan]

Great post! I'm so happy you are doing ok. I'm inspired by every post! We're out here rooting for you all!

[Cheryl Lage]

You (and Bumble/TES) are looking GORGEOUS! Nap on, Sisters and know we are all keeping great thoughts and your celebrating progress. :)

[Gaelen]

You look wonderful. Glad to hear you are doing well. I'm not sure if I introduced myself before, but I have been checking out your blog now and then. Take care!

[SaraS-P]

You look absolutely fantastic!

[Vivien]

Tallulah Elizabeth?
Good to hear from you again.
Glad the doctors have it all under control.

[coach suitcase]

the future can be anything we want to make it. We can take the mysterious, hazy future and carve out of it anything that we can imagine, just as a sculptor carves a statue from a shapeless stone.

[discount coach]

Just for today I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes.