Week 34

Belly bump update to come after we receive the photos from this week’s maternity shoot!

HER PERSPECTIVES

Best Moment: Peanut and I shared center stage with Daddy on Saturday at a co-ed shower hosted by our Virginia friends. It’s rare that the whole gang is able to get together these days, and although we were still missing one, it was a fantastic afternoon!

We also squeezed in a visit with one super sweet Freckled Citizen and her equally sweet husband. Thanks for introducing us to Eastern Market, Maggie and Trevor!

Symptoms: Remember how I didn’t gain any weight between my 30-week and 32-week appointments? Well, I certainly made up for it this week with a solid 4 pounds. And I knew it before I even stepped onto the scale. The full-panel jeans I once loved no longer fully cover the bump, and my shirts gap at the bottom where they once were smooth. Yes, I think I may have to wear jersey dresses for the next 6 weeks. Also, my belly has dropped. And so while my heartburn is less severe, I now feel all sorts of discomfort in my pelvic region, not to mention the constant urge to pee. Pregnancy is glamorous, people! I’m really not complaining, though. All of these symptoms — including the fact that Peanut is still head down — mean we’re getting that much closer to D-Day!

Cravings: After a very hot start to the month, we’ve been enjoying the dip in temperatures. And, subsequently, we’ve been craving fall food. So we made lasagna one night this week, and it was just as delicious as ever. I also froze two mini casserole dishes of it to save for after Peanut is born. What’s your favorite freezer-friendly food? I’d like to start stocking up.

What I Miss: Doing simple tasks without assistance. Tasks like picking up the laundry basket, carrying the vacuum down the stairs, and selecting a can of crushed tomatoes from the bottom shelf at the grocery store. I know I need to get used to asking for help, but it’s a very new thing for me.

What I Can’t Wait For: We have a car seat to install, a pack ‘n’ play to assemble, onesies to wash and fold. And I’m looking forward to it all! We’re also anxious to see the results of our recent maternity photo shoot. Our photographer friend asked if he could use us as guinea pigs to break in his new medium format camera, and we happily obliged. Because he used film, though, we have to wait 2-3 weeks to see any shots. We’ve become so spoiled by digital!

Milestones: Peanut is now the size of a cantaloupe, and he/she is starting to plump up with chubby cheeks and pinch-worthy thighs. The central nervous system is continuing to mature, and the lungs are continuing to develop, which is why we want him/her to stay put for at least another month!

HIS PERSPECTIVES

Best Moment: Seeing old friends and meeting new ones! The older we get, the harder it is to get together. But it’s always a great time with my grade school buddies. It was also wonderful to meet Kayley and Megan for the first time. And to parallel Emily’s sentiments, meeting Maggie and Trevor makes me want to live in DC so that we can be real friends and not just blog friends.

Symptoms: I don’t want to hit the panic button yet, but in the first picture in Emily’s section, I think I see a bald spot on my noggin. 

Cravings: Heirloom tomatoes. Store-bought tomatoes don’t even come close.

What I Miss: During the summer I volunteer at a horse farm that provides therapeutic horseback riding to kids with a wide range of cognitive, physical, and emotional conditions. And this was our last week — I’m going to miss it until next year.

What I Can’t Wait For: This diaper changing toolbox that Emily gave me at the shower will certainly come in handy in the near future … And, yes, that is a Guinness on the table next to me. My friends know me well.

Milestones: Peanut is about the length of a Swiss chard, with the approximate weight of a gallon of blackberries.