Bumpdate: Weeks 27-30

Another month closer to meeting our baby girl! People often ask at this stage: How do you feel? And I almost always reply: Pregnant. That is not a bad thing. It’s an amazing thing. But it means that, these days, I feel pregnant in every bone in my body. When I lift Sam out of his car seat, when I bend over to I fill Lucy’s food bowl, when I spend 20 minutes on the floor constructing a Lego tower, when I collapse into bed at the end of every day.

I need to constantly remind myself to slow down. There is no need to wash and fold four loads of laundry, vacuum the house, and chop six different vegetables for a pot of soup before Nick gets home from work. I just can’t do it all — plus keep up with Sam and Lucy. And that’s okay. Because I’m growing a baby, and that’s my priority.

Afternoon naps have returned, and I am embracing them. The leftover Halloween candy stood no chance with this preggo in the house. I’ve also been craving Pepperidge Farm cinnamon toast and big, juicy cheeseburgers. Surprisingly, I’m holding steady at just over a 20-pound weight gain. I bought a new pair of flats and a new roomier winter jacket. And I finally purchased fabric for baby girl’s nursery. These are just a few highlights as we ease into November.

In addition to slowing down my every day, I’m committing to a quiet holiday season. We do have travel plans for Thanksgiving (and it will be an emotional one to celebrate since it will be the first without our dear cousin, Lauren), but after that we’re going to bunker down here at home. There will be a tree and cookies and lots of toddler crafts to complete, but there won’t be the over zealous fanfare that typically accompanies Christmas. And that’s fine. Because our most important Christmas present is due to arrive just two weeks later.