30/31 week update

Where to start...so much has happened this past week!

Wednesday, May 16 we had our monthly doctor appointment.  Baby heartrate was 150 bpm and fundal height measured on schedule for 29 weeks.  I gained another 4 pounds (so that's 17 total now) and the nurse midwife was very happy with the consistency of weight gain.  With 10 weeks left in the pregnancy, and if I continue at 1 pound per week, she said I'll fall right in the recommended 25-35 pound weight gain.  We are now on a twice monthly appointment schedule and we will be able to see the nurse midwife one more time for our 32 week appt, however all appointments after that will be with our doctor.  The advantage with scheduling our appointments with the nurse midwife, appointments were on time!  Our next ultrasound with the doctor will be at 34 weeks where they will measure the size of the baby, confirm position of baby and measure amniotic fluid levels.

That night we left TX for our 24-hour drive.  We stopped every 2-3 hours for bathroom breaks and to walk around and we still made the drive in just over 24-hours!  Moana and Tex were excellent backseat drivers again and helped navigate.

This first week of our vacation has flown by and we've enjoyed spending time with family and friends in the Granger area.  We've been able to indulge in some of our favorite Midwest foods and  to Ryan's relief, Baby Girl has become a fan of Culver's custard as she dances in my belly afterwards.  Some family members continue to smirk when they see my pregnant belly and just shake their head at my new body shape.

Here is a picture we remembered to take at the 30 1/2 week mark as she has definitely grown since the 28 week.  (Please excuse the shadows).  She also has began to let me know that she no longer likes me sleeping on my left side.  I've tried to be good about sleeping on the left side as doctors say that position increases circulation to the uterus.  However, when I lay on my left side, she insists on moving and shifting in there until I give in and switch to my right side and she quiets.  Her movements continue to be more pronounced and I can see my belly being warped in funny directions as she plays in there.  I try to have Ryan feel and see as much of her movements as possible but when he puts his hand on my belly, she quiets.  Hopefully, the fatherly touch will continue to comfort her when she arrives in July!

July is a busy month for our family as there are several anniversaries and birthday.  I counted back and we will be 38 weeks on my parents anniversary (July 16) and Ryan is hoping that Baby Girl will arrive on my birthday (July 17) so he only has one date to remember for both our birthdays.  My brother's anniversary is July 31 and my grandparents anniversary is July 12.  It'll be up to Baby Girl to decide if she wants her own day or to share her day :)

I'll close this past with a family photo of the 5 of us we took this past week.