the essence

32 weeks

Friday I reached 32 weeks, less than two months to go until my June 18th due date! The time really is flying, it doesn't feel like it's been 6 months since we found out we're expecting this baby. It's been so fun having a "surprise" pregnancy, too. Even this far along, the other day the excitement just hit me that we're actually having another baby! Yes, the kids are exhausting & beyond frustrating at times, but they're also my greatest joy. They're guaranteed smiles every morning.



So far it seems that each pregnancy has become easier. Currently heartburn has been cropping up (especially when I eat my favorite - pizza!), leg cramps (which are non-existent/much less frequent when I remember to take my calc-mag supplements) and...a week & a half ago I noticed that I'm developing a varicose vein in my left calf!!! Ah!

I'm so vain that it only really bothers me because people can see it. It's actually very minor, so minor that the midwife doesn't even really classify it as a varicose vein, but I'm just a little afraid that with 8 weeks left to go it may get worse. It doesn't hurt too much yet. I just hear that normally varicose veins on your legs don't usually go away after pregnancy, but they said that since this one hasn't really developed yet that it should go away. Anyway, I was already pretty much doing everything I could to avoid them anyway, now I'm just a little better about it - taking Butcher's Broom, a supplement that helps, & I've been trying to be more aware not to cross my legs, to elevate when sitting, exercise more & not wear heels. Which, as great as my love is for heels, I've only been wearing to church, anyway.




At my appointment last week I discovered that I hadn't had any weight gain in two weeks (so far I'm at 22 pounds). I "celebrated" by eating an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked! The next day I weighed half a pound less...new diet strategy, perhaps?

I did forget that the third trimester brings back remnants from the first trimester. Oh. SO. Tired. A bit of nausea. And, my cooking creativity disappears again. I'm back to, "I'm hungry but nothing sounds good & I don't know what to make."

The best part about this time during the pregnancy are the huge movements you can feel; I seriously love feeling him roll around & kick several places all at once & it's so cool watching my belly move. I have the home visit from my midwife in less than 4 weeks and then I'll be in the home stretch!