30 weeks

I’ve arrived at the big 3-0! Back in the single digits, teens, and twenties, I sometimes felt like I’d never make it this far. Now with the holidays fast approaching, it seems like the thirties will go by quickly and we’ll be holding our bundle of joy in no time!

I know Tom is sensing the nearness of Baby’s arrival, too, because he decided to set up the nursery this week! This was a big deal because he was originally very adamant that his office could not be transformed into the baby’s room until after his first set of rotations (i.e. 2014). For someone who likes to plan and prepare for things far in advance, this was a hard pill for me to swallow. So imagine my surprise and delight when he declared this weekend to be nursery weekend!  We spent Saturday moving the office furniture into our main living area (and rearranging the space); and then spent Sunday assembling the crib and converting the empty room into the nursery.

Tom was offered help from numerous male family member and friends, but he insisted on building the crib all by himself – as a “right of passage” of sorts. And he definitely earned his man card (or dad card?) putting that beast together. Even though all I did was supervise, read instructions, peel off stickers, and hold bolts; I have absolutely no doubt that our baby will be safe and sound in the crib his father assembled for him.  Way to go, Daddy! 

  

Tom and I also got to see our baby again this week at my fetal growth ultrasound. Turns out he is measuring perfect average right now (~43^rd percentile), but may be coming a few days early! My doctor said she’ll order another ultrasound closer to delivery if I’m still measuring consistently ahead of schedule. But as of now my fluid levels are normal and Baby Leschke still looks “perfect.” The ultrasound technician said “we have a cutie in there” and that he has his mother’s cheekbones! The 3-D images of his little face brought tears to my eyes. 

 

Finally, we had our very first birthing class today! If I had to sum it up in one word it would be: terrifying. The videos of natural labor were painful just to watch, and I was blissfully unaware of how long labor and delivery can take altogether. All I can do is hope that the rest of the classes will help prepare me for what’s to come and remind myself that it’ll all be worth it in the end!

Baby is almost 16 inches long now and weighs close to 3 pounds (although our ultrasound estimated closer to 3 ½ for Baby L), making him roughly the size of a large head of cabbage. He’s causing all sorts of trouble for his mother, including crazy cravings (mostly for chocolate, grilled cheese, and blueberry muffins), virtual inability to sleep, dry eyes, and a nasty case of reflux. It’s a good thing he’s so darn cute… ;)

29 weeks

It’s been a week of strange events. First, all of the fire alarms in our apartment building went off and we were evacuated by the fire department, only to be let back inside 20 minutes later without much explanation. The next day my hospital went into lockdown after an announcement that there was an “active shooter” in the building, later to find out that no one had actually been shot but the gunman. Then on Sunday, a loud cracking noise made everyone in our church scream and take cover under the pews, although we soon realized the sound was not gunfire but a woman fainting. In sum, I feared for my life (and, more importantly, Baby’s!) on 3 different occasions this week, making me feel rather unsafe in my environment. While I thank God that nothing tragic actually happened, these random events reminded me how fragile life is and how protective I already am of this precious little one inside me. 

Fortunately, Tom and I also had some fun this week! We saw Duck Dynasty Live at the Pabst downtown, where we heard Phil, Kay, and Si Robertson talk about life, marriage, and raising children. It was funny, wholesome, and enlightening all at the same time – just what we needed after a somewhat unsettling week. We also had dinner and went to the symphony with some of my in-laws, which further established our baby’s love for music (who kicked and squirmed and danced throughout the entire performance). 

Plus, Tom and I both got good news this week. For me, it was a pleasant prenatal checkup that confirmed my blood pressure and weight gain are right on track, Baby’s heart rate is strong and steady in the 140’s, and that we are measuring slightly ahead of schedule based on fundal height. Due to my family history of “maternal macrosomia” (a fancy medical term for growing big babies), my doctor ordered a fetal growth ultrasound to get an estimate of birth weight. She doubts the baby will be too big to rule out a vaginal delivery (knock on wood!), but she wants to know if she’s dealing with an “80^th or 90^th percentile baby” during labor. Can’t wait to get the verdict and see our baby again in a few short weeks!

For Tom, the good news was regarding his rotation schedule after the new year. Originally, he was going to start OB/GYN (a very demanding rotation) soon after our new arrival, but – after months of failed attempts – he was finally able to switch his schedule so that OB will start in January instead. This way, he’ll be working at my birth center when I go into labor (which ensures he will be there right away!), and then he’ll be done with that rotation shortly after the baby is born; leaving only lighter, less demanding rotations for afterward. Baby and I will both be so grateful for his presence during delivery and the weeks/months following of adjusting to life with a newborn.

Finally, my weekly update tells me that Baby weighs around 2 ½ pounds now and is about the size of a butternut squash. Her head is growing bigger to accommodate her developing brain, and her lungs and muscles are continuing to mature. Baby’s bones are absorbing large amounts of calcium in this trimester (about 250 milligrams/day!), which explains my newfound, incessant need for milk. I’ve also been experiencing some new joint pain, leg cramping, and backaches – but nothing too extreme. I just try to remind myself that minor aches and pains only signify that Baby is growing bigger and will be here before we know it! :)

28 weeks

Well hello, third trimester…I’ve been waiting for you! Today marks the beginning of the end. It’s hard to believe we’ve only got 12 short weeks to go. While the first trimester seemed to last an eternity, the second trimester flew by in the blink of an eye. I guess once the secret was out and I finally started to feel better, life regained a degree of normalcy for a while….and suddenly here I am in the final stage, 84 days away from motherhood.

As exciting as the third trimester is, it has wasted no time reintroducing me to some old enemies: namely fatigue, constant urination, and inability to sleep. They’re understandable symptoms, though, when you consider that Baby is a whole 2 ¼ pounds and 14.8 inches long in there – about the size of a large eggplant! He is blinking his eyes (that now have lashes!) and making big advancements in eyesight. He is also developing billions of brain neurons and accumulating body fat to prepare for life after birth.

Speaking of birth, I FINALLY got to meet my beautiful newborn niece this weekend! Baby and I took the first flight to St. Louis after work on Friday to visit the Brown family and their newest addition. Emmeline is tiny, precious, and perfect. I loved getting to hold her, to see how Isaac and Audrey adore her, and to watch my sister take on her new role as a mother of 3 with grace and dignity. 

 

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, my extraordinary husband showed up on my sister’s doorstep for a surprise visit! He wasn’t able to come initially because he had to work on Saturday, but when his resident let him go early (around 1:30pm), he just hopped in the car and made the 6 hour drive to St. Louis. He didn’t care that he would only get to stay for 19 hours or that he wouldn't get to study all weekend, he just wanted to meet baby Emmeline and spend whatever limited time he could celebrating with my family.  Everyone (particularly Isaac and Audrey) was so happy to see him. What a guy!

If you ask me, family is the most important thing in life. So to watch it grow in numbers and love is a truly remarkable gift. I’m so grateful for my husband, parents, sisters, nieces/nephew, relatives, in-laws, and all of the people who will bless our baby with their presence in his life. ♥

27 weeks

2 major blessings this week! First, Tom’s dad detected a cardiac anomaly and underwent immediate bypass surgery to avoid a potential tragedy. It was scary and unexpected; but we are all so thankful that it was caught in time, that the surgery was successful, and that recovery is well underway. We love you, Grandpa John!

Second, Baby Leschke’s cousin was born!! Sarah had her beautiful baby girl, Emmeline Rose, on November 5^th at 9:18am. She was 8lbs.4oz and 20 inches of pure perfection. Because I have to save my paid time off work for maternity leave, I was not able to be in Saint Louis for her birth – which made for quite an emotional day. To celebrate from afar, I baked red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, made my birth announcement chalkboard (see above), and went to BabyGap with Tom to pick out a present for little Em. It was so hard to miss her actual birthday, but my family sent pictures and updates throughout the day (and week) to help keep us involved and informed. I can’t wait until Friday when I finally get to meet my brand new niece (and Baby’s closest-aged cousin!).

We also got to spend some good quality time with new and old friends this past weekend. On Friday, we relaxed by the fire and made s’mores with our med school gang, and on Saturday we attended the wedding of one of my best friends from high school, Adam Wilms. It was so great to catch up with some of our old friends from Oshkosh and, most importantly, celebrate the marriage of Adam and his beautiful bride. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

In this final week of the second trimester, Baby weighs about 2 pounds, measures around 14.5 inches long, and is approximately the size of a head of cauliflower. She’s developing more brain tissue (allowing for more neurological activity), and if she were to be born now, her tiny lungs would be capable of functioning (with some medical help)! Baby is opening and closing her eyes, sucking her fingers, and sleeping/waking at regular intervals.

And, for the first time this week, I felt the baby having hiccups! The website I consulted about these tiny rhythmic movements reassured me that sensing hiccups is common in this stage of pregnancy, that they only last a few moments, and that they don’t distress the baby at all. So I was advised to just “relax and enjoy the tickle.” ;)