Third Trimester

Well folks, we're starting the home stretch now. This pregnancy is officially two-thirds of the way done. When did that happen?

I'm definitely feeling rather large these days (and there's some explanation to that, which I'll get to in a minute), my back still aches all the time, and frankly, I'm just unwieldy. I had my first "oh man, I think I'm stuck on my back like a turtle" moment the other night trying to roll over in bed. I was eventually successful, but Eric found it humorous nonetheless. I can't wait to see how I look by the end of this thing, if I'm already feeling so big and awkward!

28-week photo, first of the third trimester!

Baby Girl moves and kicks all the time. Sometimes it's a bit uncomfortable but I can't say that I mind. Actually, it's pretty much the coolest thing ever. I think she and I may have had our first actual interaction the other day, too. Lately, when she isn't actively kicking (and bruising?) them, she has decided my ribs make an excellent footrest and she loves to nestle herself in there. The other night she was doing this, and it was uncomfortable, so I tried to gently massage her out of there. As soon as I stopped, she kicked me - HARD. And then nestled right back in! So, I massaged her down again, then stopped, then KICK, then back in place. This happened three times in a row. Does this mean my daughter is already sassing me? Am I already getting a "leave me alone, MOM, I'll do what I want"? I thought I had at least a few years to wait for that, no?

Yesterday we were able to get another look at the little one with a repeat ultrasound. I should probably pause here and fill you in on our hospital drama, which I don't think I've really gone into here yet. As you may recall, I did mention some time ago that we decided to deliver at the Hoboken hospital, but then it went bankrupt and nearly closed down. In the final hour, it was sold and announced it would remain open. Great news, right? Well, only if your insurance is either Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare or Medicaid, which ours is not. That's all they are accepting right now. So remember when we had our last ultrasound, and I told you we had to go back in a month to check on Baby's kidneys and heart? Well, we had that follow-up appointment scheduled at Hoboken, which we had to cancel thanks to this insurance drama. This also meant we had a decision to make: stick with our current doctors and deliver at Palisades, which is four miles north of us but rather inaccessible by public transportation (and we are car-less), or switch doctors and deliver in the city. Stress set in, and I don't handle stress well. Pregnancy does not help that.

Ultimately, although we really liked one hospital in particular in the city, the idea of trying to switch doctors this late in the game just stressed me out far too much so we're staying put. Palisades is a bit of a pain to get to, but we had our ultrasound yesterday done there and the hospital itself is quite nice. We haven't toured Labor and Delivery yet, but will soon. What we did see of the hospital was impressive, though, and everyone we encountered was very friendly. So, although it wasn't our first choice (convenience-wise), I think it will end up being a good thing. That's reassuring!

The ultrasound yesterday went very well. They had wanted to check on her kidneys, which looked a little "plump" last time - still within the normal range, but at the high end. This time, they looked perfect! Last time they also weren't able to get all the views of her heart they wanted, but this time we saw all four chambers beating beautifully.

The only strange thing was that she's measuring about two weeks ahead of schedule - they said she weighs four pounds already! No wonder my back hurts then, carrying her chunky little self around, right? The tech mentioned her large size could be a sign of gestational diabetes, but I was tested for that last month and everything came back normal. They're having us come back for a follow-up ultrasound at the end of the month to check on her growth, and we'll see what my doctor says at my next appointment, too. I'm not super worried or anything, but really, as much as I love chubby babies (the more folds in the legs, the better), I would prefer she wait until AFTER I have delivered her to fatten up!

But enough talk, let's look at some pictures! First, your standard ultrasound photos, including her sweet little profile, and one that captures her favorite pastime: kicking me in the ribs.

What a cute little nose!

See that foot gearing up to kick me? It might be hard to make out, but it's like she's laying on her back and kicking upward. See it?

The tech also switched over to the 4D ultrasound for a bit so we could get a look at her features, too. As soon as I saw her face, I looked over at Eric and said something to the effect of, "holy crap, she looks just like you," to which he replied something to the effect of, "right? I thought so, too." So, yeah. I'm carrying my husband's mini-me.

This is the shot that did it for me - she looks just like her daddy!

The tech also said she is quite photogenic, and she was indeed hamming it up a bit for the camera:

Tebowing!

Smiling for the camera already! It's a good thing she likes to have her picture taken, because we have been known to take a picture or two from time to time.

Silly face!

And in case you don't believe me that she is a clone of her father, I put together a couple of comparisons for you:

Our smiling little one, alongside the sweetest photo ever taken of my husband

Baby Girl and Baby Eric - awww!

I know I'm biased, but I think she's just as cute as a button. Seeing these pictures makes me even more excited to see her in person in a few months. I just want to kiss those little Eric-lookalike cheeks! I just adore her already.

Eleven weeks left to go!