Third Trimester Already?

Blogging has been pretty difficult these days (as you've likely noticed)... I usually have to nap 2 days out of 3.  My only chance is while Eowyn naps (SO thankful she still naps 2 hours!), but that's also prime blogging time, prime reading time, prime muffin-making time, prime unpacking breakables time... Being sick the first 3 weeks since our move didn't help.  Anyway, enough about that!  I'll have to try and put up some pictures of our Greenville adventures- story-time, parks, Nina & GB visits, princess dresses, and lots of family get-togethers- as well as our house as it shapes up out of boxy chaos (I'm particularly excited with Eowyn's play areas!).  This post, however, is to be about little Mr. Liam-in-the-making.

The numbers: I'm almost done with week 27, which means I'm inching into the third (and final) trimester of pregnancy.  I weighed myself this morning, and have gained 2 lbs since my last visit (at 24 weeks), putting me at 151 lbs.  I've had fun comparing this pregnancy with my last ever since I got my full medical records file from my midwife (for the move).  So far I've gained weight faster than I did with Eowyn... probably because I haven't been as sick, AND I've been able to rest!  Hopefully I won't gain more in the end, hehehe-- we'll see!

New Challanges: Shortness of breath, renewed fatigue, and signs of a slightly racing heart-- I'm surprised it's kicked in this early; I wasn't expecting it until 32 weeksish, but oh well. Hopefully it'll let up soon too.  Mild heartburn when I eat cooked tomatoes.  (The past week has been a strange one.  I think I may have been working through some soy contamination, or maybe fighting off a virus.) Putting on my boots (or anything involving trying to bend in half-- there's just something in the way now!). And most lately, being pummeled from a new angle.  William had been laying fairly comfortably, with his head down, his little bum tucked up against my left side, his feet perfectly positioned to kick my right-sided organs... just like his sister did.  Then two nights ago, he did what looked & felt like barrel rolls, and I have no idea how he's laying now.  All I know is that I and my organs are NOT as comfortable!  I hope he realizes that he was happier as he was.  Anytime now. 

Reliefs:  I've found relief from the hip/sacrum pain that was plaguing me.  YIPEEEEE!!!!  Chiropractic adjustments combined with the stretches my new chiro taught me have taken care of it! I'm so thankful.  A Groupon also enabled me to have 2 half-hour massages over the past 2 weeks, and that's been so nice in relaxing tense upper-back and neck muscles that don't appreciate sleeping on my side.

My favorite part of this week:  as he gets bonier and stronger, I can actually feel his joints & head clearly under my hand on my belly.  It's fun to gently poke him back and feel him move in response.  He definitely kicks other kids.  Eowyn was sitting on my lap Sunday evening and he started kicking her, and her laughing reaction "He sayin'- Get off me, Get off me!" was so cute!  I also was holding a friend's 4-day-old baby (Levi), curled up on top of my belly, and Liam started kicking Levi's feet!  Levi was NOT impressed, but I assured him he could get Liam back in about 3 months.

I've just interviewed my final midwife today (Amy at Blessed Births), and I am now trying to pick one from the three wonderful ones I've met!! (The others run Upstate Birth Center and Carolina Waterbirth). I'm so thankful for the abundance of midwives and birth options around here! Every midwife I've interviewed has taken as much time as I wanted to answer every question I had, has treated me like a person (not a to-do checklist), and has had wonderful insight into birth! Now to just pick ONE! Arg, so difficult! (but what a great conundrum to have!!)

It's crazy how fast this past month has gone by.  Just 12 more weeks and we'll be meeting our little guy!!  I know it will be here before I know it!