Third Trimester - Brought to you by the letter H

As of tomorrow I will be 31 weeks pregnant.  We are in third trimester territory & the home stretch!

This trimester is brought to you by the letter H.  H is for Hiccups, Hemorrhoids, Heartburn and Hot tempers!

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You guessed it... we have SYMPTOMS!  For the first time in my life, I have had hemorrhoids.  I've done everything possible to avoid this nasty symptom, including eating a healthy, high fiber diet, taking psyllium daily, keep "regular", not straining, etc.  No luck.  I guess when there is a baby laying on your business and squishing everything, your efforts can only go so far.  It was really kind of a funny experience (albeit, uncomfortable.)  Since I have never had hemorrhoids, I had no idea what was going on down there and it was really interesting trying to figure it out.  I'll just leave it at that and let y'all guess the funny pregnant positions I had to get into to get a better look... Ahem... moving on.

There were a couple days last trimester where I thought heartburn might be an issue, but, thankfully, it passed quickly.  Well, heartburn has made a come-back this trimester!  I recently started trying to lean forward more throughout the day to get Levi comfortable in the head-down position (he has been transverse most of the pregnancy.)  I found that head-down, with head pressing on my bladder and feet in my ribs, is the best way to get all kinds of new symptoms!!  Apparently, when he lays this way, he really squishes things.  The day I first got him turned, I noticed that the heartburn was back with a vengeance! I've made adjustments to how I eat in evenings (smaller meals, earlier in the evening if I can) and have tried natural ways to curb the burn (chew cinnamon gum, avoid liquids later in the day), but I may be investing in a bottle of Mylanta soon.  I can see this getting more severe as Levi gets chunkier in the weeks to come! *Sigh*

I have heard tales of insane pregnant women losing their marbles over the silliest things and going crazy on their husbands.  My own mother has warned me and tried to prepare Tyler for what was to come.  My mood has been very balanced most of the pregnancy.  Other than being a bit more emotional and a lot quicker to cry, I haven't had any momentous rage fests... until this trimester.  Pregnancy rage & HOT TEMPERS are REAL.  Beware of aggravated preggos!

I went to the grocery store a couple weeks ago, and I ended up having a major meltdown over PICKLES.  I wanted to get dill pickles (pregnant, duh) but I wanted pickles without extra "crap" in them.  Crap = High Fructose Corn Syrup, Yellow 5, etc.  I was reading every jar of pickles on the shelf and getting progressively heated over the fact that they ALL had these extra, unhealthy, ingredients.  I do not need my pickles to be sweetened or neon, so why the HFCS and yellow 5??  I could feel my body heating up, and I am thankful that a friendly associate did not approach me at that moment to ask if I needed any help.  I'm quite certain I would have unloaded a pregnancy hormone induced BLIND RAGE on him or her, as if they were guilty of putting the extra "crap" in the pickles!  I unloaded on Facebook instead, and after I calmed down, I got a good laugh out of the comments from friends calling me out on my pregnancy meltdown.  This story has a happy ending.  I found "natural" pickles.  Vlasic Farmer's Garden brand was twice the price, with half the ingredients (which, in itself, is complete CRAP) but I bought them and they are delicious.  Hopefully, that jar will get me through the next 9 weeks so we don't have this same meltdown again... :)  Later, a friend also told me that there are pickles in the refrigerated section without all the preservatives. Noted!

The CUTEST and most consistent pregnancy thrill right now is Levi's daily (sometimes twice daily) hiccups.  Just about every night before bed, he gets the hiccups, sometimes for 20 minutes at a time!  It makes me giggle every time.  I love it because it helps me find out where his lil head is and let's me know he's healthy and well in there.

He is moving constantly now.  Tyler asked me the other day why I never tell him when Levi's moving anymore, and I explained that he never STOPS moving!  His movements are so obvious, and sometimes I think he tries a little too hard to get my attention.  It is not uncommon to get a punch or kick in the bladder and ribs that makes me squirm or verbally respond.  He's getting big & strong!  I've heard of babies that have kicked so hard in the womb that they've actually fractured their mom's ribs.  I joked with Tyler that if he were to do that, I could use that as guilt leverage for the rest of his life... muahaha!  ;)  Mean mommy.

Aside from the symptoms listed above, I'm actually feeling better than ever this trimester.  Tyler and I have been going to the gym for about an hour a night 4-5x a week, I've been working out to pregnancy videos, and I've been eating clean about 80% of the time.  I've been blessed with an unusually easy pregnancy, but I definitely think taking good care of myself has helped a great deal!

Here are a few pictures from the 30th week!

Levi at 30 weeks! He already looks like his handsome daddy!

Feeling strong after the gym at 30 weeks!  My belly falls out of all of my workout tops now.  This is the last one that covers it!

Two of Tyler's best friends got married this weekend so I got to buy a new maternity dress and get dolled up!  I highly recommend ASOS for maternity wear!  The prices were great and I felt pretty (not always easy in the 3rd trimester!)

We had a wonderful time at our friends' wedding this weekend.  I love my handsome hubby and baby daddy! :)