Pregnancy, Week 26 - Bump Buddies

Physical Symptoms: Nothing really different to report this week in regards to pregnancy. Still having crazy dreams and getting off the couch is continuing to increase in difficulty. Natalie is moving around a lot. Chris has been able to feel her more frequently and sometimes you can even see her move around in my belly.

I got a cold/sinus thing this week. Ugh, I hate being sick in general but being sick while pregnant is rough. There is so many limits to what I can take to combat the illness and its hard to continue to be active (walk, stretch, etc.) when you just feel like laying around.

Food Weirdness: None! But when you are sick it is really weird. I don't have much of an appetite but Natalie does so its like I am disgusted at food/starving at the same time.  Because of this I just choose to eat small meals and snack a lot during the day to continue to nourish her.

Size of little (girl) bug: Butternut Squash

Workout: Walking! Chris and I recently did the Claremont Loop (or part of it) near our town. It is a great little trail that allowed us to get a great workout, in a quiet area away from the cars. We plan to go back often.

Preparation: Chris and I registered at Babies R Us this weekend.  Wow, now that was an adventure. I really had no clue what I was doing, so I was thankful Chris is experienced in baby gear to aid in this process. Also, thankful my stepsons mom recently had a new baby so she was able to give some advice on the newest bottles, etc. I mean really, there is SO much to choose from. Also, I am going to need to get used to the color pink. I kept picking out the blue items and things with footballs on them. Not surprising, since I was the little girl who's favorite toy was a metal replica of a Bobcat Loader. Just watch, Natalie will probably end up being super girly, lol.

Discovery: I discovered there are a millions things you can buy for a baby. Constantly reminding myself that some of these things are nice to have but not always necessary in raising a baby.

Funny Moment: Chris wanted to show me how "easy" it was to set up a pack 'n play. So he took down a already assembled one from the shelf (of a brand name that is not extremely popular) and it took him about 10 minutes to wrestle with that thing (taking it down and putting back up). We had a good laugh at how "easy" it was.  He had much better luck when he chose a popular brand name pack 'n play and was able to prove his point that they can be easy to assemble.

Feelings: I want to take a minute to talk about "bump buddies." These are the ladies who I am blessed to be pregnant with.  I feel very fortunate that many of my good friends, co-workers, even neighbors are also pregnant. For some of them it is their first child and for some others they are adding to their clan.  The wisdom, camaraderie, support and transparency about being pregnant and mommyhood is a priceless gift.  If you are feeling alone in your pregnancy, I encourage you to join a group at your church, community or hospital that may offer support during this time.  It really makes all the difference. Its nice to know you are not alone and can seek encouragement anytime.

But also, with that, it is beneficial to maintain friendships with those who are not pregnant. Remember there is still life going on beyond pregnancy and just a few short months ago you were engaged fully in that life.  With my friends and even with my husband I try to be mindful to not focus on talking about pregnancy and the baby but to remember that there is still a world out there that is important to be present in.

A few of my bump buddies: