Week 33: Spin, Baby, Spin!

Little One,

Daddy asked if I had a wall ball in my tummy, too.

You are getting bigger and bigger every week, so big that total strangers are no longer afraid to mention the fact that I'm pregnant (a lady at Home Hardware asked me when I was due, then showed me pictures of her new granddaughter on her iPhone). I guess it's not something you can hide at 33 weeks! The funniest thing is how the shape of my belly changes, seemingly, day to day, depending on how you're lying. I'm a little bit frustrated with the health care system right now, because the doctor couldn't tell if you were head up or head down, and they won't do an ultrasound until 37 weeks to determine if you're still breech. In the doctor's words: "Baby is really low in your pelvis, but I can't tell if it's his/her head or his/her bum!") Even more frustrating is that I can't tell! I have a feeling that you're still breech based on where I feel most of your movement, but I'm not certain. This week I'm amping up on my baby spinning exercises, and next week I'm seeing a chiropractor for a hip adjustment to promote a head-down entry into this world. All of this stuff is so scary right now because I've never been through it before, but I just have to trust that you'll come into this world the way you're supposed to, and as long as I do what I can to make sure your delivery is safe, the medical world will work its wonders, too.

We had another fantastic Crossfit Open experience again this past Saturday - 13.3 was 150 wall balls, 90 double-unders and 30 muscle-ups in 12 minutes. I went in planning on 10 wall balls a minute for a score of 120 - I just wanted to make sure I'd be able to talk the whole way through. Imagine my surprise when I hit 150 wall balls with a minute and a half of time left - and I managed to crack out 53 double-unders, beating my score of 167 from last year with a score of 203. I couldn't believe it - I had the stupidest grin on my face throughout the double-unders (lots of photographic evidence of that) and I was again blown away by the support of my teammates. Being able to continue well into my third pregnancy has been such a blessing. I couldn't ask for more!

Last night, I held P & K's baby M who's two weeks old. I rocked and rocked him, totally in awe at how tiny he is, and even more in awe that you'll be coming along in 6 weeks - give or take a few. Daddy said last night he's sick of me being pregnant ("it's just gone on long enough") and he sanded your dresser (his old one) without me nagging him too much to get it done, so it looks like he's getting anxious to meet you, too. Stay safe in there... we're anxious to meet you but we can definitely wait a few weeks. :)

Love,

Mama

Weeks 31 & 32: Energy & Exhaustion

Little One,

I'm writing this on a Monday morning, sitting at my desk at work when I really should be photocopying for the day. Today's one of those days where my hair is disheveled, I really don't feel like being here, and I could probably nap all day if given the opportunity. But tomorrow? Tomorrow I could be jumping off the walls, excited, energetic, and happy. That's what the past two weeks have felt like - a pendulum swing between exhaustion and energy.

One highlight of the past two weeks has been participating in the 2013 Crossfit Open. I recognize that through my pregnancy, although I've remained relatively fit, I've lost a lot of my physical capacity - I can barely squat without my hip flexors feeling like they're on fire, and most days, it's very difficult to drag myself to the gym (so difficult, in fact, that I end up just going home to bed.) But since getting pregnant, I knew that I wanted to keep up with my fitness as best I could, so I committed to participating in the Crossfit Open. The first workout - a 17 minute chipper of burpess and snatches - was one of the best days of my pregnancy. I felt so full of life and spirit. The second workout - a 10 minute AMRAP of 5 75# push press, 10 75# deadlifts and 15 box jumps (step ups, in my case) felt equally as awesome - even after a sleepless night and two full days of grad retreat exhaustion. I don't know what it is, but I'm happy when I'm exercising. I'm not happy when I think about exercising, and I'm not happy when I'm dragging my lazy bones to the gym, but once I'm in that workout, I feel fantastic. I think you like it, too... at least I hope you do. You're good at telling me what to avoid - some days, kipping pull ups are not your favourite (ouch, does my tummy ever get tight!) but other days, you're like, hey, go ahead with your kips. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to keep Crossfitting througout my pregnancy and I can't wait to get back into it fully once you're in the world.

I think it's safe to say that within the next 3 weeks, I'll be saying that I'm sick of being pregnant. I'm not quite sick of it yet, although that thought has fluttered through my mind. The more babies that are born around me, the more excited (and nervous) I am to meet you. I love the feeling of you wriggling around in my tummy, but I can't wait to see what you look like, what you smell like, how we interact, and what our family is going to be like once you're on the outside with us.

I was at a silent retreat in Lethbridge this weekend, and during directed prayer from a spiritual director, I had an image of myself and your father holding you - the three of us protected by a ring of flame. I know that God's love for you is so powerful and inexplicable - I just hope I can see you with His eyes and love you with His heart. Better start practicing now - it's gonna be one of "those days" so if I can approach it with a smile even when I just feel like sleeping, I'll be able to get through whatever trials and tribulations come my way through your birth... and your life.

You're sleeping right now... wish I could be right there with you. I can't wait to feel some more of your wriggly squirming as the day progresses - those are some of the best moments of my days lately.

Love you,

Mama