THE GREEN(wald) HOUSE … (growing rosemary & raising a little wolf)

31 years old and 31 weeks pregnant!
So, this week is #31 for pregnancy and also happens to mark my 31st birthday on Wednesday - cool co-incidence! I am making my last plane trip (before the baby comes) to NJ for my sister Emily’s wedding shower this weekend, it will be great to see my mom and sisters - I am also spending a couple days in NY visiting old friends so that will be nice… My SIL Pauline is due any second, so I will probably be busy visiting her and helping out for the next few weeks. I finally got my garden planted this week and now my back has been aching even more… I think I over did it a little… so now I am just trying to rest and relax.
I have been having a weird pain under my right breast lately - it feels like my ribcage is aching - but only on that one side… anyone else feeling this? It goes away if I lean back and stretch a little… I must remember to ask my midwife about it at my appt on Thurs.
So, we officially decided on a home birth instead of doing it at the Birth Place (the birth center run by our midwife). It just makes more sense as the birth center is about an hour’s drive from us and we are just as close to a hospital here as we would be there - I am so excited - I grew up wanting a home birth (since my younger sister Emily was born at home and I watched as a 2 year old) - it just seems like the right place for me… Planning on using my big jacuzzi tub - but will listen to my body and end up wherever feels right for birthing.

So, I have gained about 20 pounds so far- I don’t mind the extra weight at all - I was about 5-10 lbs heavier than I would like to be when we found out - but I am really loving my voluptuous round body - I lift my shirt and show off my belly to everyone! Plus, I have cleavage for the first time in my life! The only thing I don’t like is that my upper inner thighs now rub together when I walk - now that the weather is warm sometimes it gets a little sweaty and sticky and starts chafing - ouch! I found out today my breasts are working and making colostrom already - I was reading posts on Mothering.com and other moms were talking about it and I squeezed one of my nipples and saw a few drops of colostrom! It is so amazing to see my body working like that…

Wow I can’t believe that this is my 30th week! It seems like it has flown by - I am going to really to try to pay attention and enjoy these last few weeks! I am feeling huge in general and finding it really difficult to get in and out of bed and off the couch - I am trying to muster up the energy to do my prenatal yoga cuz I know it will make me feel better - but it is so much easier to just lay around…
Baby has been moving a lot - it seems like he/she is constantly shifting position…hiccuping a lot too…
We are going to a good friend’s wedding this weekend and I am so excited to get dressed up and go out and dance! I would love to have a glass of wine as well - but I am too nervous to chance it - though I might have a sip of Joe’s..

I am feeling a little happy and sad that this pregnancy is almost over - I am so excited to meet this baby and hold him/her in my arms and I am really looking forward to being a mommy and breastfeeding and just loving this little one…
On the other hand, I love being pregnant as well, I love feeling so round and the secret movements inside that only I can feel - though I am starting to get more achy in the back, leg cramps, and just generally harder getting up and around, so I am sure in another couple months I won’t be feeling so cheery about it…

28 weeks now and feeling great but HUGE already! We took a trip to Mexico a couple weeks ago for a last vacation together before I get too big and before the baby gets here - It was great to get away - no TV, no phones, relaxing in the ocean, showing off my big belly in my bikini…
I have been feeling really tired lately and trying to find time to nap whenever possible… Had a conventional baby shower last weekend and my mom and sisters came in and painted the baby’s room and shopped for furniture and now it feels so “official” to walk by the room and know that it is almost time to be a mommy…I am starting to get a linea negra - I have noticed a faint line growing a bit darker over the past few weeks - I really like it! Plus I feel like I am getting noticably bigger every day - I can’t imagine what I will look like in another 12 weeks! Yikes! I feel huge already!
According to my midwife, my cooperative little baby is already head down and ready to go! Was transverse at 23 weeks, then last week at 27 weeks was head down and she had me feel too so I could recognize the body parts and know what I am feeling - I have been trying to keep track to see if baby changes position - but still feels head down to me - just hoping baby stays this way for another 12 weeks! Thankfully my belly is still stretch mark free and hoping it stays that way… I have been using lots of lotion and Mother’s Special blend oil to keep my skin soft. My mom and sister never got stretch marks and I have been gaining weight pretty steadily (4-6lbs a month) so hopefully those are all good signs as well.