25 weeks - Baby Gretel/Denizabeth

We are rounding third and almost in the home stretch! According to my apps I'm one week away from my last trimester. Some websites say it's week 27 and one said week 28. Either way, we are getting close to the final trimester. I'm three months and one week away from my due date. Three months seems like a ways away but when I look back to February it has gone by fast.

The little wean pot has been given some names. Aunt Ana started to call her Gretel since her hilarious friend Holly just gave birth to her baby and referred to her womb as Gretel. For instance, she'd say, "Gretel is taking mommies brain," when she'd be absent minded. Then Aunt Susie was telling some horror stories of student teaching in Harlem while we were home and Denizabeth was one of the girls in the story so that soon became a new nickname for her. Aunt Brandi quickly shortened it to Deniz for us. She now kicks and punches when called any of them, I'm not sure if that's in protest or happiness that she's getting everyone's attention. I love her Aunts so much, they make me laugh and there is never a time when I'm around them I don't feel at "home" no matter where we are. Of course we aren't going to name her any of those wonderful names but it makes communicating with her now lots of fun!

I'm finally filling out my pregnancy shirts in the correct form, I feel better about wearing them, the beer belly is fading and a nice round bump is slowly developing. In the picture below I'm wearing my favorite shirt that my friend Siobhan send me. She just had the cutest baby girl! I'll put a picture of her daughter below too!  My belly button hasn't "popped" as they say it should. I'm okay with that. I can tell it's not far. Deniz is still very active, she is very much on the go all throughout the day. Some days more than others but I can always get her to move if I get nervous. Sitting still helps, laying down on my back is almost a guarantee. It seems when she's all over and I put someones hand on my belly to feel she holds still. Already stubborn like her daddy! Just kidding, we both can be! ;) She let most everyone at home feel a kick or punch at some point. I have a very faint linea negra which is the line that appears and goes from your pelvis to your belly button. I'm sure the more I grow the more it will appear. I'm feeling good, still having trouble with acid reflux but my doctors put me back on my old medication and said it was fine. It helps a lot, my nights are more sleeping and less burping and sitting up. My recent challenges are shoes and getting up from sitting down/laying down. It's all still possible but funny to watch I'm sure. Andre is a big help when it comes to pushing me, pulling me or untying my laces for me. The reason I hate the shoes so much is when I bend over for a few moments and then stand back up, my lunch comes up with me. Yuck. You can see her clearly though my belly when I move. Her movements are less fast pace and more slides and rolls, I think she is slowly running out of space in there. I can poke back at her to let her know I feel her and Daddy can see her all over too. It's such a neat thing to watch.

I just finished my LAST ESOL course. This is an online class that I've been taking to become ESOL endorsed for work. I'm required to take one class a year, it's worth 60 credit hours. Since I got my education in NY this wasn't built into my degree like most Floridians. I'm FINALLY done. It's such a weight lifted off my shoulders to be done, especially before Gretel comes. I know I will not have attention, energy, or time for things like that once she's around. I've spent the last few days working on the assignments non-stop at home. It's nice and quiet in the house since I have to have the TV off to focus. I found today that when I talk to her she moves all about so I know she can hear me. When I'm in the pool she responds with some solid kicks and punches to the light. It's so nice to know she's responding to her surroundings. My uterus is now about the size of a basketball. I've stopped using the food for scale pictures since you can get an idea of her size by the look of my belly now.



My friend Siobhan's adorable daughter, Maebh Emma. (DOOFER BABY #1) ;) She is about 4 months in this picture. She was almost 11 LBS when born naturally. Sio and I played vball together in college and she is over 6 ft tall so I'm not surprised her little one started life big too. She is so adorable! I can't wait for our daughters to be great friends!