How far along: 30 weeks, completed 7/31/2012.

Weight gain: I should have more regular updates in this area since my appointments are now moving to every two weeks (my next one is, in fact, Monday). That said, while I was in Wisconsin I happened to spot a scale and hopped on it: 148, so it looks like about 1 pound in the past week.

Clothes: Still rejoicing in my long maternity tanks from Target and my stash of belly-friendly dresses.

Purchases: No baby-related purchases, but I did receive absolutely lovely gifts (and cash!) from my extended family at the weekend gathering we had. Thank you Mom, Aunt Jacquie, Aunt Jessie, Aunt Paula, Aurora, June, Eleanor, Marguerite, Aunt Chula, Rachel, and whoever else I’m forgetting! Pictures are forthcoming, but my favorite gift was the quilt my sister Erica made in soft yellows and greens. It’s the most precious thing I’ve ever seen. Sniff sniff.

There’s just something about knowing that Alice is going to be born into so much love, and that my sisters will adore her no matter what, that sends me into tears when I think about it. And somehow unfolding that quilt from Erica just made this hit home for me. This little girl doesn’t even know we exist yet, and already she is so cherished by so many.

Body: I’d thought based on last week that we would be seeing the last of this trick, but my mutant ability is apparently refusing to die.

Where does she go??

It’s a mystery for the ages.

Sleep: This has been the most challenging week so far, and I can only hope it’s a fluke based on travel (which sometimes funkifies my rest cycle, especially since I didn’t have my body pillow with me). The two nights I spent in Wisconsin, I was fidgety and restless, so I ended up walking around the darkened hotel room while trying not to wake Erica, peeing about a million times, doing squats to get rid of that antsy feeling in my legs, and finally falling asleep around 3am (both times after praying for God to have mercy on me and send me into a state of oblivion).

Then I came home, and though I’ve been able to go to sleep a lot more quickly off the bat, I’ve been waking up to pee around 2:30am and not being able to fall back asleep for about an hour.

To this I saw: craorrwww.

I also almost pushed my poor husband out of the bed with my body pillow. Me and that pillow . . . we take up a lot of space. The poor guy uttered a meek “Um . . . Jenna?” around 3am on one such night, and I quickly moved things around so that he could actually sleep without the risk of falling off the edge.

Best moment(s) of the week: Spending Friday and Saturday with my sister Erica and roadtripping to Wisconsin together was divine. There is NOTHING in the world like sister time–talking and crying and talking some more, sharing hair products and hairstyling tips, grabbing McD’s for breakfast, knowing what the other is thinking before she has to say it, exchanging meaningful eye glances and knowing exactly what the other means by it, etc. Sharing Alice’s movements and body rolls with Erica was also a delight, and seeing her love for her niece that’s already so strong was an unbelievable blessing to me.

We loved our time with our extended family, and we also loved escaping both nights to a hotel that was our own space, where we could let loose, turn on the TV, and just completely chill out.

I love you, Erica!!

Let’s do this again whenever we have a chance.

Movement: Big body rolls seem to be the name of the game. She tends to do these after I lie down on my back in the evening or at night, and love watching the waves she makes on the surface of my belly. I’m also definitely feeling her hiccups–little rhythmic pops that go on for a few minutes. I think that feeling her move is one of my favorite parts of pregnancy, guys.

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing!

Symptoms: So! I had heartburn for the first time in my life. Wow–now I know why people take something for it. It hurts! It’s like a fire in your chest or something. I had it once (last Wednesday?) after lunch and also after dinner. Thankfully that’s the only time, because if it becomes the norm . . . well, ouch.

Also, exhaustion really has returned, making me crave naps that I frequently can’t take. It’s not as bad as the first trimester yet, when I was so desperate to sleep that I leaned my head on my desk at the office and said adios to the world around me. And another time, just lay down on the floor for a 30 minute nap, since there was no one around to see me.

I feel like I could get to that point soon, but we’ll see.

Emotions: Feeling loved! By my sister, my mom, by my extended family and sweet aunts and cousins–the love has just been pouring into me and little Alice.

Also, the pattern still holds: when we watch a birth video at the Bradley class, I invariably cry when the baby pops out, no matter how slimy or covered in white goo. It is just so moving, you guys.

Our pastor and his wife (Tom and Traci) has us over for brunch on Sunday along with two other couple friends of ours who are having their babies this month–possibly within the next week or two. Tom and Traci gave us tons of good advice about sleep training and nursing, and it was great to be able to ask questions, hear specific stories about what worked and didn’t work for them, hear the concerns the other couples had, and just generally talk baby stuff with friends who are about to embark on the same journey we are. Our church has truly become our family here in Chicago.

Hopes and dreams: At this point, I’m dreaming of cooler weather . . . because the idea of having a baby strapped to my sweaty chest as I navigate public transit in 100 degree heat seems like a nightmarish sweat bath. By October this weather foolishness should all be over, right?

What I miss: At this point, routine. This summer has been so crazy with band stuff, family stuff, church stuff, social stuff, photography stuff, birthing classes, preparation for moving, etc. And it’s been great! But I’m so ready for the stability and predictability of the fall. Once we move to our new apartment, I’m going to find that groove and just settle into it. It’s going to be awesome. I can do chaos . . . but I thrive on routine with some occasional chaos loosely sprinkled in.

What I’m looking forward to: Getting a temp in place at my job to cover me during my maternity leave (which reminds me I still need to share with you guys about my work situation). I can’t wait until all of that is settled and I’m training the right person–I feel like then I can start to emotionally let go of work and refocus that energy on my impending motherhood and all the (lovely) demands that will come with it.

Husband update: I’ve been writing this post with a pretty joyful and happy heart, but I have to say that when I just got to the line “husband update,” my face broke into a full-fledged smile.

He makes me smile, guys.

In fact, I can’t stop.

I get to have a baby with my best friend!

And my best friend happens to be the kindest man I’ve ever met. He is so committed to loving me well, to being vulnerable even when it’s hard, to serving me by taking care of my physical needs (going to the grocery alone when I’m tired; packing for our move to save my body the strain of bending and twisting; taking care of a million little household chores). And he’s also the most fun person to hang out with.

Somehow, when I was 18 and had a terrible hairdo and was socially awkward and had bacne, this crazy kid from LaPorte, Indiana showed up and fell in love with me. And then the “crazy kid” actually turned out to be a godly man with the strongest and most tender heart I could have imagined.

And I say “somehow,” but it is so clearly the hand of God that gave him to me, and intertwined our hearts over the years into what we have now–this unity of spirit that just blows me away.

Aahhhh. Anyway, enough mush for today–go forth and have a great end of the week, all y’all!