32 weeks

Size of baby: A squash

Sleep: Uncomfortable sometimes, fine sometimes. Rolling over and getting out of bed is getting increasingly more difficult.

Movement: It's feeling so weird! Baby's running out of room and I can tell. I don't know how to explain it... like... there's a whirlpool in my lower stomach with currents flowing every which way. That's the feeling I have right now as I type, and the best way to describe it.

Feeling: Big and tired. The reality of having a newborn in two months is starting to sink in. But not completely. Not even close to completely.

What I miss: Having energy, drinking wine, sleeping through the night without having to pee.

What I'm looking forward to: Breastfeeding and infant safety classes.

Best moment this week: The whole Memorial Day weekend was awesome! Hung out with family (mine and hubby's), had a birthday party for our moms, played frisbee, soccer and softball at the park, barbecued and hung out. Lovely.

I should have been standing, I don't look pregnant... just gigantic!

Worst moment this week: That rib pain I've mentioned a few times before? My doctor told me that's not baby, it's gallstones. Which sucks... I'll probably blog about that later separately.

Milestones: Well, she should be head down by now... but I have a feeling she isn't. I'm not going to worry about it for another month (per my midwife's advice).

Cravings: Milk. Love it.

Food aversions: Nothing specific.

Hospital tour

We had our hospital tour tonight. Two thoughts:

1. Holy crap, this is getting real.
2. Our hospital is awesome, I'm so excited to have our baby there!

Why is it so awesome? Let me count the ways... they are so progressive in their standard practices. Super natural birth friendly - they have labor tubs (two total) and showers (in every room), almost never give episiotomies, do not rush to a C-section if you don't progress "fast enough" after your water breaks, provide squat bars, encourage immediate skin-to-skin contact (even if you have a C-section!) and promote breastfeeding like crazy.

They're certified "baby friendly" by the World Health Organization because of their commitment to these practices.

image source

I really don't think we're going to have any problems getting any of our birth preferences that might be more liberal than other hospitals and old school doctors are used to. We even get to deliver with a midwife.

Now I need to seriously start thinking about getting a hospital bag ready to go. Holy crap!!

31 weeks

I'm still wearing lots of non-maternity bottoms, which is cool. Not jeans of course... those went away in the first trimester... but yoga pants and skirts still work! In this picture I'm wearing a skirt - I just have to wear them lower under my bump and make sure I have a long enough maternity top.

Size of baby: The size of a pineapple! Yikes!

Sleep: Great some nights, and restless/uncomfortable other nights.

Movement: Yep! As baby runs out of room, there are less kicks and punches, and more just shifting around.

Feeling: It seems like baby is always pushing up into my right ribs... that's uncomfortable. On Sunday I did lots and lots of yard work for 2 hours, and for the rest of the day I was beat. So, so exhausted!! Then Monday we went for a long walk and after 40 minutes my sciatica was killing me. Like, the last half hour I had to walk home really old-lady-slow because every step was painful.

What I miss: Laying on my back to watch TV.

What I'm looking forward to: My next prenatal appointment is Tuesday, and later that night is our hospital tour. Also my sister staying with us this weekend.

Best moment this week: Hmmm... it was pretty cute volunteering with my mom at her church - she'd introduce me to everyone and always mention her grandbaby.

Worst moment this week: Finding ants AND THEN A RAT in the house/garage :( Eww eww eww!!

Milestones: All of baby's five senses are fully developed. Brain and nerve development is happening, and the eyes now react to light.

Cravings: Milk - I honestly drink 6 glasses a day. I switched to organic back in the beginning of my pregnancy because that would be a lot of cow hormones to baby.

Food aversions: It's a struggle to eat my leafy greens most days.

30 weeks

Yes, 30 weeks! That is sooo pregnant!! 75% done. Today a woman asked me if I'm having a boy. I said I don't know, and she said "You definitely are - I'm always right!" She thinks I'm carrying low.

Size of baby: A cucumber (that seems small!)

Sleep: Good! I keep reading that sleep should be horribly uncomfortable by now, and it's just fine for me. ::knockonwood:: Yeah I have to pee 2-3 times before morning, but I'm used to that. I also continue to have really crazy dreams.

Movement: Every day, most active between 9-11 p.m.

Feeling: Fab. I'm feeling grateful for that! I found a solution to swollen feet: Go on a walk in the morning. If I do that, it keeps my circulation going for the whole day and my feet are fine. I do have lower energy these days.

What I miss: Nothing :)

What I'm looking forward to: We're hosting a little birthday party for our moms (they have the same birthday!) next weekend.

Best moment this week: Mother's Day brunch at our house was lovely - I made yummy food and we ate outside on the patio with our parents.

Worst moment this week: My back has been hurting, which isn't necessarily a pregnant problem because I've always had it. I had a prenatal massage on Tuesday that helped.

Milestones: Baby's brain continues to grow, and he's now strong enough to grasp a finger. Awwww!

Cravings: Nothing ever sounds very delicious.

Food aversions: Big fat nothing.

29 weeks

I'm still pretty far from having an outie belly button, but it's certainly changed a lot. I can officially see the back of it, and it's not very far away. So strange. I'm not sure if I'll get an outie (or a flattie... I just invented that term), but I wouldn't be surprised.

Size of baby: The size of an acorn squash

Woah, there's a little person in me that weights 3 pounds!! And is almost a foot and a half long! So hard to comprehend... and according to thebump.com, baby will triple in size before she makes her entrance (exit?).

Sleep: Getting uncomfortable, but not too bad.

Movement: Lots, and it often stirs up some kicks if I eat cereal or drink really cold water. I had the weirdest there's-an-alien-inside-me feeling the other night as I was falling asleep - I swear if I had been looking I would have seen an elbow!

Feeling: I'm getting motivation to clean and organize more (really nothing compared to many people, but I've been kind of lazy recently). I guess you could call it nesting. Then I'm sooo tired if I do too much. I still have feet swelling, but for the past few weeks it actually hasn't been as bad as a month ago. Oh and I pee constantly... sometimes every 15 minutes.

What I miss: After a busy day I'm really tired and my feet hurt. I miss not having that!

What I'm looking forward to: I booked a prenatal massage for Tuesday! We also have our infant care class at the hospital on Monday.

Best moment this week: Getting lots done around the house - yard work, replacing electrical outlets, fixing a faucet, replacing the broken door to our attic, cleaning off the patio for the summer season, having some art framed. Could not do it all without my motivated husband!

Worst moment this week: It's too HOT!! Man, it's going to be an uncomfortable summer...

Milestones: More growing and fattening up (I wrote that regarding the baby, but I guess it's true for me too, ha).

Cravings: I gave in and bought these the other day... I haven't bought them in years (seriously since college) but they're so good! No more though, one little brownie has 280 calories!

Food aversions: Nothing.

28 weeks

The other day I signed us up for some classes through Kaiser: Breastfeeding, Newborn Care, and Hospital Tour. Hubs and I are looking forward to them... we need the education! :)

I also had my 28 week appointment on Monday and took my Glucose Tolerance Test. I passed! Woo hoo! That means no gestational diabetes and no low-carb/low-sugar diet. I was just worried because I've known two women who had it the past few years and I saw how frustrating it was for them. YAY. I'm so glad that my body is doing what it's supposed to do.

Size of baby: The size a of a rutabaga?? WTF is that? (I googled it, and it's a large turnip. I have no idea how big it is though)

Sleep: Fine. Weird dreams.

Movement: Of course this child likes to stress me out... at my appointment my midwife said to make sure that baby kicks 10 times in an hour at least once a day. That's usually not a problem, but the days right after she told me that have been slow movement days. Baby gets there, but not until 10 p.m., allowing me to worry all day long that my peanut isn't growing how she's supposed to.

Feeling: For the better part of this week I've felt like there's a baby head pushing up into my ribs. It's kind of uncomfortable! Go ahead and flip head down any day now, little one!

What I miss: I'd love a beer. Also? Having a little bit of grace! I've heard people say that they're clumsy when pregnant, and let me tell you it's true. I'm constantly running into walls and furniture!

What I'm looking forward to: The aforementioned classes and my baby shower.

Best moment this week: Meeting my hubby's newfound sister for the first time... it's a long, but happy story that I may tell sometime...

Worst moment this week: Rib pain (it's really not that bad but I don't have much to complain about this week :)

Milestones: Baby's putting on more and more fat and getting ready to be a real newborn!

Cravings: Sweets... I really love pudding. But I cut out most sugar for several days leading up to my glucose test.

Food aversions: Nothing!