32 Weeks!

32 weeks, 3 days! That's where we are now. Everytime I start to feel like she can't get any bigger, she does, and so do I. With just over 7 weeks left till our due date, we're kicking this baby prep stuff into high gear.

This weekend, two wonderful friends are going to come help me paint the nursery grey. When its done, it will be grey and white and pink with elephant decorations.

Craig built some awesome shelving for her closet, so I can happily spend hours putting her adorable wardrobe away. She has the cutest, tiniest little outfits.

I spoiled myself this week and spent an evening at the local beauty school, where I got a mani, pedi, and facial for the bargain price of $26. It was lovely to be pampered and to finally have my toes look decent.

I've also been doing a lot of reading, and there are a couple of books I just have to share. Whether you are pregnant, plan to get pregnant, doing a home birth or signing up for an epidural right away, I highly recommend these books as a way to educate yourself. I wish I had known half of this stuff when I  was pregnant the first time.

Pushed - by Jennifer Block: This book is a fascinating comparison of the maternity and birth system in the US versus that of other industrialized countries. It's got a lot of studies and statistics in it, and is cut and dry.

Guide to Child Birth - Ina May Gaskin: You can't ask for more knowledge on the topic of birth than what Ina May Gaskin has. A well-known midwife, she has helped bring thousands of babies into this world and believes that women are perfectly capable of doing this, without all the complications we see so regularly today. She has a deep appreciation for OB's as escalation resources, but otherwise defends women's bodies natural ways of going about childbirth. The first half of the book is birth stories (some are pretty crunchy), and the second half is a statistical and research based analysis of birth options. Such a great book.

I'm currently reading Childbirth without Fear.

Here's the latest view of my ever expanding belly:

31 Weeks

32 Weeks

WEEK 32 INTERVIEW

BABY’S SIZE? A squash

DAYS UNTIL NEXT DOC APPOINTMENT? 7

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN/LOSS? +24
MATERNITY CLOTHES? I'm out growing many of my maternity outfits now. I have t-shirts and other items that don't cover my belly, and several dresses that have given up trying and now just hang like a curtain. 

STRETCH MARKS? No new ones so far.

SLEEP: not so much. I can't stain one position very long still, and none of the tricks i've tried have helped. Oh well, we're nearly there. 

BEST MOMENT THIS WEEK: Playing games with her while relaxing in my recliner on Monday. She's such an active girl. 

MOVEMENT: Oh yes, all day, every day. lots of knees and feet poking out on my right side, and a cute little butt that always seems to be sticking out. My belly is rarely symmetrical these days.
FOOD CRAVINGS: Oreo ice cream and raisin bran or trix. 

ANYTHING MAKE YOU QUEASY OR SICK? Parmesan cheese still, and now bananas (still love them, but they hurt me).

MISSING ANYTHING? being able to put on socks alone. Not going to lie, i'm becoming a pretty bad driver these days. Between my lack of attention span and my fading depth perception, i'm staying off the roads whenever possible. 

LABOR SIGNS? The braxton hicks contractions occur every night now, and while they are usually not painful, they are developing a pleasing pattern each night that tells me my body is getting ready for the big day.

BELLY BUTTON: I have a small depression where it used to be.

WEDDING RINGS ON OR OFF? off. Too much swelling for them or any rings.  

HAPPY OR MOODY MOST OF THE TIME? Mostly happy, regularly tired, occasionally unreasonable.

WEEKLY SYMPTOMS: I've been having a lot more trouble with my back this past week, sitting for any length of time can be very uncomfortable for me, but the swollen feet i'm sporting don't want to take on my weight either.