Week 31 - 9 weeks to go!

Countdown: 29 days till my 22nd birthday, 33 days till my baby shower, 60 days till baby Michael arrives!

How far along: 31 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain: Had my doctor’s appointment on Tuesday and was pleased to find out I have only gained a total of 12.5 lbs so far! My weight hadn’t even changed since my last visit! So, I treated myself to a brownie..or two. J

Maternity clothes?: Still wearing them…and now it’s getting hotter so everything is less comfortable.
Stretch marks?: Still nothing!
Belly button, in or out?: Out and about.
Sleep: Still can no longer sleep on my back which is a bummer and sleeping on my side is a bit uncomfortable. I should probably get used to this…I’ve got two more months to go of comfortless sleep.
Cravings: Back to craving chocolate...and I gave in to that craving and made a batch of brownies. I couldn’t take it anymore.
Showing yet?: No hiding it at all!
Happy or Moody?: Happy! I had a great week/weekend and now can look forward to more fun times to come in the next few weeks.

Movement: So much movement that when he isn’t moving, I’m very much aware of that fact and relish the break my poor stomach and ribs have.
Best moment this week: Having David up here for the weekend and doing the birthing class together!
Things I miss: Being able to tie my shoes without having to bend my leg awkwardly or just give up and wear flip flops
Gender: BOY!
Looking forward to: Baby shower & possibly going down to DC/VA for a few days!
Due Date: August 11^th

Sadly, this week/weekend went by really quickly, but it was a great time overall. Pregnancy symptom wise, I’m still suffering from some pretty bad back pain so I find myself trying all sorts of lying down and sitting positions with tons of pillows to try and alleviate it. I’m also sick of feeling like a totally clumsy and awkward blob. Rolling over when trying to get out of bed is getting old. I really can’t wait to have my “old body” back where my abs were strong enough to lift me out of a lying down position. I saw a picture of me with a short shirt and saw my flat stomach and nearly cried. I am determined to get back to those six pack abs. My doctor’s appointment went really well. Everything is progressing perfectly. I tested negative for the gestational diabetes test, but the blood work did reveal anemia which I had already suspected a while ago. I’ve been taking my daily iron pill coupled with Vit. C (which is proven to help the body better absorb iron if taken simultaneously). Surprisingly, despite feeling like a whale, I’ve only gained a total of 12.5 lbs since getting pregnant! I decided that was grounds for me treating myself to a brownie so I got the mix and made a delicious batch. Yum! Next appointment is in a week, so hopefully I didn’t make a mistake in allowing myself to eat a brownie…we’ll see. I also had a dentist appointment which revealed a tiny cavity (sad because I’ve managed to go 22 years with just one cavity). My doctor gave it the go ahead, so I’m going back in to get that filled.

I spent a couple of days thoroughly cleaning the house with my mom to get rid of all the dust and cat hair that has managed to settle in pretty much every nook and cranny. David was coming up for the weekend and he’s allergic to cats so we did our best to sterilize the house to avoid him choking to death while here. He arrived Friday and we had the birthing class on Saturday at the hospital where I would be delivering. It was a 1 day class from 9-5 and there were 15 other couples taking the class with us. It was long, but extremely informative and I must say that I am definitely much more at ease with the idea of having a “natural birth” with the option of painkillers or other interventions, should I need them or decide that I can’t handle the pain. We learned the pros and cons of all of the different birthing techniques, labor positions, interventions, etc. We practiced different labor positions, most of which involved me getting some kind of a back massage = awesome. Always down for a free massage! I discovered that sitting on one of those big plastic inflatable exercise balls is one of the few things that alleviate my back pain and is just overall super comfortable. After the class we went out and bought one and also bought a pregnancy back/belly support belt. It kind of makes me look like a Home Depot worker, but I must say that it really helps. Below is a picture of all the pregnancy must-haves I could think of, to include the ball and belt I just mentioned. The rest are pretty self explanatory. 

Overall, the weekend was quite successful and we had a great time. We decided that I will hopefully get back down to the DC/VA area in the next couple of weeks where we would take an infant care/CPR class. While I have a lot of experience with babies, I’ve never had to take care of a brand new day old infant, much less my own infant, so I thought it would be a great idea. Not to mention, every new dad should get some experience changing diapers and making bottles before the big day where there isn’t too much room for error! Hopefully it works out because I miss DC so much!

Today, I got (well, my mom aka soon-to-be a grandma) got a little Baby Boy memory book which I’m going to start filling out. It’s so cute and has pages for pictures, firsts, doctor’s appointments, growth records, everything! I’m really excited to keep filling things out as time goes by when Michael gets here! 

                                                                                                         How your baby’s growing:

This week, your baby measures just over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (4 navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side and his arms, legs and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He’s probably moving a lot too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby’s kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort, all this moving means your baby is active and healthy.