Sibling Class...Check

This weekend we took little man to a sibling class to help prepare him to be a big brother.  It was also killing two birds with one stone, since we wanted to take a tour of L&D and the maternity floor in the new hospital we will give birth in, but we really didn't want to have to sign up for the formal "tour".  I knew these items would be included in the little sibs class, and it would make Ty-man feel special and important in his new upcoming roll as big brother.  Plus...he got a free tshirt, which I knew would thrill him to pieces. Although he wasn't the most attentive student the entire time, I do feel he got quite a bit out of the class, even being able to take a look at some newborns in the nursery at the hospital.  It was priceless to watch him be so mindful of covering up that baby girl doll, and such fun watching him try to change a diaper.  Less than 2 months to go!

A Lesson in Density

                  
So I'm going to let my dorky science nerd out for a minute and talk to you about density.  Now the definition for density is mass per volume, so that pretty much means that the volume of any object doesn't change, but the type or amount of matter inside does (see said calculation above).  This concept is a foundation of science, and a basic lesson I teach my students.  Unfortunately, we are past this lesson, because otherwise I'd definitely be using my belly as the example.  It's INCREDIBLE how much "heavier" I can feel in a belly that hasn't otherwise grown in volume too much in the past week or two.  I can just feel how the mass inside this fairly set volume is increasing daily, and how much harder it is to carry it around, even though externally it's been pretty stagnant.  Ahhh density...you're such a great science concept...but I'm really hating you right now. 

The 3-Hour Tour

Are you humming the Gilligan's Island theme song yet?  Well here I sit in the hospital I will give birth in...but I'm sitting in the outpatient laboratory for 3 hours instead (oh so fun!).  Yes folks...it's the 3 hour glucose tolerance test.  Since I am a big fat failure on the 1 hour...I'm now here waiting...and waiting...and waiting.  I had to fast for 8-16 hours (I did 12.5), take my initial blood work to be sure I can even start the test (I did pass that part...phew!), drink twice as much of that glucose crap, and wait for 3 long hours, getting my blood taken every hour.  At least they put me in their private waiting room with my own TV, some recliners and all the ice chips I can eat (yummy!).  I'll keep you posted on the results.  Waiting...................................

Gaining Perspective

This weekend, while on my trip back home to Chi-town, I gained myself a little much-needed perspective.  I was making the trip to see my bff's new bundle of joy, a boy named Maddox, who arrived on the 13th.  A day before we (Ty and I) were set to make our trip, we got a call from said bff who informed us he was on an extended stay in the NICU.  Now when you hear that about any baby, your stomach drops and your heart sinks, but when it's one of your bff's, someone you consider family, you just feel sick with worry.  We contimplated not making the trip, as there was a chance we would be unable to see him or her, but this is where the perspective started to kick in.  I wanted to be there for HER and her family, it wasn't as important to her that I saw her newborn within a certain timeframe.  I wanted to support her.  So we made the trip...and I'm so glad we did (more details of that to come). 

My second bit of perspective kicked in the day we went to the NICU to visit little Maddox.  I'm going into my 32nd week of pregnancy and I admit I complain a bit about my symptoms;  being uncomfortable...you know...the usually pregnancy woah-is-me's.  As a mom of 1, you'd think I could put it all into perspective on my own...reminding myself it's all worth it in the end.  However, when you're almost 4 years removed from that miracle experience (birth that is) you tend to forget.  So when I saw that little man hooked up to all those machines in a place no Mommy or Daddy wants their newborn, perspective hit me like a slap in the face.  This is all worth it!  He's gorgeous, he's here, he's completing my friend's family and my bff was just radiating with love as she held and cared for her little guy.  It reminded me why all this griping is just that...griping...and I'll survive.  I'll get to the other side, sooner than later I might add, and it will all be worth it.  Babies are miracles and gifts in our lives, they are completely worth it all!  So if I have to grin and bear it for 9 more weeks to get myself a healthy, well-baked baby girl...then I'll do it.  Perspective my dear friends.  Perspective.

Thirty-One

Mommy's Stats:

How far along?: 31 weeks

Weight gain/loss: sadly...I know now...accidentally.  So...25 lbs ::gulp:: I'm prayin gI stay on track at 1 lb a week, so I will stay under what I gained with DS (36 lbs)...but I started 5-6 lbs up due to my RE telling me to gain weight to get pg...so I'm gonna be closer to 40 lbs ::bigger gulp::

 Symptoms:  not too bad (itchy skin, sleeping issues, constantly peeing, slight swelling on bad days, uncomfortable on some off days)

Maternity clothes?: except workout clothes and a couple dresses, all

Stretch marks?: nope...still slathering with my body butter and exfoliating

Sleep:  a tad better these days. 

Best moment this week:  NBR:  meeting my friend's newborn and seeing all my childhood BFFs, as well as quality time with my fam in Chicago. 

Food cravings: same as last week:  hot turkey sandwiches, banana yogurt, sweets, oranges

Gender:  a girlie

Belly button in or out?: in but I hypothesize it won't hold on this time ::snif::

Movement?: rolls and body parts and/or stretching me from side to side.  Not as many "kicks" anymore.

Signs of Labor: 1 BH

What I miss?: my heels and being able to look forward to a spring break.  We can't travel this year since I'll be 36 weeks:(

What I'm looking forward to:  finally getting answers about GD, my 3hour test is on Thurdsay ::boo::, putting up the curtains in the nursery, doing more baby laundry, nesting this weekend (I'm thinking closet organizing, cleaning out cabinets in kitchen, and possibly doing my car)

Weekly Wisdom: even pg women don't get help in the city...instead they look at you like you're an alien with 3 heads and run the other way.  I missed the burbs and people taking pity on me this weekend

Weekly WTF: possible gestational diabetes??!!!  WTF!  me?!  really?!  I failed?!  OMG!

Milestones: a few days away from exactly 2 months tilly my due date...and tomorrow I start week 32...so I'm offically rounding up to 8 months pg! :)

Baby Girl's Stats:

You are 31 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 29 weeks)

• Baby weighs 3.5 pounds and measures 16.5 inches from the head to heel.
• Baby's weight is about 1.6 kg and length around 42cm.
• The eyes have now completely opened and are responding to light and darkness.
• A loud noise near you may cause your little one to jump.

Your baby continues to grow. Baby's lungs and digestive tract are very near to being mature. Now that almost all of the major organs are functioning, growth will focus on maturing those organs and growing muscle mass and fat stores. Baby's weight gain will exceed its growth in length from now on. He or she should more than double their weight again between now and birth. It weighs about 3.5 pounds (1.6kg), and crown to rump length is 11 inches (28cm). Its total length is 16.5 inches (42cm).

A loud noise near you may cause your little one to jump. Baby may move to the rhythm of music. Studies with heart rates show that they may also prefer some types of music to others at this stage. The eyes can now completely open and the irises are now responsive to light, dilating and contracting as needed.

FAILED

So I'm a failure...at my 1 hour glucose test that is.  I have to admit I was shocked I didn't pass.  When the number of my midwives office came up on my phone I knew it was bad news.  I know there are other factors that play into how your pancreas works during pregnancy (I am a biology teacher of course) but I truly thought being a healthy eater who still works out 5-6 days a week and who started out underweight to begin with wouldn't fail the GDT.  Joke's on me I guess.  I can't count myself out yet...as I have to take off a 1/2 day of work (sucks!!!!!) to participate in a 3 hour version, but the nurse said I "failed miserably".  Oh thanks lady!  So my test is scheduled for next Thursday.  Now maybe it wasn't such a good idea to "just wait until your next appt, no big deal" at 30 weeks now was it midwifery?! 

I have tried to find the reasons and the positives in this...so here's what I came up with...and believe me I'm grabbing at straws here...

1. more u/s to follow the growth of little girl...so more chances to see her :)
2. forcing myself to eat  better (although I think I eat pretty healthy anyway)
3. possibly being induced a tad early, after 37 weeks of course when it's safe...but maybe I'd be able to meet baby girl a bit earlier than 40 weeks if she's "bigger"
4. finally understanding why somone like me had a 9lb first baby...makes sense now!

What I love about my body

So pregnancy is hard enough to deal with when you lose control of your body.  Add in a bit of history with body image issues and someone who is OCD and likes to be in control of her body, and you have a full-fledged war waged between physical and mental.  When I was pg with DS, I was very worried about myself being able to handle all the changes going on.  At first, it was difficult, especially when you just feel "fat", and not pg.  But after a while, I was surprised by how well I accepted my baby belly.  It's important to note, however, that with your first pregnancy, you definitely show later, and what I think was more "gracefully".  Plus, you have no idea what your post-baby body will look like, and ignorance is bliss!  This time my body reverted back to my pregnant form wayyyyyy earlier than before, so my acceptance did not have to be gradual, it had to be overnight.  And I clearly know how my post-baby jelly belly will look (gulp)...which is scary!  As vain as this will sound, I'm also known by students, colleagues and friends as the "skinny one", and my students have never seen me pg, since the last time I was pg the seniors from last year were 9th graders.  So anyway...hence the reason for this post.  I need to remind myself what I actually LIKE about my pregnant form.  So...here goes...::deep breath::

1.  My face really does "glow".  With this kid I have a nearly perfect complexion, which is a staunch contrast from my DS...I was pizza face with him
2.  My hair is thick, shiny and not fuzzy on top.  For someone with very thin hair and lots of tiny little hairs everywhere from my DS...I'm loving it!
3.  My nails are long and strong without even trying!
4.  When I see a cookie I can eat it, or I can have dinner and not feel like I have to suck in my stomach...very nice!
5.  I'm carrying higher this time, which I think makes a much cuter baby bump
6.  Although I'm not a fan of the boobies...I know my hubby is...so I had to add it in anyway.

Is it sad I can only come up with 6?!  I'm trying! 

Wouldn't it be easier if we all looked this good pg?! 
   

   

Thirty!

 

Mommy's Stats:

How far along?: 30 weeks and still a squash (boring!)

Weight gain/loss: don't know...don't care :)

 Symptoms:  only this pesky cold and lack of sleep...I just can't get comfortable and plan to resort to some meds tonight to help me rest.  I'm soooooo tired!!!  ::yawn::

Maternity clothes?: except workout clothes and a couple dresses, all

Stretch marks?: nope...still slathering with my body butter and exfoliating

Sleep:  SHITTY!  no other word for it.  no sleep for me!  ugh!

Best moment this week:  getting GDT out of the way (today) and finally seeing my midwife (seems like forever since my last appt).  I would also like to add a NBR moment...the birth my my bff's new son Maddox Maxwell!  Welcome to the world cutie!

Food cravings: hot turkey sandwiches, banana yogurt, sweets

Gender:  a girlie

Belly button in or out?: in but I'm carrying so much higher this time, DS was so low...so my belly button looks weird this time.

Movement?: ouch is all I can say...ouch!

Signs of Labor: only 2 BH this week, doing great!

What I miss?: this week...SLEEP!

What I'm looking forward to:  NBR:  my trip to Chicago with Ty this weekend to see my friends & family!  I'm nervous about flying pg with a 3 yo, but excited to get there!

Weekly Wisdom: if you want a clean "landing strip"...ask for a Brazilian wax...not a bikini. You will be disappointed, like I was :(

Weekly WTF: how exhausted do you have to be to actually have sleep take over?! And have you ever heard of being so exhausted you feel nauseous...yeah...that's me!

Milestones: GDT and starting appts every 2 weeks!  Also I guess a mini-milestone for me was my bff's due date, since I knew we were about 10 weeks apart.  Makes it feel real.  I also think getting a sub (which I finally did) and putting in my maternity leave paperwork (deciding on dates, etc) was a big milestone as well.

 

Baby Girl's Stats:

Your baby now measures a little more than 39cm from crown to toe. Her growth in terms of her length will soon slow down but she will continue to gain weight until she's born. She probably weighs about 1.3kg at this stage.

Your baby's lungs and digestive tract are almost fully developed. She continues to open and shut her eyes. She can probably see what's going on inside your uterus (womb), tell light from dark and even track a light source. If you shine a light on your stomach, your baby may move her head to follow the light or even reach out to touch the moving glow.

Some researchers think baring your stomach to light stimulates visual development. But your baby won't be able to see much when she's born. Newborns can see a distance of only between 20cm and 30cm. Children with normal vision don't reach 20/20 vision (the same as an adult) until the age of about eight. To complete the picture, your baby now has eyebrows and can bat her eyelashes!

About a liter of amniotic fluid now surrounds your baby, but that volume decreases as she gets bigger and has less room in your uterus. As you and your baby continue to grow, don't be alarmed if you feel breathless, as if you can't get enough air. It's just your uterus pressing against your diaphragm.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though. At about 34 weeks (or just before birth, if this is your second or third pregnancy), your baby's head will move down into your pelvis as she gets into the right position for birth. That will make breathing and eating a lot easier.

 

Can I complain for a minute?

Okay so I'm cranky today.  It's really only for 1 reason, and that's because I didn't sleep a wink last night.  I can't believe that my baby insomnia is starting so early this time.  With DS I had a hard time sleeping in my last month, but I'm only 30 weeks along.  WTH!  I have tried different sleeping positions, multiple pillows, and now will be resorting to benadryl, tylenol PM or unisom (all which have been approved as safe for pregnant women).  I'm so tired today I can barely function at school.  ::yawn:: How can I be expected to be a great teacher, mom, and wife while keeping myself sane with a workout and doing all my regular household chores on NO SLEEP?!  Argh!  And if one more person tells me..."that's just your body's way of preparing you for the arrival of the baby", I'm going to haul off and pop them one.  I mean seriously people?!  I am not a novice mommy.  I do have 1 kid already and I've been sleeping through the night pretty consistently for about 3 years now.  So you can take your ideas and shove them...I need sleep and there is no logical reason I'm not entitled to it now that I'm knocked up.  It just doesn't seem fair considering all the other hardships of pregnancy.

And my other complaint is that my bikini wax this weekend was a BIG FAT FAIL!  Since I can't see "down there" very well, even with a hand mirror since I still have to crink my neck to see any sort of details...my waxer didn't do a very good job.  Which means I went through all the horrible pains of the waxing, plus with the increased blood flow "down there" I swelled up like a fat lip (yeah now there's a beautiful mental picture right?!)...and I still feel that "not so fresh" feeling because I'm not as groomed as I'd like.  Argh!  Come on people...don't you know the proper definition of a "landing strip"??? Clearly not ::sigh::

This photo is not me...however it made me laugh


Okay my bitch session is officially over.  I am incredibly blessed to be hitting 30 weeks and still knowing I have a healthy baby and a virtually complication-free pregnancy.  I do know this.  Especially after reading the struggles and losses of some close bumpie friends, it puts all my complaining in perspective, I know I am incredibly lucky to have made it this far in my pregnancy. 

A Bittersweet Day

Today was full of a celebration of life and of death.  My bff from HS had her beautiful baby boy today, 2 days before her due date and in an incredibly fast, impressive fashion.  Baby boy was 7lbs and 19" and is the cutest.  The joy and love I felt when he arrived was almost as good as having my own, as my friend and her family are like family to me.  It was a beautiful way to start my day. 

Unfortunately, a bump friend went through an incredible loss today as well, losing her twins at 18 weeks.  Sometimes I ask myself, why do things happen the way they do?!  This question of why some thrive and some perish has always plagued me.  God must have a greater plan, and I hope he knows what he is doing. I have to trust he does.  I'm sending prayers to my bump friend that she and her family have the strength they may need to get through this difficult time.

What I couldn't live without!

Now that I'm entering my 30's (not in age...I'm already there on that) in weeks pg...I started to pull out some of DS's old baby stuff and came across some items that kept me sane while he was going through his first year.  So...for all you ladies who are pg with #1 or trying for #1...here are my must-haves from my first LO (in no particular order):


1. ameda purely yours breastpump!  I think it kicks medela's ass...just sayin :)

2.  Baby Einsteins Traveling Melodies CD - the most annoying songs in the world (for adults) but the only thing that could quiet our screaming newborn on roadtrips...and a must-have for us!!

3.  fisher price aquarium bouncer/vibrating chair.  We got a larger and more expensive chair for our shower, but when we went to dinner at a friend's house and they had this one, our DS was sacked out in it in minutes.  I bought it the very next day.  It was an amazing piece of equipment when mommy had to take a shower or do the dishes or make dinner.  It's portable, lightweight, cheap and simple...but it worked for us!

4.  fisher price aquarium for the crib - we had this before the bouncer, so it wasn't a "set" but it was also a God-sent item when DS was fussy before bed, or when he woke up during the night.  Now I'm a bit jealous of the newer version, because a year after we had DS they came out with a version that has a remote control so you can turn it on from OUTSIDE the room...genius!  Alas, we'll deal with our older version for now.


5.  Summer infant day/night video monitor!  For you first-time, nervous mommies...this is a must as well.  There is nothing better than being able to see and hear your newborn!  Highly recommended.  We still use it for DS, and he's now 3.5.  We plan to just invest in a new camera for #2.


6.  freezer breast ice packs - not sure if the "proper name" for these...but OMG they were my saviors with my let-down and after BF or pumping...you can get them at target, they're reusable and they look like this...


7.  JJ Cole Bundle Me lite - we didn't need the big ole bundle-me but this thing is awesome in the colder months when LO is still in the infant seat.  You don't have to put a jacket on them and put them in their carseat.  Put them in the infant seat nice and snug and zip this over them with a blanket and you're ready to go!  It was so important in the wintertime for us and our 3-8 month old.


8.  Links!  The easiest and best toys to have around!


9.  Summer Infant Tiny Diner Placemat -this thing rocks so much that my MIL, who watched DS for the first year, bought one for her own use when out with him.  It's easy to clean, small and can roll up when needed, and soooo useful when baby is in finger foods stages.  Lovvveee it!

10.  Kiddopotamus head snuzzler for the car seat!  This thing really kept our newborn safe and snuggly during the times he was too tiny for the infant car seat, and didn't have control of his head.




**And as a seasonal bonus item...I pick this pop-up floatie from leapsandbounds.com.  When we went on spring break when DS was 9 months, this floatie was awesome!!  This is the newer version, ours looks different, but it folds up into a tiny flat ring and pops out when opened.  It's genius!



Twenty-nine and Feeling Fine!

And I'm not an eggplant anymore!!! FINALLY!   ::whoot whoot::

Mommy's Stats:

How far along?: 29 weeks & a squash that looks like a pumpkin :) :)

Weight gain/loss: don't know...don't care :)

 Symptoms:  not much at all to be honest.  If I nit-pick I get have itchy skin and baby's location sometimes hurts or make it hard to breath, but overally I'm feeling like normal Kristin...but much bigger and with a lot less cute clothes and shoes! LOL!

Maternity clothes?: all...got a few new things this week that will hopefully be my last purchases, as long as this groundhog was right and we get some warmer weather soon so I can stop wearing leggings and bust out the dresses and skirts ::prays for 50's::

Stretch marks?: nope...but red veins which I can't wait to get taken off!

Sleep:  mostly good now that I have started sleeping with a pillow between my legs with my belly resting on it.  I get up once a night to pee, but I can usually make it till 3:30 or 4am.

Best moment this week:  definitely doing the work on the nursery and feeling so much farther along now!  I am also nesting so I'm getting the house organized slowly as well, which makes me feel accomplished.

Food cravings: still the same stuff...hot turkey sandwiches, eggs, yogurt, salad with vinegar, APPLES, and sweets!

Gender:  still a baby girl that's gonna love purple...if it's up to mommy!

Belly button in or out?: in...but could it actually pop out this time?!  It could be close.

Movement?: she's a mover for sure, I can't wait to get to the midwife this appt and ask her position.  I'm convinced she's still able to change her position drastically because my belly is different shapes every day. 

Signs of Labor: no BH this week!

What I miss?: with Valentines Day and a weekend with my old friends coming up...I am sad I can't enjoy a glass of wine, a beer or some vodka during those times. 

What I'm looking forward to:  getting GD test over with next week and starting week 30 tomorrow!

Weekly Wisdom: if you want a cookie...eat a cookie...no need to suck in the gut these days.

Weekly WTF: can I go 1 hour without the urge to pee please?!  As a teacher that can't leave her classroom regularly, this is not a good situation!  Please get off my bladder baby!  Milestones: entering the 30's :) :)

 

 

Baby Girl's Stats:

• Your baby now weighs about 2 and a half pounds (1150gm)
• and is about 15 inches (38.5cm) long from head to heel.
• Brain is busy developing billions of neurons.
• Baby's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature.
• The fetus can taste and respond to pain.
• The milk teeth have developed under the gums.

The baby's head is growing bigger to accommodate the brain, which is busy developing billions of neurons. The eyes can move in their sockets. They may be able to follow a blinking light. As well as your baby's increasing sensitivity to changes in light, they may also be able to taste. Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences or dislike for particular tastes at this stage.

Baby is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, they will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if baby is performing somersaults for an olympic gold medal. Baby may be performing fewer movements because living conditions in the womb are becoming more cramped. The baby is still doing a lot of kicking and stretching. Some of your baby's kicks and punches may even take your breath away.

Baby hears things better from the vibrations all around, and can now distinguish real sounds and voices. Do not forget to continue to 'teach' your baby in the womb by exposing them to music, literature, and simply talking to them. At this stage baby eyes are almost always blue and can distinguish bright sunlight or artificial light through the uterine wall.

Dear Nesting...

my usually tidy-enough but now spotless and organized house thanks you (and so does my hubby).  That is all.

My Dream Nursery...Update!

So we made a lot of progress on the nursery this weekend.  We still need to frame one more painting, find a standing lamp, buy a bar and hang the curtains, hang the mirror, put liner in the drawers and do some organizing of the closet and drawers, put up the diaper stacker (when I find one), fnd and buy a small bookshelf and buy and put up a growth chart (wow..that list is longer than I thought...).  But...I feel really great about what we've done, and I know baby girl could come home tomorrow and we'd be in great shape.  At least we have a changing table, a place to put the wipes, and some of the clothes washed. She won't sleep in the crib overnight at first, so we have time to organize.  Plus, my mom (queen of organization and cleaning) is coming to visit over spring break so she'll help me finish the last few projects I'm sure.  So, here's a sneak peek at our nursery progress. I swear it's the dream room I never had as a kid!  I hope she loves it as much as her mommy loved decorating it.

Holding Back the Tears

Why is it that my students, and even a few co-workers, think telling me I'm "huge" or "bigger this time" or "that's gonna be a huge baby" is acceptable?????  It's a wonder I can keep myself from bursting into tears every time it's mentioned, since I can feel the pregnancy hormones brewing just under the surface all the time (believe me it takes all my strength to hold back the bitchy, grouchy, complaining, nag).  Haven't they ever heard of restraint, or polite little white lies?!  I should know that my high school students are incapable of bull, but my co-workers too?!  Oh behave and mind your manners.  So this weekend one of my goals is to work on developing thicker skin...because I have about 11 weeks left to "grow"...God knows what they'll be saying when I'm waddling down the hallways at 39 weeks.  ::sigh::

Here she is!

Our 3D/4D u/s was a pretty big success.  We got to see her face, which was really neat.  Although she was transverse and had both feet up over her head, she supposedly likes yoga (unlike her mommy), we got some good shots.  So what you see over her head or on her forehead are actually her feet!  Her hands were tucked under her legs, holding them up...so we only saw toes and no fingers.  She's quite a performer!  The u/s tech also said she has some hair, cubby cheeks, and a possible cleft in her chin.  She was also transverse.  For those of you that don't know the lingo, that means she was side to side in mommy.  No wonder I feel so streched out...because that's exactly what she's doing.  The placenta was her own makeshift pillow too :)  It was incredible!  So...without further ado...here she is...

7 months!

Here's my 1st bare belly pic...scary I know!  ::screams::

Mommy's Stats:

How far along?: 28 weeks...and still an eggplant...WTF!

Weight gain/loss: don't know

 Symptoms:  uncomfortable belly at times, roids, sleeping issues, lots and lots of peeing, pressure (down there), itchy skin.  But all of these are nit-picky and easy to live with.

Maternity clothes?: all  ::sigh::

Stretch marks?: no!  Thank you genetics!

Sleep:  restless since it's getting harder to get comfortable and since little girl likes to curl up as far out in my belly as possible when I'm laying on my side. 

Best moment this week:  another try at the 3D/4D tonight and finishing the nursery painting (such a load off my mind!)

Food cravings: hot turkey sandwiches, eggs, yogurt, salad with vinegar, APPLES

Gender:  girl...and now I feel great saying that with confidence since the 3D/4D tech said it's 100% a girl!

Belly button in or out?: in...and getting deeper...is that possible?!?

Movement?: tons...but it definitely feels more like large body parts and painful kicks instead of complete rolls like it used to.  Those used to make me so sick, when she rolled over completely, now she's taking my breath away with her kicks and punches. 

Signs of Labor: this week has been BH-free so far.  I attribute it to more water!  I'm a peeing machine...but I'm hydrated!  Never in my life has my pee been so clear.  Truly!

What I miss?: this week it's leaning over to pick up stuff or when I'm holding my son and I try to bend down to get his blanket or clothes on the floor, I get locked up and can't stand without bracing myself.  My hubby even laughed at me the other day when I was taking my pants off at the gym and had to brace myself.  Touching my toes has become quite a comedy for sure. 

What I'm looking forward to:  3D/4D u/s again & the fact that it's now Feb and I can say I'm having a baby in 2 months...even though I have a little less than 3 to go:)

Weekly Wisdom: I've said it once, and I'll say it again...lotion is your friend.  With my pg itchy skin, plus struggling to feel feminine and pretty, lotion really helps on all fronts.  Now if only it would erase those ugly red veins popping up on my left leg!!!

Weekly WTF: gas?!  where did you come from?  I guess I'd rather have gas than acid reflux...but it blows...literally!!

Milestones: 7 months down...3 to go!

Baby girl's stats:

• The fetus has its own regular intervals for sleeping and being awake.
• The weight has increased to 1000 grams and is 37.5cm in length.
• 2.2 pounds weight and is 14.8 inches in length from head to heel.
• The feet are just over 2 inches (5.5cm) long.
• The hair on the head is now clearly visible.
• The milk teeth have developed under the gums.
• The eyes are starting to move in their sockets.

Brain waves show rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which means your baby may be dreaming. Eyelids are opening. Eye color may change within the first six months of life especially if your baby's eyes are blue or gray-blue at birth. Remember to talk to your baby often; reading stories, singing songs has been seen to slow the baby's heart rate. He or she can recognize your voice now and will often calm to it later after birth.   Branches of lungs are quite developed now, so there is a good chance that baby would survive if born prematurely now. If your baby is born this week, the chances of survival is now at least 90 percent. However, some complications are still possible.