A Baby Story [Part II]: Weeks 32 + 33

Week 32: Baby’s the size of a Squash

We’re at the 8 month mark, folks! Only 1.5-2 months to go…I can’t believe it.

Really not too much to report this week in the baby department other than the fact that Kevin and I have gone into nesting overdrive! Our friends Celia and Chris gave us their old changing table and our friend Kim let us borrow her glider which prompted us to clean out our room, move our dresser into the closet, and make a little corner specifically for Lucia at least for those initial months of middle-of-the-night diaper changes and feedings. We still need a lamp and some baskets to put under the dressing table so that we can bring out all of the ridiculously small and cute baby clothes and start filling ’em up.  Sirena and I bought our first box of size 1 diapers (they’re so itty bitty!) so we’re ready for her to arrive any day now (but PLEASE don’t come this early, baby girl!)

This week Lucia seems to have turned the thermostat way up in this body of mine because I have been so overheated lately. I experienced the same thing during Sirena’s pregnancy around this time and it is intense! In addition to this typical third trimester physical change, I’m also experiencing crazy exhaustion again and a whole lot of uncomfortable pulling and tugging on my belly with the weight of this bundle I’m carrying. I can’t stand for too long without needing to lean over and relieve the pressure from my belly and it takes a lot to get comfortable sitting and laying down too. These adorable babies sure make their mamas work hard to meet them! 🙂

Belly shot!

Week 33: Baby’s the size of a pineapple

Kevin and I started out this week with a prenatal appointment and everything is looking juuuust fine. My belly is measuring right on schedule and her heartbeat sounds perfect. My mom accompanied me to an event hosted by the birth center called “Meet the Midwives tea” which is an opportunity for all third trimester mamas to meet all of the midwives in case we hadn’t met all of them during our prenatal appointments. I’m really glad my mom was able to go and experience it with me because, like with Sirena’s birth, she’s going to be present for the birth and it gave her a great chance to have some of her questions answered and understand what to expect with a birth center birth (versus a hospital birth).

On a personal note, I realized that my stress levels were getting out of hand this week and that I needed to chill out not just for my sake but for Lucia’s sake too. Anyone who really knows me knows that I have to keep myself busy and I’m always gogogo. Even at almost 8.5 pregnant, I don’t keep myself from being out in the yard weeding, planning a baby shower, working full-time, all while doing my best to keep up with my busybody toddler Sirena. It came to a head this week and I basically had an emotional meltdown with Kevin which led to an increase in Braxton Hicks contractions–this really started to worry me as an increase in contractions are a sign of pre-term labor. I kept close track of them and they returned to the usual 1-3 times a day occurrence within a day which I was so relieved about. Even though babies born this early are generally healthy and turn out fine, she’s got a lot of major developing to continue in utero and I really hope she stays put at least until 37 weeks (I won’t be a candidate for the birth center before 37 weeks and will have to deliver at the hospital which is not something I am interested in doing again). I realized that I need to keep my stress levels in check so that she feels that my belly is a safe place to continue to be and grow in.

On a lighter note, I made some major developments in her nursery (I mean, corner-of-our-bedroom-dedicated-to-baby space). I pulled out all of Sirena’s baby clothes, washed her 0-6 mos clothes, organized them into the baskets under her changing table, and put up some artwork (the artwork wall is still a work in progress).

Belly shot!

No photo this week, oops!

Other pregnancy updates:

• Total weight gained so far: 13 pounds
  
• Number of times Lucia gets hiccups each day: At least 1-2 times!
• Fun baby developments: She weighs around 4.5 pounds and measures approximately 17 inches, she’s keeping her eyes open while awake, and her bones are hardening. She’s got fingernails, toenails,and real hair a this point!
• Days until Lucia’s + big-sister-to-be Sirena’s celebration (baby shower): 9!