31 Weeks*

How Far Along: 31 Weeks*
Size of Baby: A Squash
Weight Gain: 20 pounds

Movement: She is very active first thing in the morning, and she loves to dance in the evenings. These days it feels less like individual kicks, and more like a flurry of movements. Sometimes it feels like she is river dancing, and on Sunday I swore she figured out how to punch dance. Mostly it feels like she is twisting and turning to get into a new position to sleep.

At my last appointment with my midwife, she was head down–the way she should be. She still has a bit of room to move around, but I am hoping she takes a liking to this position!

Cravings: My favourite chocolate in the entire world is Golden Buds. If I didn’t know that eating excessive amount of chocolate gives me heartburn, I would eat them all day long. I’m also LOVING apples and Christmas oranges.

Food Aversions: Sugary drinks. It’s not that I don’t want them, my body is just becoming really sensitive to them. I often feel disgusting after I’ve had a pop or a really sweet juice.

Symptoms: Sleep has been much better this week. I’m positive that it’s because I’m completely exhausted by the time I fall into bed and just have no mental power left to keep myself awake. WIN.

Definitely still some heartburn, and it’s mostly at night. I can usually feel it creeping up on me, and I always try to head it off by drinking a cold glass of water or milk, which usually helps.

My back is definitely getting sore. I had another massage on Monday, but in general I feel lower back pain throughout most of the day if I spend too long in one position. Sitting down is especially difficult for me… my lower back always hurts on the right side when I sit for too long.

And then there are “the unmentionables”. You know, the ones people don’t like to talk about. Hair growth. Discharge. Skin sensitivity. Blech.

Belly Button Watch: Still an inny! (The Hubster checks every morning.)

Baby Prep: I have not been as good here. Work in the basement continues–on Saturday the Hubster began the electrical work down there, which is the last step before insulation and drywall. I have been a little preoccupied elsewhere… though I do have all the clothing and items we have received sorted and organized by size into lovely little bins.

Things I’m Thinking About: My dream job was offered to me last Thursday evening. This really deserves a whole post so I can explain how it happened, but essentially I am now teaching full-time at my favourite school until January 31st… five days before my due date. I am absolutely over the moon, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried as well. The situation I walked into was a little unique, and my workload is going to be a bit insane for the next little while. I’ve been going crazy trying to get organized, and I have to constantly remind myself to slow down and take breaks so that I don’t overdo it. I love my job, but this little wee-bean will always come first. Hopefully I can find the balance to manage full-time work and the last few weeks of my pregnancy!

My hair is INSANE. My hair has always grown well, but right now it is out of control. I wouldn’t say that it’s any thicker than normal, but length-wise it just won’t stop. I had hoped to sneak up to B-town early this month to get it cut, but now that I’m working the earliest I can get to my stylist is Boxing Day. *sigh*

The Hubster is… amazing. I’ve really thrown a lot at him this past year, and we’ve been through a lot together. He continues to be an amazing support to me, and every day I wake up next to my best friend and am so grateful that he picked me. Even with the billion things he is juggling right now, he finds ways to lighten my load and make me laugh. I really don’t say it out loud often enough, but he is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I can’t wait to grow our little family. :)

Surprisingly, I am not nervous about labor. I was terrified before, but right now I feel very calm about everything. I’m sure my anxiety will increase as the time gets closer, but right now I feel good about how everything is falling into place. I know it won’t be pretty, but also that it’s temporary and at the end we’ll have our beautiful little girl. (Who may or may not continue to be known as the wee-bean for the rest of her life. haha)

The clothes I bought because my regular clothes were too small… are now becoming too small. haha! I didn’t even think about this–I just assumed that when you buy maternity clothes they take you through the entire pregnancy. Um, nope. I’m not completely destitute yet, but the variety in my outfits is definitely diminishing.

Lastly, single digits now.. NINE weeks. (Holy crap.)