31 (almost 32) Weeks!

ourCOG March 15, 2010 3:40 pm #ourCOG

How far along: 31 weeks and 5 days!
How big is the baby: She’s probably over 3 lbs and over 16 inches long (Baby Center compares her to a squash.)
Total weight gain/loss: My next appt is this Thursday so we’ll find out then.
Stretch marks: Boo.
Best moment this week: We’ve had a lot of great moments since the last post, but one of the coolest things was that Tessa had her first communion at church yesterday. Very sweet moment for mom and dad-to-be.
Food cravings: That incredible chocolate lava cake from Chili’s, but I have resisted (even though I’ve learned to make it at home and it takes all but 20 minutes.)
Gender: A wee beanette.
Labor signs: I think I may have felt a Braxton-Hicks or two, but I’m not completely positive.
Belly button in or out: Still in, but just barely.
Current mood: Happy and enjoying my day off.
What I am looking forward to: Receiving our Anthro quilt we ordered for the nursery! And our baby shower because I’ll get to see my mom finally!
Milestones: We have seen waves rippling across my belly as Tessa does soccer practice or her gymnastics routine. And let me just say, it’s weird. Bizarre. Alien-like even. I mean, we’re just sitting on the couch catching up on 24 or Lost and this protrusion starts dancing across my stomach without any kind of warning and part of me thinks, “What if it just pops right out of my skin? What if?!” I know that’s not how it works and I know I should be more motherly and think, “Oh, how sweet and lovely that Tessa is saying hello to us,” but I don’t usually. Now don’t get your panties or boxers all wadded up and think I’m a horrible person for not thinking that way – I do recognize how miraculous it is to be carrying around offspring in my womb, but I still can’t help but think how bizarre it is at the same time. Some women immediately feel a strong bond and connection to their unborn child and they get all ooey-gooey and lovey-dovey and talk baby-talk to their stomachs. I don’t think there is anything wrong with this at all, but it’s not the natural direction I took. This doesn’t mean that Ben and I don’t talk to Tessa or that we haven’t shed a few tears over the fact that we’ll have a little girl in our arms in a few short weeks, but more than just being overly emotional about being pregnant and talking baby-talk, I am more in awe of the whole process of pregnancy. I feel like I’m a part of a Nat Geo or Discovery Channel documentary as my body changes and naturally makes accommodations for this new life that’s growing inside of me. It is just amazing how God created my body to do this. To create and incubate and nourish until the time comes to birth and bring a new life into this world. And yes, it is a little weird and bizarre in my opinion. I’m sure though, once we see our little girl, that baby-talk and ooey-gooeyness will overtake our lives and we’ll gladly let it.