33 Weeks

I am determined the savor and document and relish these last few weeks of pregnancy! Jake has been a joy to carry and has made this pregnancy very easy on his mama!  We are hoping he is just as easy outside the womb!

How far along: 33 weeks 

Total weight gain: 25 pounds

Maternity clothes: Yes, and they are so darn suffocating sometimes!  Pregnant women are hotter anyway, and when you add on the tight-fitting belly band found in all maternity pants and skirts, it definitely adds some warmth!  Don't get me wrong, I totally see the point in it and would prefer it over a zipper (if that was even possible) and my pants falling down, but in the summer, that extra layer can make for a super sweaty belly!

Stretch marks: Nada

Sleep:  It's getting to the point that I dread laying down at night!  As soon as I do, Jake curls up in a tight ball right on top of my bladder, which makes me feel like I have to go to the bathroom, even though I don't.  Yet I can't fall asleep because I feel like I have to go.  So when I finally waddle to the toilet, only a teeny bit comes out, which frustrates me to no end!  Once back in bed, the cycle starts over!  I wake up a lot during the night and have a hard time getting comfortable in any position.  However, I know this is good practice for what's to come!  

Best moment of this week:  I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and was reassured that contractions at this point are normal and okay...see Labor Signs for more details :)  Also, sweet baby has been getting the hiccups a lot, and it makes me giggle when he does!

Food cravings: I have developed a special love for chocolate chip cookies during this pregnancy.  For a long time, I didn't indulge in this craving because there's nothing healthy about it, but when I have, I have really, really, REALLY enjoyed every bite!  The other day we went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch, and they were passing out free samples of chocolate chip cookies.  They were a generous size, slightly warm, and very chewy.  Delicious.  As we left the restaurant, Karl told the lady who was passing out the samples that she had made this pregnant woman's day!  He was right!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Actually, the other night we grilled steak kabobs and had them with rice.  In  the past, this was something I loved!  When I was first pregnant with Jake, we ate this a lot because I was tired and didn't feel well, and this was something Karl could make by himself.  I actually did not enjoy this meal at all the other night, and I think it's because it reminded me so much of that nasty feeling in the beginning!  I had trouble finishing my dinner, which is not like me!

Have you started to show yet:  Most definitely.  The other day I was running errands and went in several stores.  At least one person in all but one store talked to me about my baby!

Gender: A sweet baby boy

Labor signs: I started having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions last Friday night.  I had four while Karl was in the shower, and then had them more sporadically until I went to bed.  I thought they would be gone after I got some sleep.  I tend to always have one right after I use the restroom (which is a lot, especially during the night), so I noticed them during the night as well.  Saturday morning they were more frequent than Friday night, but they were not getting longer, stronger, or closer together.  Nevertheless, Karl put me on bed rest and took care of Cooper all morning so I could take it easy and lay down. By lunch time, I was starting to get nervous though.  There was still no consistency to them, but they weren't painless and were noticeable.  I didn't labor at all with Cooper, and while I did have a lot of Braxton Hicks with him, I never had them like this.  We didn't call the on-call doctor though because I was afraid of being sent to Labor and Delivery and then being sent home for being a nut.  By about 2:00, they weren't as frequent and weren't hurting at all.  From that point on, they fizzled out, thankfully!  I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, so I mentioned what had happened. I was absolutely terrified she was going to put me on bed rest, but she said it is normal to start contracting earlier during your second pregnancy, and as long as they stayed inconsistent, not to worry. I was so relieved!  Obviously, we don't want Jake making his debut this early (or for the next several weeks), but I'm afraid I would lose my mind if I was on bed rest!  The few hours Karl made me rest on Saturday were about all I could handle!  She checked me to make sure the cerclage wasn't showing any signs of stress or pressure, and everything felt like it should.  I've still been having some Braxton Hicks since Saturday, but they're back to being what I consider "normal."

Belly button in or out: I'm pretty sure it counts as an outie now 

Wedding rings on or off: On...but they're very snug.  When the days are really hot and I'm outside, I've noticed that my hands and feet swell; however, they are normally back to normal the next day.

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy and tired.  I've noticed that if I wear myself out, I have a much harder time bouncing back. After we got home from the beach, it took me over a week to get my energy back!  I guess that's part of being a human hotel with an almost-full term baby being a full time occupant in your uterus!

Looking forward to: Our sweet friends are celebrating Baby Jake this weekend with a Baby-Q Diaper Shower!  We are looking  so forward to getting some much needed diapers and spending some fun time with our friends!