Week 32

Week 32

How far along?  32 weeks
Maternity Clothes? I've actually outgrown a few things.  That makes me sad.  I'm also getting strangely sensitive to how things fit.  I really don't like having anything tight fitting.  I basically run upstairs when I get home from work to change out of my work clothes and put on my "fat man" t-shirt and cotton shorts.  I mumbled to The Pilot that I might have to go pick up another giant t-shirt.  I had to wear a different one the other day when my favorite was in the laundry and my belly was poking out the bottom.  Some might be ok with that, I am not.  No one needed to be seeing that business back when I wasn't pregnant and they certainly don't need to see it now!
Have you started to show?  There is a baby the size of a squash (nearly 4 pounds!) in there...you can't hide a squash!
Symptoms: The heartburn has come back.  As did some nausea last week.  My doctor thinks it is the combination of the heartburn and the baby squishing my stomach that is causing it.  I've started trying to eat smaller meals more often and that seems to help a little though my schedule doesn't always allow for that.

Weight gain.  Sigh.  My pregnancy weight gain was pretty gradual at first.  I think I only gained a pound in the first trimester.  Even as I appeared bigger each week throughout the second trimester, the weight gain was pretty gradual.  And then I got to the third trimester.  I'm trying not to get on the scale too much (for my mental well-being) but I've certainly noticed the pounds are increasing more rapidly.  It doesn't help that I'm at the doctor every other week now so I'm seeing the number more frequently.  I also recently read that it's common for women to start gaining about a pound a week in the last couple weeks of pregnancy.  Say what?!  I keep trying to tell myself that I'm still well within the normal range of weight gain and that I've got a pretty good reason to be gaining weight but as I quickly approach my "number," I'm getting more self-conscious.  The "number" I refer to is something that every formerly overweight person has.  Their heaviest weight.  The weight they vowed to never see again.  I lost and kept off about 30 pounds six years ago.  I've worked hard to keep it off.  And now as I start to get closer to that number, it is certainly a head trip.  Just like with the other symptoms and general uncomfortableness, I try to keep my eye on the prize as it will all be worth it in the end.  I'm still eating healthy.  I haven't turned into a complete couch potato.  My baby is still growing and is healthy and I'm doing everything I can to keep it that way.  I'm also trying to convince myself that it will make the work I'll put in once I've recovered from delivery even more rewarding.  I've already started plotting my "comeback."
Activity:  I would say that laundry and cleaning the house are the biggest workouts I'm getting lately.  And while those are most definitely a challenge due to being exhausted, awkward and big, it's not the same as getting in a sweaty workout outside.
Best moment this week:  The Pilot's family threw me a beautiful baby shower!  The majority of his family lives out of state so we don't see them as often so it was great to see them before the baby arrives.  Even better was that The Pilot's cousin-in-law was a co-host and made all the yummy food.  She's also the one who made our wedding cake.  The wedding cake that some of our guests (The Pilot and I included) still comment on and dream about.  It was sooooo good.  So when I walked into the shower and saw one of her cakes sitting there, I knew it was going to be a good time!  She also made biscuits with strawberries from her garden.  I nearly died and went to heaven...and then stole some for the road trip home.
Miss anything?  I'm definitely really missing my workouts.  I miss my bike.  I miss my training group.  I miss being able to move around without feeling so awkward.  It's certainly all worth it but for someone who is used to being really active, it's been a challenge to just listen to my body and chill out.  Relaxing has never been one of my strengths.  Even though I have a pretty good "excuse" right now, it's still difficult.  Especially when working out was my primary stress reliever.
Movement:  I was cracking up the other night while I was sitting on the couch.  I looked down and there was a little round bulge in my belly.  I poked at it (because that's a natural reaction, right?) and it moved.  I think it may have been baby boy's little butt.  It was round and big...and I know for a fact that it wasn't his head (the doctor confirmed he's still hanging out head down).  So naturally I poked at it again and it moved.  He's not even born yet and getting annoyed by his mama.  The Pilot wasn't home but I knew he was on the ground and still awake so I had to call to tell him about it.  :)
Food cravings:  While the strawberries are still pretty dang tasty, nectarines are now rocking my world.  This is probably more due to the fact that strawberries are starting to come out of season and nectarines are in full force.  I've also noticed an increased craving for junk food like potato chips and french fries.  I try to curb those cravings but sometimes a pregnant woman just cannot be denied!
Gender:  He's all boy...bouncing boy!  He's still wiggling up a storm in there.  It's working out great for us and we have a lot of friends/family with boys.  The Pilot has a male cousin (in high school) who passed down some Legos to us.  A cousin-in-law is letting us borrow some "boy" cloth diapers that her son used as a newborn.  And one of my besties had a boy recently...except he was monster baby (he came out nearly 2 feet long!!) and couldn't wear any of the newborn or even some of the 3 month clothes that someone had passed down to them.  So she shipped the clothes to me!  Now, I'm on target to have a monster baby but we'll see what fits when he gets here!
Looking forward to:  In the last week or so I've started to get really excited to meet him.  Of course I want him to bake for a little longer in there but I'm looking forward to meeting the little human who has been jabbing my internal organs.  I'm getting more curious as to what he will look like and what his personality will be like.
Not looking forward to:  I'm in a constant state of HOT right now.  And summer just started so I assume it will just get worse.  I'm going to be a sweaty mess for the next 8 weeks.  Please don't judge me if you see me in person and I look a little (a lot) disheveled.
Milestones: The Pilot experienced another rite of passage when it comes to being a parent.  We received one of the car seats we registered for.  It's the seat we intend to use once little man outgrows his infant seat but we wanted to make sure it fit in both of our cars.  And so The Pilot experienced the joys of installing a car seat.  I've actually already done this a couple times.  I used to keep a seat in my car for my niece when she was little.  It was always like wrestling a bear in the back of a small car.  I wasn't in the garage when The Pilot was working on this but I didn't hear any cursing in the house so it must not have been too bad.  I went out and checked out his handy work and he did great.  That seat didn't budge when I gave it a shake.  While the seat fit in both cars,  I will lose the entire back seat in my car.  We plan to keep the seat in the middle for as long as possible (they say that is the safest) but because I have a small car (Honda Fit), it eats into the other two seats so much that I think the only person that would fit back there is my skinny 5-year-old nephew.  And that wouldn't even work because he still needs a booster seat.  I can see why people end up getting bigger cars when kids come along!  We are going to do our best to make do with the cars we have though.  Especially since both are paid off and run great!