Bumpdate: Week 32

Hey there, unflattering horizontal stripes!

Wow. Week 32. My May 4 due date is officially less than two months away! This week I really started to feel like an end is in sight. I'm excited, I'm nervous, and I want time to go relatively quickly but not too quick. After all, we still have a lot to do before Baby Sister comes!

This past week, much like our weather here in the Nutmeg State...

Snow one day...

... followed by sun the next day.

... my body flip-flopped between feeling off and uncomfortable, and then feeling great, and like I could go on being pregnant forever. (But please, God, NO.) I'll get more into in in the "symptoms" portion of this entry, but for now, I just wanted an excuse to showcase adorable pictures of Sammy in the snow, and then on the slide.

As for this coming week, my What to Expect app tells me that between multiple trips to the bathroom, leg cramps, and just a general feeling of not being comfortable when I am sleeping with a stomach the size of a watermelon, it's likely I'm not getting much sleep these days. 

Um, yeah. You think?  

I will say that I actually didn't sleep horrible this week. For the first time in a few months, I pulled mini Snoogle back out (after using it once a few months ago, and then quickly throwing her back in the closet), and oddly enough, slept remarkably better. 

I wish I could swap this out with bottle upon bottle of Tylenol PM.

I tend to think that pregnancy pillows are one of those items that are specifically marketed to first time pregnant women, who will buy anything and everything out of excitement over being pregnant. (I'm sorry, but I have a really hard time believing that these are really any different than regular lollipops.) But, as my hips have been super stiff when I wake up, something needed to give, so out came ol' Mini Snoogle. And like I said, I have definitely noticed a difference. Granted, a regular pillow would likely cause the exact same effect, but I might as well use this magical pillow that I very excitedly forked money over for when pregnant with Sammy.

Anywho, enough about me (for now). This week, Baby is the size of a honeydew melon (my least favorite melon, btw), though I feel like she more closely remembers a watermelon, as opposed to some little round honeydew. Baby could be anywhere between 17 to 19 inches in length, and weight more than four and a half pounds. This week alone, she could potentially grow more than one inch, and she still could double in weight before the big day comes! Baby's eyes are opening and closing, and she's reached an important milestone - the development of her own immune system.

Total weight gained: I'm pretty sure I'm still at 22 pounds, maybe 23. Though after this past gluttony-filled weekend, I'm sure that will go up. 

Also, I found this kind of cool breakdown of the weight one gains while pregnant, and took a snapshot of it with my phone:

What else does one do at 5:40 a.m.?

Belly / movement: I've gotten a lot of comments this week regarding my size. They've ranged from, "You look like you're pretty far along," and "I met a waitress who is due a week before you, and you are much bigger than her," (thanks, Mom and Dad), to "Are you sure you're having a girl? You're all belly!" (thank you, Hairdresser, and yes, that just earned you a big tip) and "You barely look pregnant!" (Side note: I will now be wearing the oh-so-attractive black fleece vest that earned this particular compliment every day for the next eight weeks.)

Regarding movement, I felt a lot more than I expected to this week. And it's definitely getting rather uncomfortable. What happened to those sweet little kicks and nudges?? 

Sleep: We covered this plenty already.

"Push me faster, Grant!"

Best moment of the week: We had a fantastic breakfast visit this week with our friends Matt, Melissa, and their little boy, Grant. Grant is four months older than Sammy, and now his mom and I are due the same week with our second babies! You may remember Grant from a post I did back over the summer. And here is us with the boys back when Sammy was only four months old.

Food cravings / aversions: I ate horrible this past weekend. Bagels, enchiladas, pizza, Girl Scout cookies - you name it, I ate it. Between a birthday party and meals out with some family in town, it just wasn't pretty. But earlier in the week, I wasn't too too bad. 

I decided to not cook (much) this past week, and thus made a big Trader Joe's trip and stocked up on a lot of frozen and pre-made meals. (This would normally make me feel a bit ashamed, but at 32 weeks pregnant, I feel I'm at liberty to let go just a smidge.) Those green beans, peas, broccoli and cauliflower pictured above were a long overdue dose of green veggies.

Also, I discovered a new obsession, which I then craved the entire week: Cilantro and jalapeno hummus.

OMG. I could eat this on everything. And likely will for the next eight weeks.

Symptoms: We've already covered the fact that I was hungry this week. And that I experienced a bit of hip pain. But what else? Well, I'm at the point where I'm about to install a porta-potty in my living room, or just set up a playroom for Sammy in our bathroom, as that's where I spend the majority of my time these days.

Also, while a few weeks ago I thought I was having some Braxton Hicks contractions, Friday night, I became fairly certain that they were making their presence known again. To the point where after a half hour, I finally pulled out my contractions app - only to have them stop after my first timing of them. They were weird and uncomfortable, appeared to be somewhat regular, and served as a little reminder of what I'm about to have to endure again. (Is it possible to be administered an epidural for Braxton Hicks??) Eesh.

What I'm looking forward to: We're getting closer and closer to finishing Sammy's big boy room, and with that comes his transition into a big boy bed. Yikes!

Part of Sammy's big boy daybed, which has turned into a DIY project of sorts - for James.

I wouldn't necessarily say I'm looking forward to transitioning Sammy to his big boy bed, but I am excited to complete his room, which may soon be my favorite room in the house, and then to turn my efforts to sprucing up Baby Sister's room. 

And it goes without saying, I'm getting very, very excited to meet Baby Sister!

Workout: Similar to my eating habits this week, after a bike ride and two decent swims, it was pretty much downhill by the end of the week. And I sort of feel guilty, but I sort of don't. We just were busy this week / weekend, and I felt I put in more than enough hours last week. 

Regardless, our gorgeous Spring-like weather this week had me craving a run in a bad way, though again, it just simply doesn't feel possible at this point. So what do I do to make myself feel better? I officially signed up for my first sprint triathlon! (Giving me just about four months to start working out again and train, once Baby arrives and I get through the first six weeks.) And, I promised myself that as of Monday, I will get back to my regular workout schedule.