33 Weeks

   

32 Weeks 6 Days

How Your Baby’s Growing (from Babycenter.com):

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

How far along: 33 weeks

Pregnancy symptoms: Braxton Hicks, heartburn, foot/ankle pain, back pain.  I realized that I’ve gotten to this point in the pregnancy where somehow I have all this energy and desire to get stuff done, but my body can’t keep up.  Better than the reverse for me though.

Food Cravings: salty stuff (chips, etc.), ice to chew, chocolate, shakes

Sleep: it’s been good the last few days

Measurement: inches

Movement: I feel him a lot. 

Labor signs: not so much

What I miss: being able to snuggle my babies in my lap :)

What I’m looking forward to: getting the newborn diapers ordered – planning to do that this week!  I have a friend whose baby should be born this week, and I’m looking forward to holding a newborn! 

Milestone: Baby Boy and I had a baby shower on Sunday.  It was so nice!

Thoughts from the Girls: ummmm… I’m not thinking of anything 

Doctor’s visit: not this week

Baby-related projects: (I still have lots of time for all these, but they’re in my head.)

• I’m pondering making Natalie go “cold turkey” from her crib sometime in the next week.  I think I will move out the crib and put her toddler bed in the corner against the wall.  I know she’ll do fine, and not having the crib in there to fall back on will make us try harder. **She slept both nap yesterday and last night in the toddler bed, so I think we’re done with the crib.  At least at night, I’m not planning to let her back in the crib.
• I’m thinking I’ll plan to have “the bag” packed at 36 weeks
• Around that same time I will print a “call list” of people who can come get/watch the girls when it’s time.  My previous deliveries haven’t afforded me much wait time between the onset of labor and birth, so the first person who answers get Joanna/Natalie duty!  (Hopefully this labor will be smooth like the others!)
• Purchase/assemble/organize the newborn cloth diaper supplies.
• Possibly have the house deep cleaned at the beginning of October.
• Pick up some easy snacks/meals for me for when my hands are full.
• Get some meals in the freezer: casseroles, soups, browned meat, cooked chicken, etc.
• Get ahead on the bread making.
• Organize the girls’ snacks and drinks so Joanna can help get them.  (Teach her to use the water dispenser on the fridge, move the crackers and Cheerios down low, make a space in the fridge for easy snacks for them.)  I’m thinking it’s possible she’ll be very helpful in getting snacks for herself and her sister… or we’ll scrap that idea when she makes a big ‘ol mess. :)  I remember everyone was always hungry or needed something when I sat down to nurse last time I had a newborn. :)  **Joanna can (and loves to) get her own water from the fridge.  Yay!
• Read my birth books again.  **started this!
• Replace the faucet in the bathroom so Joanna can turn it on herself.  **Matt replaced the one in the middle bath this weekend!