Week 31

This week has been fun. The baby moves all the time, I feel pretty good and everything is going well. I’m so glad that I get to report once a week that everything is on schedule and that everything is fine. I probably wouldn’t enjoy writing this if there was something negative to report. Even if I personally waffle and have concerns none of that affects the baby. He/she is doing very well.

We’re going to start the fall season this weekend. I love the fall. The weather gets a little cooler, the leaves begin to change color and the world becomes crisp. For me there always seems to be a little more clarity with this season. The haze of the summer is gone and you are not yet distracted by the bitterness of winter. I am very excited to have my first child in this season. Well, let’s be honest, I would be excited to have this baby during any season, but the fall is special for me. It reminds me of school and family; there was always a lot of anticipation for the holidays. I have so many positive memories of this season during my life and now I am looking forward to a truly new moment to begin. My life will never be the same. A little while ago, that seemed like a terribly daunting prospect. Today it feels refreshing. Today I am in awe of my new upcoming role. Today I am very pleased with my little spot in the world.

Today, I am also really looking forward to maternity leave! It almost feels like waiting for summer vacation to come when you are in school. Essentially, it’s April for me in my senior year of high school. I know what I have to do, but I can barely concentrate on the task at hand. And how much does my participation really matter at this point? The stock market/bond market has had its most volatile week in the 12 years that I have been doing this and there is nothing I can do to control it. I can help facilitate my customers’ trades but I have no idea how to really advise them under the current conditions. I don’t think anyone really does. My daily calls to my accounts have flip-flopped all week. I wish I had more insightful things to say about the current economic crisis but it is all a blur right now. There are so many moving parts to this thing right now that I’m suffering from economic whip-lash. I think I need a few maternity months to recover. J

Eric and I had a Dr.’s appointment yesterday. I have gained 18 pounds so far. I really have gained 17 ½ pounds, but I am trying to embrace the numbers as they get bigger, so I am rounding up. However, it has to be quite obvious to you that I am not completely comfortable with this if I am writing this little caveat. So, to you my lovely friends and family, I am sharing my unease with the weight numbers, but to everyone else I will put on a brave face and just round up. Let’s face it; I really haven’t hid anything else from you along this funny pregnancy journey. But 18 pound is right in line with what I should weigh now. They say you should gain between 25 and 35 pounds and from this point forward I should be gaining about 1 pound per week. So I should end up in the +25-30 pound weight category.

Now back to baby info. The baby should weigh around 3 pounds now and it measures approximately 11 inches from crown to rump. It can move its head, open its eyes and make breathing movements through its open nostrils although no air comes in. This baby also moves all the time. I love it and I think I’ll miss it a little once the baby is born. But then I’ll have the baby, so I probably won’t mind that much! Below are the weekly renderings.