Week 35

I am tired. I am so tired. My belly is gigantic (at least to me) and it is difficult to turn in my sleep, get out of bed, off the couch, etc. I feel like a cartoon exaggeration of my former self. I’m all boobs, belly and butt. I’m an “S” curve. And moving around as a humongous S is a little humorous. I am working so hard not to waddle. I am not a duck. But, when my body becomes very tired at night and I am alone with Eric I let the waddle come home to roost. I have no reason to hide it at that point. However, at work, walking home and any other time I may be conscious of how I look, I walk with 1 foot in front of the other, in my heels and sashay down the street. Or at least I try. Sashaying conveys a little speed and attitude in your walk. My current pace is that of a snail and the attitude in my face is more of a pained strain, but I am trying. I find wearing my big sunglasses helps.

You are all getting this on a Thursday because tomorrow I am in the wedding of my lovely cousin Tara. It’s a blessing that Bridesmaids are not required to walk fast down the aisle. No one will have to ask me to slow down. When I found out I was pregnant I gave Tara the option of not having me as one of her bridesmaids because I knew I’d be 8 ½ months along and probably huge by now. I didn’t know how see had envisioned her bridal party and I didn’t want to mess anything up. But she’s a trooper and has no problem with me being in her wedding. I think I currently look and feel better then what I had projected myself to be living through at this point (thankfully), but I hope when she sees me in my dress tomorrow that she agrees.

Last night Eric and I had another birth class. Now we watch birthing videos every week, but this week’s video was so much more graphic then I had expected. The baby was crowning and then just stopped and she was held with the baby in that position for what seemed like 10 minutes. All of the other births we have watched had at least the head out after it started crowning. That did not happen with this woman and I have to say it was the most uncomfortable I’ve been watching these videos since the class began. A Baby Story it was not.

I have another doctor’s appointment today. This every 2 week thing is a little annoying, but I would rather them be on top of everything rather then leave it all to chance. I know Eric is a little tired of having to drive out to Bryn Mawr again, but what are you going to do. Now all the conversations are about what happens after the baby is born. Do we have a pediatrician (almost, we have great recommendation), if it’s a boy will he be circumcised (undecided), am I going to breastfeed (as long as I possibly can), do we have childcare picked out (it’s a very fluid thing right now, but we are working on it), etc. We have a lot of decisions to make but everything is coming together in its own time. I’m trying not to rush anything at this point even though its against my natural tendencies.

As a quick little side note, I was walking home yesterday down 12th street and a man comes up to me and says “Congratulations!” He pauses and then says “You’re having a girl”. I said, “thank you. We’ll see soon” and walked away.

So, here’s the fun stuff. According to Babyzone.com the baby’s muscles are maturing along with the rest of its body. The baby can hold its head up and turn it from side to side. The baby will practice its newfound muscle tone by stretching out its arms and kicking its legs (I can verify that this happens all day long!). If this baby is a boy then the testes have descended into their proper place. The baby’s eyes are now open when awake and closed when sleeping. The baby is about 12.8 inches from crown to rump and weighs nearly 5 pounds. Below are the weekly renderings.