Week 32 (Month 8)

Eric got his first case of the hiccups on Easter Sunday. They didn't last too long, and surely didn't slow him down any - he was wiggling around in there all evening!

Eric is going through some major growth spirts now and the level of horomones in my body is increasing at an alarming rate. The bad dreams are back with a vengence as are the mood swings, swelling, aches, heartburn, shortness of breath, and I am beyond exhausted all the time.

I'm really off balance too. The more quickly he grows the more quickly my body is unused to the new weight up front. I can just about fall over doing nothing at all!

On top of it all, my seasonal allergies have kicked in and I have super itchy eyes and can't stop blowing my nose. :(

By now, Eric weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in my uterus. He will gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Week 31 (about 63 more days!)

Eric measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt! He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's moving a lot, too, which is a good sign that he is healthy. I had my Dr. appt yesterday and my diabetes lab tests came back negative! :) The Dr. said my blood pressure and weight (I gained 2 more pounds!) are good and the baby is growing at the proper rate (my belly measurement should equal the number of weeks along I am and it does). Besides the emotional mood swings, complete lack of memory, exhaustion, heartburn, and not being able to take a deep breath I couldn't ask for a more medically perfect situation!

Week 30 (about 10 weeks to go!)

Any doctor will tell you that human pregnancy lasts 40 weeks... yet somehow the general public is under the impression women are pregnant for 9 months, can someone please do the math here???

Eric is about 15.7 inches long now, and weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in the uterus. His eyesight continues to develop.

On the other hand, my swelling continues to develop (thanks T.S. for letting me know grapefruit reduces swelling!). My arms and legs fall asleep if I stay in any one position for very long. Walking (or should I say 'waddling') on concrete or asphalt is difficult on my back, hips, knees, and feet. And laying down activates pressure on my sciatic nerve which causes a sharp pinching sensation that’s just awful when you are trying to settle down to sleep.

Besides all the ninjitsu moves, I can tell Eric is growing by the fact that things I used to be able to reach are now just out of reach due to the size of the bump. I can no longer reach the bottom of the washing machine, even if I turn sideways! And those dishes on the second shelf of the cupboards above the stove are no longer used for anything!

Thanks to K.A. and my mom for taking me to the JBF Sale - very cool!!!

Week 29 (about 77 days to go!)

I had another dream about Eric, he was brand new from the hospital and we were all at home, happy and healthy!

Eric is very active with his ninjitsu, sometimes he does what I can only imagine are summersaults since my abdomen suddenly looks like the waves of the ocean! Eric weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel! His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain.

I had a Dr. appt this week. He said everything looks good and sounds good and measures properly - yeah! I gained another whole pound for a total of 2 pounds this entire pregnancy, lol. The Dr. said I will have lots more swelling now that Eric is getting bigger :(