33 weeks

How big is the Baby?
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.

via babycenter

How Life's Changing
People we have an emergency. My fingers and feet (which are normally pretty bonie) are starting to SWELL. I kind of want to cry a little. This past weekend I said fairwell to my wedding rings, while they still fit comfotably while on it was getting harder and harder to take them off. So I figured better to stop wearing them before they have to be cut off my finger. Sad. So not cool.

To be honest though, I can really only blame myself. I stink at drinking water and usually only get down 1 bottle a day. No wonder I'm starting to swell. So, now I am going to try and kick up the water intake. I still have 7 more weeks to go and I still have maternity pictures to take! Lord, help me to not look like a swollen mess in them!

As the nugget's arrival creeps closer I continue to feel pretty good physically which I am thankful for. I mean, I definitely have pregnancy discomforts (achy back/joints, tired, hormonal mess, etc). However, I am eternally grateful that I am still sleeping well. That could totally change tonight or tomorrow, but for now I'll take what I can get. I need my sleep and luckily am still sleeping pretty comfortably at this point.

Sadly, I don't think I am much fun to be around these days and I'm pretty sure that I am driving Nate crazy. My new thing is being starving (and grumpy), but yet nothing sounds good. So Nate (being the sweet husband he is) will list off about 20 options while I sit and veto each one. And then I will finally decide that something sounds good (usually cereal or something random) and then Nate is annoyed because a bowl of cereal isn't going to fly for him. It's a horrible cycle really. You know what always sounds good though? These...

I am so glad that I stocked up on them last time I was in Michigan because they don't sell them here in TN! Blasphemy! Oh, they are terrible for you...but they always hit the spot. I could actually go for some right now...

How I'm Feeling

I am good. Last weekend we had our crash course childbirth class (we did it in 2 days instead of once a week for 6 weeks). It was good, but slightly overwhelming. I haven't really been worried or given much thought to the labor and delivery, so it was kind of a wake up call. I mean, this kid has to come out somehow!!

Honestly, it kind of made me wish that I was doing a natural childbirth (no drugs), but I just don't think I am mentally prepared. Maybe I'll try to do it naturally the next go around. We shall see. All in all it was a good class and I think Nate and I both learned some good/important things. After our class on Saturday Nate thanked me for having our baby! Ha! I think he is just relieved that he doesn't have to. ;-)

Like I said above, I still feel pretty good, but am starting to become more and more uncomfortable which has led to some frustration and me missing my 'old' body. Honestly, I just miss being able to walk 2 miles without my legs hurting or feeling exhausted! I try to keep in mind that it will all be over soon enough and soon we'll have our lil nugget here in our arms! Yay!

Pregnancy Milestones
* Total weight gain: 23 pounds
* 6 days until my next doctor's appointment
* 7 days until we head to Michigan for my baby shower! Yay!
* 1 childbirth course completed