A Diary of Pregnancy

30 weeks:

~ I hadn't noticed any hormonal mood swings until I hit this week, and then I felt them intensely for a couple of days (update: ongoing; poor Francisco. At this point he knows that his main job is to buy me ice cream and he's done fabulously--we haven't run out yet).

~ I'm beginning to get uncomfortable--mostly my poor back. It always hurts when I write at my laptop for hours and hours on end, but now I have a paper deadline and a perpetually achy back. Not a good combination.

~ If I give birth to an ice cream cone, it will be my own darn fault.

~ I'm really grateful that I haven't had any trouble sleeping so far. This would be a terror for me--I love my sleep. In fact, I'm sleeping more than ever.

~ Baby hiccups: much faster than adult hiccups.

31 weeks:

~ There are two allowed sleeping positions: my left side and my right side. I feel like a rotisserie chicken, turning from one side to the other all night.

~ It's super weird to have a baby in there. Half the time, I feel like it's the greatest thing ever, and half the time I feel like it's that alien bug that's in Neo's abdomen in the Matrix.

32 weeks:

~ I think I'm nearing the point of discomfort. When I'm walking, it feels exactly like I have a 3-4 pound baby sitting directly on my bladder, which is more or less what's happening, as I understand it.

~ When I'm out and about in the heat I try not to look down at my ankles, because I'm scared of what I may (or may not find). It hasn't actually been bad yet, but you never know and you don't really want to see that.

~ In the never ending category of things I spend time being anxious about: What if he comes early and I'm not ready??

~ Gaining enough weight has been a constant source of stress this pregnancy. The midwives never seem worried, but that's probably because I eat like it's my job. Probably at the end of the summer the baby will come out at 10 pounds, and I'll feel very foolish for having worried. But right now, I worry. And what a conundrum: eating sometimes makes me actually ill, it often gives me heartburn, there's just not as much room in my stomach, and yet I have to do it. The time in life that I'm probably least interested in food is the time it's most necessary. Sigh.

~ The midwife at my most recent appointment literally suggested that I eat peanut butter crackers in the middle of the night. Francisco thinks that he would enjoy this; I do not.

~ Prenatal yoga is great--it makes me feel like my rapidly changing body is still mine and still strong.

33 weeks:

~ The Baby Shower. Mama Leopard, Ilana, Stearns and Gypsy threw a lovely shower for Baby Leopard. It was such a nice combination of relatives and old friends and reminded me how supported I am in this endeavor: I am very grateful. Tons of my gifts were such lovely handmade baby blankets, which I can't wait to use. It was a brunch and of course the food was amazing; Mama Leopard is quite a good cook (quiche and sausage casserole and blueberry and raspberry bread and black raspberry muffins and fruits and vegetables). And--best part--there were no baby shower games!