Week 32: Emotions, a To-Do List, and a Rodeo

***Disclaimer: this first paragraph is sentimental and deals with feelings.  It may make you nauseous***

It feels surreal to tell people I am 32 weeks pregnant.  Obviously, getting to this point and beyond was the goal of the whole 'getting pregnant' deal, but the joy of actually having a 3 pound baby moving around in my stomach is indescribable.  I love feeling his body as it pushes against the side of my stomach.  I'm always wondering, is that his head? Hand?  Butt?  Feet?  It often looks and feels as if he's break-dancing in there.  Kyle and I watch with wide eyes amazed to be seeing all the movement.   It's fascinating to think that 33 weeks ago, the baby didn't even exist, and now he's wowing his parents with all of his dance moves.  It hit me this week that this baby will make noises and smile.  I can't wait to see that first smile and all the smiles that follow!  According to one of my weekly baby newsletters, we are entering into a period of growth where I will be gaining a pound a week with half of that being added onto the baby!  Little boy's job for the next 8 weeks is to fatten up for survival in the outside of the womb.  I can already tell he's LONG.  I'll feel him right under my chest and under my belly button at the same time.  An average baby at 32 weeks would be 16.7 inches long.  I think my little guy is right about there!  In addition to all of the weight and length, he's developed toenails, fingernails, and real hair.  I'm wondering what color his hair is and if it will be curly or straight.  Whenever I see a baby, I ask myself, "Is that what he'll look like?"  I'm obsessed;  it's such a blessing to be able to be at this point in my pregnancy and life.  I can't believe there are only 8 weeks left to go.

Mushy feelings aside, the past weeks have been really busy, but in a good way of course.  When Kyle and I first got married all we did at night was watch t.v.- as in sit on the couch for 4 hours after work, then go to sleep.  Now, we actually do things.  They aren't always exciting, but we're not glued to the couch in a trance.  Most recently we embarked on an adventure that can only be described as purely American: we went to a rodeo.   It was a YEE-HAW good time and entertaining.  Imagine a horse hula-dancing, hundreds of children chasing calves covered in stickers, barrel racing, a clown accidentally setting his clothes on fire, and of course, bull riding.  Let me tell you, this was America at it's finest; I can't wait to bring Baby M to it next year!

This coming week, Kyle and I have a few chores to do to get the house ready for the baby.

-wash blackout curtains

-iron and 'hem' regular curtains

-hang curtains back up in the nursery

Progress- one curtain is ironed and... the board's been sitting out for 3 days.

-print off pictures for the frames in the nursery

-look for letters to hang above the crib

-figure out what to do with the dogs while I'm in labor at home (maybe kennel them for a night?)  They can be home when I'm at the hospital, just not while I'm mentally managing my pain at home.  We may not have two living dogs if one of them tries jumping on me during a rush.

-bring these plants back to life/compost them if I can't

-figure out the mantel.  Honestly, this has needed to get done since we moved in and believe it or not, the plants are a major improvement from NOTHING.  Can't keep my precious plants on the ground anymore with a baby on the way, but I fear that a combination of the plants and birds will make people sing "Welcome to the Jungle" when they come into our house.  I don't know, maybe that's cool?

-read Birth Skills by Juju Sundin
-recycle the massive glider box currently residing in our living room
All in all, the to-do list isn't too bad!

This week I've felt very pregnant.  When I hold the door open for people, they always comment, "Oh, I should do that for you."  Well, no- not really.  I can hold a door open.  Ask me in a month, and I'm sure I'll appreciate people opening doors for me, but for now, I can do it!  I've noticed my eating increase this week.  Maybe it's my own fault for having Kyle bake rocky road brownies, but we have a lot of great food at our house this week, and I've been eating a ton of it!  Easily 400 calories/day more than usual, and I'm eating constantly- like a monster. I also had a pregnancy symptom for the first time this week: numbness.  On Tuesday, I noticed my leg felt tingly while I was walking around at work.  I sat for a little while to see if it felt better, but it still felt tingly and was working it's way towards numbness.  Later as I was eating lunch, I noticed my hand getting tingly and numb. I googled the symptom and a website said numbness is most commonly caused by the baby laying on a nerve.  I then called my doctor who told me the same thing, her recommendation was to lay down and get the baby to move.   I looked around my classroom and decided the bean bag chair was the least-disgusting place to rest.  After laying down for a while, the babe moved and I had feeling in both my hand and leg.

Bump pic coming soon!