32 Weeks

Slumdog Millionaire wins best picture - walking away with 8 oscars.

According to the news the recession is still the biggest party in town.

Ken Griffey Jr. is making headlines in Seattle as he signs a deal to come back for his last year in baseball.

I am 32 weeks pregnant which is the beginning of month 8!

The single digit week count has begun! In the pregnancy adventure this is a BIG milestone!

First though I am elated to report that my sister had her baby - a little boy late last Friday night! I am the proud aunty of Vincent Edward Millard weighing in at a healthy 8lbs 11 oz. Unfortunately she had a very long and hard labor. After pushing for over 3 hours he entered the world healthy and happy via c-section. I requested a onesie that says "my cousin Vinny".

I am at that stage now where birth stories are making an impact because suddenly this part is becoming very real! We started childbirth classes last week. I think they will be helpful. But in the end my only expectation is to expect the unexpected. I have no such dreams of a glorious 2 hour labor that my mom had with me (though wouldn't it be dreamy). While it's good to have a loose plan, and have some knowledge, I feel it is better to be flexible and let it all happen. Because it's going to happen the way it does, not the way it's scripted. I think this is one of the clear benefits of being older or wiser. In the end one thing matters - a safe healthy birth. And for me his needs come first - but...this is true every day and has been since we looked at the 2 pink lines on the magic stick last fall.

I am feeling really good these days. But have some of usual culprits of late pregnancy. My back gets tight, I have some really strong heartburn as my stomach is being pushed up so far, and the obvious - the belly is getting large! One strange thing I've noticed lately is my lack of cravings or I think better put is my apathy towards all food groups. I still get hungry - but the odd thing is I usually wander around wondering what I am hungry for, nothing really looks horrible (except broccoli and salmon still) but the change is nothing really looks good either. No worries though - no matter what I do I still seem to have no trouble packing on the pounds! They come from nowhere.

I tried a pre-natal massage about a week and a half ago. At first it was hard to relax...which is not at all normal for me. I love massage and actually have been open to all sorts of body work for a long long time. The interesting thing was how vulnerable I felt. My body truly is not my own. And this sense of protection is so overwhelmingly strong. My body did eventually learn to accept this and then it felt great.

Our little pea pod is right track for 32 weeks.

What is going on inside the big belly?

I found out today at the doc he's turned and is now head down and she said he's likely to remain that way until delivery. Although this didn't surprise me because Ben and I thought we discovered his rump sticking out near the top now and it hasn't changed too much. And I am generally able to distinguish between a left hook and a roundhouse kick now :)

The big things now are lung development and weight. The lungs are the last organ to develop and he still has a few weeks before he would be able to breathe air on his own. And he's packing on the pounds! Otherwise he's quite busy....blinking, looking around, grabbing things, making faces, practicing his breathing, peeing and listening to everything around him. By the end of this he will weigh approximately 4 pounds and measure over 17 inches long.