Pregnancy Update: 32 Weeks

How Big Is Baby: squash, 15.3-16.7 inches
How Far Along: 32 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 25 pounds. I gained two pounds between last Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. I saw my midwife because my blood pressure was really high on Wednesday night. Thursday afternoon, it was back to normal but my swelling was back and my weight gain worried her.

Today's appointment, I dropped those two pounds. I'm steady at 25 pounds gained. My midwife is going to be watching me weekly since my blood pressure scare and a few other things (more in Appointment).

Sleeping: Sleeping is fine. I wake to pee once a night, but it's normally when Bryan is climbing into bed after playing Diablo, so it's really just like a nap and then like we're going to bed together. Sleeping is best done in my comfy bed. The couch will make me ache if I fall asleep watching tv.

Food Cravings: WINE. BEER. Man, I want it so bad. I'm not allowing myself to indulge, but I crave it. I'm not craving salads, but I'm trying to eat more veggies (for the weight gain) for the baby.

Food Aversions: Sometimes water will taste weird. And then hours later, the same water will be delicious. My mouth is playing tricks on me!!

Symptoms:
Moody - My moods are unpredictable. One night, I was really sad for no reason. I just couldn't shake the sadness. Other days, I'm laughing uncontrollably over the stupidest things. I will cry if something is sweet. I will be happy over the littlest things. I really feel like a crazy person. (Bryan will say that I AM a crazy person.)

Swollen Feet - I can't stop this. I wear Toms to keep the swelling down. If I am barefoot or in flip flops, the swelling gets out of control. Sneakers are best for feet swelling, but then my ankles are sooooooo swollen. Toms do a good job swelling both minimally. I wear the same shoes everyday. I think I need another pair.

Tiny Marks on My Underbelly - I just found them. Tiny red marks under my belly. The only stretch marks I have (besides the ones on my feet), and they are hidden under my belly. I wonder how they'll look after birth. I tried to give my skin a pep talk about not getting any more!

Doctor's Appointment: I saw my midwife today. Blood pressure was fantastic: 125/71. My weight gain was actually a loss since my last appointment. Baby's heart rate is awesome, rocking out at 147. My midwife talked to me about last week's scare.

So Wednesday night, my feet swelling did not go down. Even after lots of water and elevating my feet for a few hours. And then I felt pain under my ribs. So Bryan took me to WalMart to check my blood pressure. It was really high 149/89. Scary. So I saw my midwife the next afternoon. My blood pressure was normal at 129/69. The protien in my urine was normal. My swelling was reduced. The midwife ordered a 24 hour urine sample and we kept this week's appointment.

Today, my blood pressure was great, and though my feet are not that swollen, they were a little bit. She was not a fan. She was impressed by my weight loss, and says I'm back on track. She said my 24 hour urine production was impressive (the most she's seen), but that the protein levels were on the high end of normal. That combined with my swelling has her worried. So, I'm on to weekly appointments. And weekly blood draws. And protein checks. And weight checks.

On one hand, I'm comforted that I will be under such good supervision. I feel confident that nothing can go wrong with so much careful watching. On the other hand, I'm worried since it is normally not until 35 weeks that you go to weekly appointments. So I'm 3 weeks too early. And she's asked me to stay local. No more travelling (I didn't mention this weekend's trip since it's our last...and I'm not cancelling it!).

The good news is that she was able to feel the baby, and she says he's head down. That's cool, right?

Movement: I feel him all the time. And what I originally thought was a butt and then thought I was awful and was his head was actually his butt! So I've been feeling his feet and his bum moving and rolling around. Lots of rolling, no real kicking or jabbing. I like that about my little guy. Sweet and chill.

Gender: We still don't know the name. STOP PRESSURING, MOM!

Best Moment of the Week: Coming into work very late after my doctor's appointment nervous about whether my boss would be upset (I didn't know I needed vials of blood!!), but it turns out he's super pleased with me. I stood up for the international students in yesterday's big meeting, and I told the VP that he was wrong (because he was) and gave real facts and corrected him. Apparently, word got around to my boss before I could tell him this morning. He's so proud of me, and I feel really great. I love making a difference, and I love it when I do things right!

What I'm Looking Forward to: This weekend!!! In just three hours, I'm outta here. I'll be on my way to Dallas (with my feet up on the dash, ok?) for an incredible last vacation before the baby comes. We'll stay at a swanky hotel, take cool cooking classes, eat fancy food, buy awesome things and enjoy being a twosome without any parental responsibilities. I cannot wait!

What I've Learned This Week: A LOT about Excel spreadsheets. I am working to combine four spreadsheets into one, and I was pulling my hair out. My awesome and super smart husband hooked me up! And it even counts my data