Pregnancy Update: 34 Weeks

How Big is Baby: Honeydew, 17.2-18.7 inches, 4-6 lbs
How Far Along: 34 Weeks

Weight Gain: 29 pounds. Two pounds this week. I am hoping it's the baby gaining. I am really not ready to see the 3 in front of another number. I haven't ever gained this much weight. Thankfully, I was talking to my aunt over the weekend, and she says that twenty pounds come off within a month. The last bits are the parts you have to work off - and that I don't mind. I have been dreaming about running and doing Jillian Michaels and getting skinny. I want that.

Sleeping: I sleep lots, but I'm always tired. I need more sleep. I wake up at least twice a night to pee, so it's interupting my sleep. I could use a daily nap, but there's never enough time.

Food Cravings: sour candy, cold water and fajitas with fresh salsa. I'm making a bowl of salsa with a whole tomato, half a jalapeno, a little bit of onion and some fresh lime juice and then DEVOURING it at least twice this week.

Food Aversions: pizza

Symptoms:
Crazy swollen feet - This has been my worst symptom. And of course, it's still here. I can't make it past lunch without seeing major swelling. I have been very worried about it, but my blood pressure is normal (and well within the healthy range) and my water intake is good. There also hasn't been any protein in my urine, so we're good. Except for the fat feet!!

Frequent urination - It came! All pregnancy I've somehow maintained my ability to hold my urine for several hours at a time even while consuming ridiculous amounts of water. It happens at work, about every two hours, and while I'm sleeping, anywhere from two to five times a night. It happens at home, especially, maybe because my body knows my bathroom is clean and so close.

Increase in breast size - my breasts are huge! I've always been famous for having great cleavage, and prior to my pregnancy, I'd say I had the perfect rack: 34DD. Well, now things are just ridiculous. I bought a new bra over the weekend (after my size didn't come in the store) from an awesome nursing bra company Bravado (expensive, but the best in the biz) in my new size. Are you ready for it? Sit down. It's ridiculous: 36G. What?!

Fear - I was afraid in the early pregnancy, and then it became a cute idea and exciting and mildly terrifying. Now, I'm realistic and scared - and the birth is so close that it seems reasonable to be scared!

Doctor's Appointment: I get the week off! I did so well that I can have a week to myself. Next week begins my weekly appointments (for real) and internal checks. I am hoping for nothing too crazy. I'm not ready yet for a baby!!

Movement: He's been moving a lot more lately. He's huge. I can feel him from my ribs to my pelvis. Often when I am sitting, I can feel some serious movement in my pelvis, often he'll push against my bladder. His feet move around, and I love feeling it. My favorite is when he sticks his butt out.

Gender: Boy. And we still don't know the name.

Best Moment of the Week: Finding out that my swelling isn't bad - that it's more than most pregnant women, but it's not coming with excessive weight gain, high blood pressure or protein in my urine. Things are good. Whew.

What I'm Looking Forward To: This weekend of relaxing. I have no plans, only relaxing on the docket.

What I've Got for Baby: This week, I bought a blood pressure machine. It's more for me than for baby, but if the blood pressure is too high, I have to go straight to the hospital. It's so comforting to see that my blood pressure is great. Also, we picked a pediatrician and did a hospital tour. Baby also got a head start on bedtime stories thanks to Bryan's reading of Lemony Snicket.

What I've Learned This Week: Nurses don't like birth plans. Even though the internet loves to recommend them, the nurses at the hospital I will deliver say they laugh at any mom who comes in with one and joke to each other that it will end in a c-section.

They tell me this as I'm holding a printed version of mine...which I sneakily folded in half and threw into my purse saying, "Oh, yes, that's so ridiculous, those moms with birth plans."

I will share my plan with Bryan, so he can be in the know and help make sure things go as best as they can. I want the drugs, I want to try lots of positions and I want my baby on me immediately after birth. Other than that, let's do it how it happens.