A few changes

Today I'm in the middle of my 33rd week. I had a midwife appt this morning and got a good blood pressure reading and Emily's heartrate looked good. She's also head down still, which I am thankful for. Unfortunately my weight gain over the last two appointments has been less than optimal to the point that the midwife had to have "the talk" with me today. I cried all the way to the grocery store after I left her office. I'm still in the normal range, but I have really put the pounds on in the last month and I have no idea how it has happened. I'm not eating any more than I was earlier in the pregnancy. In fact, I feel like I'm eating less. But what she said confirmed what I could already see in my face and my legs. To add to that, I've been getting comments lately about "you look so much fuller, your face is fuller, etc." It wouldn't be bad if someone said, "look how your belly is growing!" I'm supposed to grow there. Sigh. It has been a humbling day. I think I was proud of how well I was managing the weight gain and these past couple weeks I have felt like I had no control over it. But Greg and I are going to start taking nightly walks around the neighborhood and I'm cutting out all drinks but water and an occasional glass of soy milk and OJ (I'm taking calcium supplements). And I will trrrryyy to eat chocolate in moderation. :-) I can't and shouldn't lose the pounds that I've put on, but the goal is to get back on track now and hold it to 1 lb or less a week from here on out. 1/2 a pound a week will go straight to Emily for the next month or so. I've asked the Lord to help me with self control as I navigate my relationship with food during the home stretch.

Another change has been lots of Braxton Hicks contractions over the last couple weeks. It is good to know that my body is practicing for the real deal. But it still gives me pause each time one happens. These sometimes are hard to distinguish from Emily's movements now. All of a sudden since around 31 weeks, it has felt like she doesn't have any more room in there. She's got tons more growing to do, but she feels squished in there already. I no longer get kicks all over my belly; it's more like strong pushes in the same place over and over again like she's trying to stretch out but can't. She also gets hiccups quite a bit, which feels so weird!

Other than that, I have noticed that I am still carrying super low. It has probably been a blessing, because I still breath easily and have rarely had a bout with heartburn. I just wonder what it will feel like when she "drops" before labor, because I already feel like she's so low. I guess I'll find out eventually!

Pics of nursery progress should come sometime in the next couple weeks! Greg painted the room a beautiful yellow today, and it turned out great! We are going to attempt to put the crib together tomorrow. So exciting to start getting these things done. :-)