How bloated can one get?

When people ask me how I'm feeling I think "Great! ...then again, lately I have to say "Great, if it wasn't for the extreme bloating that numbs my finger, arms, legs, and feet...creating pain."
Is there relief? Could be, if I could live in the bathtub for the rest of my pregnancy?! Otherwise, this is normal my doctor tells me. Joy. 6 more weeks... and my body goes back to normal-ish!

How low can you go?

Not only do I feel him lower than last week, but apparently it is noticeable to friends. These friends also think he'll be early. I think I'm behind them, there are days he pushes down so far walking becomes an effort not to mention the pressure on my pelvic bone! Ouch!

Thus my brain fails everytime I open my mouth

My friend shared this with me...it makes me feel better about my brain these days. I have not been myself. I can not hold a conversation, respond to questions, nor absorb what people tell me right away.

Dr. Oz was on Oprah and here is what he said about mommy brain (excerpted from Oprah’s website): (another case for your need of more sleep) Jennifer, a mom from Wayne, New Jersey, says she began noticing differences in the way her brain worked after giving birth to a baby boy. "I began to lose words," she says. "I would start in a conversation, and then all of a sudden, I wouldn't be able to remember a simple word like 'tomato' or 'chandelier.'"

Dr. Oz says this is a real condition known as "mommy brain."Dr. Oz says Jennifer's son, Benjamin, used up a lot of her omega-3 fats while he was in the womb. Eighty percent of our brains are fat," he says. "So the baby sucks up a lot of that vital nutrient, sometimes potentially to the detriment of the mother." During pregnancy, Dr. Oz says a woman's brain also shrinks by about 8 percent. "You don't lose cells. The cells get smaller," he says. "It might be because you're focused on one thing, but the good news is after you give birth, your brain begins to rewire quickly. … Your brain actually gets more powerful than before you got pregnant.

"To combat "mommy brain," Dr. Oz recommends taking omega-3 fatty acids and getting plenty of sleep. "[Omega-3 is] important because we know that it actually allows women to recover from depression faster if they have depression after pregnancy," he says. "It also allows the brain to grow."

32 weeks and 5 days

Got an ultrasound this week. He is head down, and I mean DOWN! My bladder has officially become his pillow. He favors my right side, must be more snuggly over there with his foot nearing my ribs.

Pain, oh the pain

Work has always given me sore feet, but nothing compares to the pain they are in since pregnancy. As soon as I come home, with tears in my eyes, I have to soak them and rub them. Why is it that feet are so sensitive in pregnancy?!

Did I mention that my joints make me feel like I should be collecting social security when I get up from sitting, squatting or sleeping. I have to hobble for a minute before my body straightens and my joints wake up. All normal according to the pregnancy books. Joy.

Seven more weeks...and my body goes back to normal. Right??

final weigh in?

According to Babycenter: "By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb."

So by the end I will have gained 60-65lbs for my pregnancy. At least the last of it is the baby and not me! :)

Feeling Lonely

I feel so lonely. All of my friends seem to be extremely busy or just plain with their significant other the last few months. So it's just me and my belly with 8 weeks left. Soon I'll be lonely with a baby.

...I suppose not so lonely then.

I crave "time spent with friends" and seem to find it the one thing that can't be satisfied. Where is everyone? Why can't it be something simple like dinner or a movie? something... would be nice.

another redhead?

I found out last week that the father's side has the redhead gene as well. His brother is a redhead and has a red headed boy. So chances are really promising for all you hoping that I'll have a redhead!

ugh!

Everything has become an effort now! Things I normally want to get done or need to get done are now an EFFORT! I'm getting to that uncomfortable pregnant stage. Moving is stiff and slow, bending toward the ground is now questioned for its need (perhaps that pen I dropped can just stay there until after December).

By Sunday, I'm extra grumpy as I hit my threshold and my body has become swollen from the week of endless hours. It's my "four job" month. I can not wait until it's two.