T minus 4-8 weeks!

So this is going to be another random catch-up entry.  At 33 weeks, I have anywhere from 4-8 weeks to go.  Technically, BugBat will be full-term at 37 weeks, and Dr. Dave won't let me go past 8 more weeks.  It's exciting to know she'll be here in less than two months, guaranteed!  I can't wait to see her and hold her. An exclamation mark can not even express my excitement, so I won't bother.

My belly button is now flat.  Not out, just flat. It's also quite soft, oddly.  I'm wondering if my old naval piercing was such a great idea after all....that seems to be the only place on my tummy (so far, knock on wood!) that is stretching enough to get a bit of discoloration.  I apply Burt's Bees Mama Bee Oil or Belly Balm daily, even though I'm not sure it will do much to prevent stretching, but at least it stops the itching.

I'm trying to keep my weight consistent from this point on, since I've already gained roughly 30 lbs, which is exactly within the recommended 25-35 lbs.  Now that I'm up to 150ish, the scale is beginning to scare me, and I'm counting calories on an iphone application (MyFitnessPal).  It's a great app, but it doesn't have a calculation for pregnancy, so I improvise by adding 150-300 calories a day to my diet.  When I include my daily 3 mile walk, that still allows me to indulge in my daily ice cream and salty snacks, though I've quickly discovered that fruit and fish have become my favorite daily treats since I can eat so much of them without too many calories. Oh yeah, and they're healthy. Next pregnancy I will definitely keep track of my food since I shudder to imagine how many calories I was eating in the first trimester when I was so sick.  The only thing that made me feel better was to constantly eat....and the junkier the food (i.e. Cheetos, Panera's mac n'cheese), the better it stayed down, ironically.

I'm not sure if it's the weight gain or my loosening ligaments, but my feet have finally began to stretch/swell/flatten enough to demand only the thinnest of socks with my shoes, and I can no longer wear my engagement band with my wedding ring (they are 1/4 size different).  My worst nightmare is also happening....prior to pregnancy, my legs were probably my favorite body part, being a runner and all.  I thought they would remain smooth and sleek for a long time....but now, whether it be the fluid retention, weight gain, hormones, or (eek!) age, they're beginning to get dimply, gah!  It's worse when I sit down, or extend my leg backward.  BugBat is definitely worth the sacrifice, but I still can't wait to begin running again and hope to get them back to resembling what they used to be.  Sigh.  Here are some celebrity cellulite pictures to make me feel better:

Everyone keeps pitying me for being pregnant during the hottest summer in recent memory, but honestly, I'm SO happy that I can wear a dress right now, because the last thing I want is to wear pants or anything else that would require pressure on my belly.  The less clothes the better!  It's also a huge advantage to wear flats and shoes that do not require lacing...and forget trying to tiptoe across ice with this new center of gravity!  For the first time, Wombat and I are also in agreement on keeping the house at a certain temperature, which is great that we can be simultaneously comfortable for once haha.

Other than those minor observations, I feel better at the moment (33 weeks) than I did last month.  My rib cage finally stopped pulling/expanding, and my heartburn is relaxing a bit (or I'm managing it better by eating smaller meals).  BugBat is still a little wiggleworm, and she seems to have established a schedule of movement throughout the day.  Dad got to feel her for the first time yesterday, right after we picked him up from the airport.  Now that we're down to 4-6 weeks, everyone is getting more excited :)

I mentioned last time that my cousins Sara and Emily were blessed with new daughters recently - a week after Olivia was born, I spontaneously decided that I must go see them, so I went two weeks ago for a crash course in newborn care.  It was great to hold them, learn how to care for the umbilical cord, diaper such tiny little bums, and get a list of must-have supplies!  I also cooked for once, and successfully pulled off a beef stroganoff slow cooker meal for Sara, and some stacked Jello (it's harder than it sounds!) for Emily's cookout.  Now that I have a better idea of what to expect, I feel much better about bringing BugBat home and not setting myself up with unreasonable expectations.  Thanks again, Cousins!  Look how cute:

Back at our house - a few more changes.  Wombat installed a ceiling fan in the nursery:

Unfortunately, it also fell on his arm in the process:

Owie!  Good thing he heals quickly.

For my birthday, mom and Ron generously gifted us a wall on our stairs, to replace the rickety railing that was previously there, which was not wide enough to hold a baby gate.  The guy did a fantastic job, including using trim and molding to match the rest of our house, so now all we have to do is paint the drywall and I'll get some pics up.  Thank goodness our last baby-safety project is done and I can relax during these last few weeks.  There is always another house project to work on (garage wall, moving gutters, fixing bathroom floor), but for now, nothing urgent.

That's all I have at the moment, cheers!