Week #33: Healthy & Kicking!

33 weeks and a couple of days. 

This is where I find myself at in pregnancy.

My belly is growing steadily and as of this morning's office visit, measures 34 cm. My doctor said that baby girl's heartbeat sounds wonderful and she's definitely getting stronger with each passing day, as her kicks, twirls, punches, and hiccups are very noticeable.

A few days ago, I noticed something extremely new to me! Baby girl responded to my voice, I think, and reached out either her hand or foot toward the right side of my belly button. I pressed my hand onto that spot and noticed the indentation of her reaching back toward me. Initially, I freaked out and may or may not have screamed. This was the first time I could see an actual foot/hand pressing out far enough for me to make out the shape. It was incredible and beautiful and kind of scary. According to my reading, this week my amniotic fluid has maxed out, meaning that baby girl has less and less room to move about freely. Perhaps that's why I can now I see her more easily?

She is amazing - our very own miracle in human form.

Baby girl is now about 17-19 inches in length and the size of a pineapple (or heft at least) and weighs in at 4 1/2 lbs or so. Her eyes open and close easily, depending on when she is awake or asleep. Her skeleton is hardening and her head circumference is also increasing, by about half an inch this week, as her brain develops and grows. She now has her own immune system as well! How cool is that?

Baby girl is getting ready to make her debut!

As far as mama's developments, I'm currently experiencing shortness of breath as a common part of life. While I'm getting ready (i.e. reaching toward my feet to put on socks and applying makeup), I find myself pausing to catch my breathe and will usually sit down to relax rather fast. I don't know how I can get used to this feeling - like the wind is knocked out of me without being hit in the stomach with a soccer ball or sprinting a mile. Baby girl obviously needs my energy and I'm happy to share with her. If only I could realize in the moment that I'm not having a panic attack or about to pass out but rather, it's just a momentary lapse in deep breathing. I think I'm getting there slowly, and as Ken says, by the time I finally give birth to baby girl, I will probably come to accept being pregnant. How ironic.

This past week, both Ken and I were hit with some variation of a cold and are still on the mend. I compensated for a few sleepless nights by taking 1-2 naps a day throughout the week. Napping and eating are great. Speaking of which, my appetite hasn't failed and here are some of the meals I've been enjoying:

Lots of berries! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries...

Loaded spinach salad with a tuna sandwich

Homemade moose chili

Veggie frittata (crustless quiche) with toast, greek yogurt and berries 

One week from today, Ken and I are scheduled for our final ultrasound. I can't wait to see baby girl in utero one more time before she arrives. I look forward to sharing a couple of those photos with you!

Thank you for praying for us and for baby girl's health.

Your love and support - as evinced by the beautiful cards and gifts we keep receiving - are so appreciated. Ken and I are currently saving for a baby stroller along with a few more equipment items and trusting God to meet us in all these things (especially the cost of actually having a baby!) as we just got hit with some large, unexpected financial setbacks.

I'm reminded of a quote by C.S. Lewis: “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality. ”

And this verse: "Therefore we do not lose heart...For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

In faith, I believe that God will continue to provide for us in every circumstance and every season. We are so very blessed.