Month 8

I'm so behind on this post... sorry!

If you read Snow Days and Sick Days you'll understand the delay.  We've now been back in school for 5 weeks and it seems like the blink of an eye.  The next 2-6 weeks until this baby arrives I'm sure will go by just as quickly. 

Month 8th of your pregnancy is usually considered Weeks 31-34, which means I've been in the 9th month of pregnancy for over a week even though I could potentially be pregnant for another 6 weeks (in my mind that makes pregnancy more like 10 or even 11 months - more on this crazy calculation later)

Baby
In developmental matters, Baby has developed a good sense of hearing (and I'm guessing learned to tune out her brother already) and continues brain and lung development.  She is also practicing breathing, sucking and swallowing; the combination of which often leads to the hiccups.  The main task of the 8th month, and really for the rest of the pregnancy is to grow, grow, grow.  Beginning now, Baby Girl will gain about 1/2 pound per week.

I can tell that Little Girl has accumulated some fat as those knobby little knees that caused me so much pain (literally) during the 2nd trimester have become much softer as they traverse the span of my abdomen. And although she is riding low in my pelvis preparing (impatiently, I assume) for her birthday, I can feel her rise a little higher each week as she continues to gain in length as well as weight.

See what big brother was up to during the 8th month. 

Mommy
Mommy is apparently getting BIG.  Some days I feel just that but others days I begin to feel comfortable with the size of my belly.  Occasionally I even think... hey, I was so much bigger with Whit about this time that I feel downright skinny! My thyroid levels have remained stable the last 6 weeks so my weight gain has really kept with "textbook" rates rather than scaring the pants off me week to week and even day to day.  I am officially unable to wear my pre-pregnancy shirts (even the ones that were a little bigger) since I'm not one to allow the bottom half of my belly hang out.  Normal thyroid function also makes for a more energetic, happier, saner, and overall better Mommy. The majority of my time these days is spent nesting - some at home and some in my plan book at school, preparing for the now imminent arrival of the Little One.

Daddy
Daddy is deep into baseball and I think doing a great job not stressing over the timing of Baby Girl's arrival.  He seems calm about letting this birth happen when and how it will happen and it has really relieved some of my doubt and anxiety surrounding the birth knowing that he will be just as good (if not better) at coaching me through labor this time around.

I'm comfortable knowing that there is a 100% chance of Baby showing up by March 28th, but for those of you who are curious (or impatient) I've created a timeline with probabilities below.  Because, yes, I am a bit of a nerd! (for those of you who also have nerdy tendencies, the percentages below add up to 90.  The remainder is 5% pre-term and 5% post-term birth).

before 37 weeks               5%
37-38 weeks 2/14-2/20    5%
38-39 weeks 2/21-2/27    10% (first scrimmage is this week)
39-40 weeks 2/28-3/6      20%
40-41 weeks 3/7-3/13      35% (First Ballgame! And last week of work if baby hasn't shown up)
41-42 weeks 3/14-3/20    20% (Whit showed up at the beginning of this cycle)
after 42 weeks                  5%

Of course, only time will tell!  More to come soon!