I hit the 31 week mark today! Whoohoo!  I’ve finally made it to the single digit week countdown.  The point has also come to where I feel like my weekends are now swamped.  This weekend, we’re having our new floor installed.  Then, we’ll have 2 final weekends of quiet.  On March 29 we have our all day Lamaze Baby Class at the hospital.  The following week, April 5, my family is having a baby shower for me.  Then the next weekend, April 12, we’ll be in Myrtle beach visiting with Kevin’s family as they’ll be on a mini vacation.  After that, I’ll have just 3 more Saturdays before my due date - maybe 2 if  he comes early.  I have a feeling he will, and would personally like for him to come on April 28 as that day holds a special importance to me.  So, let’s see, that leaves only 5 free Saturdays between now and the due date.  I know a shower with the church ladies is in the works as well - but I don’t know the date for that yet.   So that will take up one more Saturday, leaving me with only 4 free Saturdays before Jack arrives. 

According to Lucy’s weekly email, this week baby Jack is now a little over 3 lbs and is compared to 4 orange navels.  Like the teen years down the road, they say he’ll soon experience a big growth spurt (oh joy).  When I buy flour or sugar, I typically get a 5 lb. bag, and you know what?  Those things feel pretty hefty.  Baby Jack only has a little more than a pound to gain before he’ll be as heavy as a sugar sack.  Yet, strangely, I don’t feel like I’m carrying a concentrated bag of sugar in my belly.  It’s quite weird to think of it that way.  His movements are very frequent now - I call him my little Kung Fu Fighter.  At times it even feels like he’s invited some of his friends over for a tournement! 

*pauses momentarily*

…..and actually, I just noticed he has the hiccups again.  Like, right now.  This time they’re concentrated just above my left hipbone.   It’s very awkward to feel the hiccups because at times I have the inclination to want to hold my own breath or drink water.  Unfortunately that does little to remedy the situation. :)  

Would everyone please stop for a moment and ponder the fact that a 3 pound living being is hiccuping inside of my body.  Certain things about being pregnant just completely boggle my mind.  I currently have 2 of everything…. two heads, two hearts, two livers, two spinal cords.  Then I have 4 arms and 4 legs.  Everything is coexisting right here in my body, and my “bigger heart” and “bigger organs” are sustaining life to the littler ones.  It’s quite mind blowing if you let yourself think upon it too long. 

What’s nice though, is the fact that at this moment I know of many other women who are pregnant too.  It seems like we all joined the club at once!  For instance, first there was my friend Jill, from work, who’s baby arrived a wee bit early (but very healthy!) at the end of December.  My friend Cheryl has a scheduled C-Section in a few days for delivery of her little girl.  My (very awesome) cousin Joy found out about her pregnancy only a few days before I did, and she’s only about a week ahead of me.  This will be her first baby too!   And then there’s Michelle (we were like sisters during our teen years until “life” happened and sent us on our separate ways) - she’s about 3 weeks ahead of me with her second boy.  We both thought it was funny that after all these years we ended up pregnant at the same time. :)   I kinda like to think there was a baby convention in heaven, and they all road together on the train that delivered them to their earthly stops.  Perhaps they all sat next to each other in a little group, playing and talking about their future families - and laughing when they discover their new moms know each other.

I know, I know.  Corny.  :)  But still, it makes for a cute, cute little picture.  

Anyway, Lucy has started sending what the site actually says to me so I’ll have more info each week.  I think she gets it from BabyCenter.com?   Here’s what she had pasted in her email this week about Baby Jack at 31 weeks!

How your baby’s growing:
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges ) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He’s probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby’s kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take
comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby’s development.

How your life’s changing:
Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they’re irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless. Frequent contractions, on the other hand — even those that don’t hurt — may be a sign of preterm labor . Call your practitioner immediately if you have more than four contractions in an hour or any other signs of preterm labor: an increase in vaginal discharge or a change in the type of discharge (if it becomes watery, mucus-like, or bloody — even if it’s pink or just tinged with blood); abdominal pain or menstrual-like cramping; an increase in pressure in the pelvic area; or low back pain, especially if you didn’t have it before.

You may have noticed some leaking of colostrum , or “premilk,” from your breasts lately. If so, try tucking some nursing pads into your bra to protect your clothes. (And if not, it’s certainly nothing to worry about; your breasts are making colostrum all the same, even if you don’t see any.) If your current bra is too snug, you might also want to pick up a nursing bra. Choose a nursing bra at least one cup size bigger than you need now. When your milk comes in you’ll be grateful for that extra room!

If you’re having a boy, you and your partner will want to take some time to think about whether or not to have your baby circumcised. Find out the pros and cons, and what the procedure involves.

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