33 weeks 4 days

Just 6 1/2 weeks to go! Yay!

Little Besido is still growing like crazy. I have gained about 11 inches at my belly button and about 30 pounds overall (eek!).  Looking at me, it seems like the inches should be more and the weight should be less, but I guess looks can be deceiving.  The baby appears to be head-down at this point, but he switches his position quite a lot from side to side, so sometimes his back is on my right and sometimes it's on my left.  And sometimes I can't feel it at all, so I would assume at those times that his back is along my spine?

And alas, I have developed a stretch mark.  Or should I call it a stretch spot.  I have what looks like a purple smudge between my belly button and the remains of my belly button piercing hole.  (I guess that's what I get for being a rebel, hehe.)  I know it's a stretch mark-spot, because when the light hits it a certain way it glistens.  It's quite interesting, and I find myself staring at it quite frequently when I get out of the shower.  I have yet to see any stretch marks elsewhere though (yay!).  We'll see how long that lasts. :)

Here are some pics of this week:


I decided that generic smiles are overrated and wanted to provide you with a more entertaining look.


Let's play a game:  Where are Kara's intestines?

A few pregnancy updates from my weekly sources:

The estimates for his length are 16 to 20 inches.
The estimates for his weight are 4 to 5 1/2 lbs.
(Since my baby appears to be on the giant-er side, I would guess he is in the upper range of these numbers.  Monday's ultrasound should help somewhat confirm. [Although ultrasounds can be way off.])

During this week, the baby will grow 1⁄2 inch longer.

Over the past week, his head circumference has increased by about another 3⁄8 inch due to his rapid brain development. The critical period for the development of the baby’s brain occurs in these last months of pregnancy.

His arms and legs are continuing to fill out from fat accumulation.  He's dimpling at his elbows and knees and forming creases around his wrists and neck.

The percentage of fat on his body is about 8%, compared with only 1% of his body weight at 20 weeks.  At birth, his body fat will be about 15%, helping him to keep warm.

Your baby’s eyes will open during the alert times of its daily cycle, and close when he sleeps.

Regardless of the eye color your baby will end up with, right now his eyes are blue. The pigmentation process in his iris won't be complete until his eyes have been exposed to light for several weeks after birth. His final eye color may not be evident for years.

Your baby is moving around less frequently, mostly because of the cramped quarters. Of course, it may not seem as if he's settled down—now that he's so big, you can feel even the slightest movement. In fact, since your baby is right up against the wall of the uterus, you're probably getting good at guessing which body part (foot? elbow? arm?) is protruding.

Since the amniotic fluid volume has reached its maximum, you can now think of your baby as resting on the walls of your uterus rather than actually floating in a fluid-filled space. He is still bathed in amniotic fluid, of course, and that fluid is replaced continuously by your efficient system.

The top of your uterus can now be felt approximately 5 ½ inches above your belly button.

Seventy-five percent of women in their third trimester have trouble sleeping.

If your cheeks are looking as round as your belly these days, you're in good company — most expectant women start sporting that gathering-nuts-for-the-winter look in their third trimester.

Dave and I have our second childbirth/childcare class tonight, and then our ultrasound is on Monday.  I will be sure to provide updates of both. :) Also, Dave's mom threw a baby shower for me in Charlotte this past Saturday...I have pics which I will be sharing soon. :)

God bless!