33 Weeks Pregnant

Baby's Size and Development:  about 4.5 pounds and 17.5 inches long

Weight Gain:  I really don't want to talk about this, since my weight has skyrocketed in the past couple of weeks...  I think Jackson must have had one hell of a growth spurt!  Alright, here it is- 24 pounds!

Sleep:  I'm tired all the time!  I've been having a really hard time sleeping, thanks to my aching hips and lower back.  It's very hard to find a comfortable position.  Add that to my frequent trips to the bathroom throughout the night, and you have one tired girl...  I guess I might as well get used to surviving on less sleep.  At least in a couple months my nightly interruptions will involve cuddling with my little baby boy.

Best Moment This Week:  Continuing to feel Jackson move inside my belly!  I could sit and watch my belly morph into different shapes for hours- it's fascinating (and very distracting when I'm trying to work)!

Worst Moment This Week:  Worrying about my friend who went into labor 9 weeks early.

Appetite/Cravings:  I'm constantly hungry!  I continue to crave big, mixed-green salads.  I eat them several times a week.  On a less healthy note, I also had a major craving for gummies and licorice this week (typically my cravings have been of the salty variety). 

Milestones:  We completed our birth classes this week.  I learned more than I thought and feel less anxiety about the whole labor thing...  The most important thing I learned is to go into it with an open mind and that, in the end, all that matters is that you end up with a healthy baby (and mother).  I need to write my birth plan now that all the info is fresh in my mind!

Pregnancy Thoughts:  My dear friend gave birth to her son yesterday morning.  She was only 31 weeks along (her actual due date was ten days after mine).  Throughout our pregnancies we've compared symptoms and complaints.  It has been so wonderful to have someone to talk to about all the lovely and not-so-lovely things about being pregnant.
She went to the hospital in the middle of the night on Sunday with contractions.  They did everything they could to stave off labor, which worked for a couple of days, but he was ready to be born.  Thankfully, both mom and baby are doing well.
This situation made me realize that Jackson is going to come when he's ready (not necessarily when we're ready) and that is OKAY.  At first, that thought made me completely panic.  I have a never-ending list of things that I've been frantically trying to complete over the past several months.  For every thing I cross off, I seem to think of another thing that I want to accomplish.  Now I know that it won't be the end of the world if our baby arrives before every closet in our house is completely organized...