33 Weeks!

I feel like I am running out of original ways to say, "I cannot believe I am this pregnant!" This week has brought some new adventures and trials though just like always. After calling my doctor about the...ahem...crotch pain I have been having, she partially diagnosed me with a condition called SPD over the phone. I say partially because she really cannot be positive til I get looked at on Thursday, but she said all my symptoms were pointing straight to this lovely condition.

SPD, or symphysis pubis dysfunction, is a condition in which the pubic bones shift from the weight of pregnancy or the stress of childbirth. They can grind against each other, click together or even separate from each other. Um. OUCH?! When I looked it up, I learned that 1 in 4 pregnant women suffer with this condition to some degree. The symptoms include pain in the front of the pelvic area (check), audible popping or grinding of the hip bones or pelvic bones (which I totally kept hearing last night as I tossed and turned from side to side), pain in the hips, lower back and down the inside of the legs (check) and things like waddling (check), limping (check), difficulty climbing stairs (check...well, I CAN do it...but it hurts super bad sometimes) and pain when standing/walking for a long time (check). Sounds like a blast, no? Sadly, even if I do indeed have this condition which I most likely do, there is really nothing that can be done. My doctor advised me to sit when in pain, to use ice when necessary and to avoid walking or standing too much when the pain gets really bad.

Some days, I'll feel pretty good until I walk a lot. Then it will start aching. After it starts hurting, it gets worse before it gets better. For this reason, my doctor advised that I be done with work early. When I'm at work, I'm on my feet and walking the whole time. Josh wanted me to quit on April 1st but I just feel at a loss. If I quit this soon, what in the world am I going to be doing until this baby is born? I love working. I've worked full time since I was 17 years old. The decision to be a stay at home mommy for Peanut's first year of life was one that was so hard for me to make simply because I am so independent and actually enjoy the social aspect of going to work every day. I knew it would be hard to give up this independence, but doing it before I actually have a baby to show for it makes me squirmy. I will have about a month of no work and just being pregnant...it makes me feel lazy and helpless. I know it's for the best for my pain level and the fact that I am frequently alone at work. If I were to go into labor at work, I'd kind of be screwed. Time to put on my mom hat a little early I guess. I put in my two week's notice at my job on Saturday. My last day will officially be April 11th, exactly one month before Peanut is due.

I feel like I popped a little more this week...or else my baby has just gone through another growth spurt. Check out this belly:

Sticking straight out there! No wonder my pelvic bones are protesting...he's getting heavy in there! Excuse my wet, messy, curly hair: pregnancy hormones do nutso things to it.

Bump Update:

How far along: 33 Weeks! 47 days to go...ahhhhhh!!!

How big is baby: Last week, Peanut was about 3.5 pounds and they are supposed to gain about half a pound per week, so I'd venture a guess that he is probably between 4 and 4.5 pounds right now! I can tell he's getting bigger...when I feel my super stretched tummy, I can feel parts of him on either side. Until now, he's been easy to find on one side but not the other. Now, wherever I put my hand I can feel some part of him (not that I know what those parts are!) He's also probably reached his birth height of around 17 inches. From now on, his only chub is putting on chub.
Weight Gain: I won't know for sure until Thursday, but I bet I'm climbing again. Just the way my belly is so much bigger this week, I had to have gained a few more pounds. If so, that puts me around 20 to date...a little lower than target but fine by me!
Best moment of the week: Josh took me to see The Hunger Games on Saturday night and I LOVED it so much! This is probably the last movie date we'll go on for awhile...so it was pretty special. Pregnancy does not agree with movies though (hormones!). I only had to leave to pee once during the entire 2 1/2 hours though so I was pretty proud. During one really emotional part, I was so afraid I was going to start doing the ugly cry in the theater. I've read the books so I knew it was coming, but wow. By far, the best book to film adaptation I've ever seen.
Food cravings:  This week I had two polar opposites. Key Lime Pie...and Raisin Bran. Not together! Both of those things sounded like the most amazing thing in the world to me...and they were!
Food aversions: Still not liking anything hot. As you can see in my cravings, I'm wanting food to be cool and refreshing, not filling and warm. We went to my favorite Mexican place on Friday and I had to gag down the food I normally love because it was so rich and warm. Strange.

Symptoms: Crotch pain! Hip pain and popping. Itchy skin from being stretched so much...I've been a lotion fiend this week. Up til now, I have managed no stretch marks on my tummy and I hope I can keep it that way. Insomnia: I've truly lost hope for a restful night's sleep for the remainder of my life.
Movement: My crazy baby is always having dance parties in there. He started doing this new thing where he completely flails.  I can tell because it feels like what a baby looks like when they're startled. Sudden, jerky movement like he thinks he's falling or something? It's so weird!
What I’m looking forward to: My baby shower! It's coming up quick next Sunday and I am both nervous and excited. Nervous because having everyone from all the different aspects of my life together to celebrate me makes me squirmy. Excited because we really need to get on the ball of purchasing baby stuff. Hopefully after the shower, I'll be able to make an inventory of what we still need and we can get it done!
What I miss: Being able to walk without feeling like I'm waddling!