31 Weeks

31 down, 8 to go! I am not sleeping well at all anymore. I end up waking up once to use the bathroom, but then multiple times to get comfortable. By the end of the day, it's a little more difficult to walk and my lower back starts to ache. I've also been having Braxton Hicks contractions a few times a day and they're pretty uncomfortable. I had one last night as we were walking in the mall and I had to stop to let it pass. It's also getting a bit harder to put my socks and shoes on - that's going to become Tom's job soon (luckily all of my work shoes are easy to slip on).

I'm getting really excited for the baby shower and love checking the evite everyday to see who's coming. And everyone will get to see the house and all of the work we've put into it. We're going to finish up the nursery this weekend (I know, I keep saying that, but this time it's true).

I also realized that if I only sit up halfway, my belly makes this weird cone-like shape and my belly button gets all squishy and weird. Tom hates when I do this, so I try to do it and trick him into seeing my belly all weird. I figure I should find something fun to do with my big belly, right?

Here's what the baby's been up to this week according to WhatToExpect.com:

As far as growth goes, your baby's still on a roll, measuring an impressive 18 inches and weighing in at more than three pounds. At 31 weeks pregnant, you can still expect your baby to gain at least three to five pounds, possibly more, before you two meet.

Your baby's brain is working overtime these days, developing faster than ever. Connections between individual nerve cells are growing at a frenetic clip, and your baby can now perceive information from all five senses. Sure, your baby can't smell anything right now, but that's only because he or she is still submerged in amniotic fluid and needs to be breathing air to get a whiff of anything. Lucky for you — and your baby — yours will be one of the very first scents your baby breathes in, a scent
that will quickly become his or her very favorite.

So what's your little dove doing all day while you're busy feathering your nest for his or her arrival? Making faces, hiccuping, swallowing, breathing, pedaling with little
hands and feet along your uterine wall, and even sucking his or her thumb. In fact, some babies suck their thumbs so vigorously while in the womb that they're born with a callus on their thumb (what a little sucker!).

And here are the weekly pictures.

Parents.com - No idea how I went from a basketball to a sweater to a soccer ball, but whatever.

WhatToExpect.com - This isn't the position our baby's in though - our baby is head down with its feet in my ribs.

31 Weeks - My belly button hasn't popped yet, but is getting close (keep those fingers crossed, Jennifer).

Dressed for work in my new cords.