Baby’s senses are continuing to improve — when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month.

Turns out we left our camera at the in-laws during my birthday dinner on Tuesday night, so I wasn’t able to take a new belly pic. Whoops. I tried though! I was even going to take it in my new work clothes so my mom could see how they’re holding up with my ever growing belly. (Hi Mom!)

I ended up going to the doc this morning instead of tomorrow morning because I had some concerns about the pressure I was feeling, as well as the hot flashes my contractions have begun to cause. The verdict? Everything’s still the same. Baby’s still head down, but will “float up” when pushed, cervix still thick, not dilated, but soft…which is their only concern. Weekly appointments are still on the books from here on out. I’m supposed to continue with the increased laying on the side…and they’re not going to test me again for the fFN protein because in their eyes, with all my contractions and irritable uterus, I’m on their “slightly high risk radar” regardless.

And in Birthing Class news – we had our third class last night, which included another tour of the Birthplace at our hospital. I paid attention a lot more during this tour than our first tour (I think in April) and everything got a lot more real. It made me want to pack my hospital bag (which is on my list) just in case…

Usually, once a week or so (maybe every other week) I have a day where I randomly begin to panic about all the stuff I still have to do to get ready for this baby. I start making a shitty mental list of these items, and by the evening they’ve all since been forgotten because LOOK! TWO FULL HOURS OF FAMILY GUY ON TBS! Then, a week or so later the cycle continues.

So, I’ve committed myself to making a list – a real list – that I can carry with me, of all the things I have to do before this ninja/smudge/bebeh arrives.

As a side note – I’ll like to sit down and talk to my frenemy – Sleep.

Listen up, Sleep. I know you and I really haven’t been getting along well the past week or so. I know that my bladder makes most of the decisions around these parts – and you’re not to blame. However…this whole “no position is comfortable so you may as well sleep in the closet on a pile of blankets” thing we’ve got going on isn’t working…FOR ANYONE. I realized last night that what I thought was pregnancy induced carpal tunnel like symptoms is more than likely me sleeping with my hands balled into fists for some reason or another. Why, you ask? Who the eff knows. (Maybe because I’m waiting for you to show your ugly face so I can beat it to a pulp.) Also, my hips almost exploded out of their sockets overnight last night, despite the usage of a fafillion different kinds of pillows. And the boppy wedge that I chose to “wedge” behind my back in order to avoid rolling onto my back? Only made everything way WAY worse.

I dread nighttime now. I’m always so tired, and I look at our bed and I just want to cry. (Do you hear that Sleep? You’re making a pregnant woman cry. You may as well off a couple puppies while you’re at it.)

That is all.

(Tonight, I’ll get a belly pic. Promise.)