32 weeks!

Stats: By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You’re gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she’ll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. (Baby Center)

(source)

How I’m feeling: GREAT!! 🙂 Each day, I tell you I’m more and more amazed with my body’s changes. I’ve honestly never felt more happy & confident with myself! Thankfully, the heartburn has subsided drastically; I only get it occasionally now so Tums is now just my part-time bestie. 😉 One thing I have noticed is that when I lay on my side, I feel a huge tug on my belly, as if the baby shifts and is pulling in the opposite direction. (talk about being VERY uncomfortable) While sleeping, my huge snoogle pillow comes in handy when this happens, but when sitting or lying on the couch, I have accommodate my belly appropriately to keep this from occurring. I’ve also noticed that I get tired more easily, so occasional naps are always in session to help me get through the day.

Exercise: Since Excercise TV is now extinct (*tear*) I’m no longer able to get my Cardio Kickboxing on but I’ve been walking daily on the treadmill at a moderate walking speed with a variety of incline settings. I also do some free weights to work my arms and legs (legs mostly) but I haven’t done them as often as I did before I became pregnant. The treadmill along with squats and lunges have been my most dominant workout routine lately. Exercising has definitely helped me with the back pain that I was experiencing earlier in my pregnancy and it has also helped boost my low energy levels which definitely helps me get through the day. The Baby Center app says that exercise=more energy. I didn’t believe this theory until I tried and it really works.

Food Cravings: ANYTHING & EVERYTHING CITRUS related. Oranges/Tangerines/Mandarins have overwhelmed my refrigerator. I cannot get enough of them! Other than that no other major cravings…besides desperately wanting something that I can’t have…….a DRINK!! haha A sangria is totally calling my name!! (& I was NEVER a big drinker before, I suppose it’s the fact that I CAN’T have it that makes me want it sooo darn bad!)

{Ohhh yess!! The best $5.99 I’ve spent in my life!!}

Indulgences: A homemade caramel apple…

{so it’s not a REAL caramel apple, but it tastes just as DELICIOUS!!}

Baby A’s Food Faves: …..Chocolate. 🙂 Sooo weird because I’ve never actually been a big chocolate fan. I would occasionally eat a teeny piece here and there, but I read in a pregnancy magazine that the endorphins in chocolate can help baby be more HAPPY! 😀 So with that piece of advice, I figured I’d give it a try, since hubby (I mean *Santa*) bought be an assortment of Ghirardelli Chocolates for Christmas, which include the milk chocolate & caramel, peppermint bark, and dark chocolate squares. {To be honest, I hadn’t even touched the bag since Christmas, I figured it would last me ALL year and then some since chocolate isn’t my thing, especially DARK chocolate.} Well, I decided to experiment and have a half of a square of the DARK chocolate (since it’s healthy and all and that’s what I’m aiming for) and 10 minutes later…….BABY A was in a kicking frenzy!! 🙂 He apparently REALLY liked it. Funny thing is that hubby and I are not big chocolate fans to begin with, so this is an interesting find. I’ve eaten some of my other favorite candy (in moderation of course) and he never really responded to it like he did with the CHOCOLATE. Needless to say, I’ve now begun to incorporate an 1/2 of a piece of chocolate into my diet daily & he LOVES it!!

So I’ve concluded that he has taken after his choco-holic Auntie Mia! ❤ I’m sure she’ll LOVE him even more now!

{Auntie Mia displaying her LOVE for chocolate, taken a few years ago while visiting Colonial Williamsburg. When we asked her what her favorite part of visiting D.C. was, she’ll tell you it was getting the chocolate bar, no joke. 😛 Thought this was very fitting for the occasion.}

What I’m loving: His movements have definitely become stronger and more distinct. Before I felt tons of kicks and jabs and such but NOW I feel movement all the way across my tummy! 🙂 Watching my belly morph is the cutest thing ever and I can’t get enough of it. It got me thinking the other day how much I’m going to miss all of this. Hubby reassures me that once he’s here I’ll be so happy, I won’t miss being pregnant, but part of me still feels that I might, because it’s been such an amazing and indescribable journey.

Baby Stuff bought: More clothes, blankets, the stroller & his BEDDING!! 😀 Our Christmas gift from my parents was Baby’s A’s bedding and we absolutely LOVE it! 😀 It’s been soooo exciting seeing of all his things in his room and around the house. I absolutely LOVE baby shopping. In every store we go to, we go to the *baby* section FIRST, it’s especially cute when hubby does it. He used to be “Mr. Electronics” and would go to that section first, but other cool things that sparked his interests now.

Upcoming Events: Baby Bootcamp class, Baby class #4 🙂 36 week class & tour of the hospital!

Photos:

*32 weeks & GROWing*

{The two three of us on Christmas Eve}

Significant growth in the last couple of weeks! 😀

Only a few more weeks to go, it seem SOOO far away yet so close.

❤ Alicia