It just got real. 33 weeks 6 days

I thought I was above it, invincible even. I went through my days confident and unguarded. I thought hey, I'm different, it will never happen to me.

Well, I was wrong. Way wrong. I got my first stretch mark two days ago and I almost cried.

I expected I would get stretch marks from day one but since I'm in the home stretch and haven't seen one little blemish yet I thought I was exempt from this very common pregnancy occurrence. I certainly didn't think when it happened that I would get upset about, but I guess that's what happens when you've got all kinds of hormones flying around. It's going to be okay, I'll just stock up on belly balm and apply every hour on the hour. Looks like my dreams of making the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue are over.

I think I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions this past week. I say "I think" because if that's what it is then they feel nothing like I thought they would. I've heard contractions feel like a tightening sensation in your belly, and what I started feeling was a sharp, stabby pain a bit lower... It's very sudden, this stabby sensation, and then I feel a sudden urge to pee. Needless to say I've been running off to the bathroom a lot lately. Now every time this happens I feel my belly to see if there is any "tightening", and a couple times there has been. I know these are just "practice" contractions but it's still pretty exciting!

Apparently I still don't look as pregnant as I am. I got an "I hate you" from a coworker the other day when she overheard me telling another person how far along I am. I don't even know this person! I asked my doctor last week if she thought the baby's growth was on track and she said I was measuring just fine and everyone carries differently in pregnancy. So I guess everything is okay with Zoey, she's just going to be a little lady. :) I can tell she is getting bigger because I often have to lean back to give her more room when she starts swimming around. I just recently started feeling her feet/hands in my ribs, which is really weird. She can really get up in there with those little appendages! I love watching my belly morph when she gets really active. It's like that freaky scene from Alien right before the creature pops out of that guy's stomach.

My mom and sister threw me a fabulous baby shower for all the family a couple weeks ago. I think I'm just now recovering from that weekend! All the ladies came into town and we had a lovely family weekend. Mom and Rachel made these amazing floral arrangements and decorated in a yellow, black and white bee theme and it was all so pretty! And the guests were so generous - I think we have everything we need to bring this baby home, and then some. Of course I'm sure I'll go shopping a few times between now and then, but as far as all the gear and necessities we are all set. I'm shocked at how many of our big items we got at our various baby showers. I felt really bad registering for them, because a lot of this baby stuff is so expensive, but thought why not, maybe we'll get one or two larger items. In the end I think the only big item we had to buy ourselves was the crib. We have the most thoughtful and generous friends and family! I'm so SO thankful for all of them.

Other updates: I'm really tired all the time, I can't stay awake past 11:00pm, I go to the bathroom about 47 times a day, and I'm really tired of wearing maternity clothes. I can't wait until I can wear pants with a button and a zipper again! I dread getting dressed every morning because I'm tired of my limited wardrobe and I really don't want to buy more maternity clothes that I will only be wearing for the next 6-8 weeks. Grr.

• How far along?: 33 weeks
  
• Weight gain: 12 pounds (net)
  
• Maternity clothes: All the way. I hate them.
  
• Sleep: I get up twice every night to go to the bathroom, toss and turn a lot, and wake up at the slightest sounds. Then I have terrible hip pain for the next three hours.
  
• Stretch marks: I don't want to talk about it.
  
• Movement: LOTS. I can feel her hiccups, too.
  
• Gender: Girl!!!
  
• Best moment of this week: Not peeing myself at the store when I thought I was going to.
  
• Food cravings: Nothing significant, aside from my daily sugar fix. Jimmy mentioned that he's surprised he hasn't had to run out to get me food in the middle of the night when a sudden craving strikes, so I realized I should really be milking this pregnancy thing a little more... stay tuned.
  
• Belly button in or out: In, and doesn't look like it's going anywhere.
  
• What I miss most: My energy and my clothes.
  
• What I'm looking forward to: Having a baby! Well, not "having" the baby, per se, but having her on the outside.
• Milestones: Zoey weighs about 4 pounds and is 17 inches long.

TTFN,
Ash