Aloha! It's week 33!

 

So, I've gotten a little bit behind here as I see my last post was 3 weeks ago!  We're getting so close now, it's becoming quite real - as if the enlarging belly isn't real enough.  I still wonder when that happened...
Baby is making a lot of movements and they can be quite powerful.  I've also noticed that some mornings I have a difficult time catching my breath for about an hour or so.  It feels like I just ran 5K race and sprinted into the finish, but the after-effects are long-lasting.  And, just like race training, I'm being prepared for parenthood's interrupted sleep with a small bladder capacity and sore hips, requiring me to get up every 3 hours and rotate the now 4! pillows I use for propping myself in bed.  Poor David!  He's either becoming a heavier sleeper or he's one step closer to sainthood for not complaining.  I'm sure he's well on his way there already - I certainly know how lucky I am!  I think that after this experience, we may both be in agreement that a king size bed is a fantastic idea.
In week 33, baby is approximately the size of a pineapple, weighing up to 4 pounds and measuring 17 inches in length.   I read that for every pound I gain between now and birth, baby will gain 8 ounces.  I think that's really incredible.  Baby's wrinkly skin begins to smooth out now that he or she is packing on some healthy baby fat.  I can't believe we'll have a little sugar plum to call our own around Christmastime!  Oh, I am so excited!  This is the best gift ever!

We're in the midst of a hunt for our new place.  With each OB visit in San Antonio, we've spent a few more hours there combing the neighborhoods for For Rent signs.  Unlike Denver or Minneapolis, San Antonio folks aren't quick to use Craigslist as an online resource for rental options.  We've had to get more creative and spend more time doing research in several areas to come up with enough options on our own.  We have two options now for short-term rental, both in the Alamo Heights neighborhood, which is our top pick.  This area is about 20 minutes from the hospital, but San Antonio's great highway system makes this easy.  Also, it's about 10 minutes north of the city, giving us loads of perks.  We'll be touring an updated patio townhouse and a 50's era ranch-style home with in-ground pool next Monday for comparison.  Hopefully, we can make a final decision.  I really want to be able to lock this in so I can better visualize our space for baby and start planning for rental furniture - neither is furnished.  Not to mention, we just realized last night that we would be moving in 3 weeks!  So, it's actually getting down to the wire.  Since David's seminar isn't until December 13th, he'll likely commute between San Antonio and Austin for another week or so.  I can't believe we'll be moving out of here already.  Austin has been a lot of fun and it seems like we've just gotten here.  You know what they say...
                                                     

I got the green light from my OB to travel this week for my annual Girls Weekend with my St. Norbert girls!  The glucose test that the doc wanted to repeat turned out to be normal (again).  Since I'm doing well and baby is doing well, there is no reason I can't go.  T minus 2 days... fall foliage, expansive valley views, great conversations, tons of laughing, and lots and lots of new memories.  Hope you're ready, ladies!  I can't wait!