Seven Months

It's getting real.

It feels this way when you're looking down and able to see a baby squirming around in your belly. Right now Sheep's also kicking the crap out of my right rib - a favorite target, as the head is diagonally opposite and facing downwards. So while Sheep stretches throughout the day, and grows, my rib takes a beating.

I even watched the baby move while sitting in our first prenatal class this week. It was cool to see other big bellies in the room, along with their nervous/bored/excited partners. We'll be in class for 6 weeks, sharing concerns and learning how to push a huge turkey out of our vijayjays. A co-worker told me he and his wife gave birth before their prenatal classes could even start, and everything went fine, so needless to say I could probably forego the classes and I'm sure it would work out. However, not only do I want to know what's going on and feel prepared, I also want to meet other moms in my area, hence the classes.

Obstetrician appointments are picking up, now every two weeks instead of every month. It's because of my age. The doc says everything is fine, except my iron is a bit low, so I was told to take Feramax. I plan to ask at the next appointment if I can simply increase iron sources in my diet instead. However, if she prefers I supplement, I will. I understand the role iron plays in the baby's birth weight.

But let's talk about my weight now, shall we? Until two weeks ago, I was eating fairly normally. Suddenly, my appetite shot through the roof. A sign I was entering the third trimester, a time when the baby really grows. I. Can't. Stop. Eating. Every two hours, I need a mini-meal. One time I tried to wait and I almost ate the car. I usually surround myself with healthy food and snacks, so that at least Sheep's getting good nutrients. I actually freaked out on R about his candy stash, saying it was a terrible thing to have within arm's reach, and he gave up and said, "Fine, I'll get a safe that locks!"

Went to my old hood with friends last week. Almost all of us showed up, and I stayed out the whole night (well, we ended early, at 11:00). It was nice hanging with the crew, cracking jokes like old times. They all enjoyed their beers at the pub while I nursed my....Sprite. :(

The next morning, R and I did a maternity shoot, so I could look back and feel proud of how my body looked at this stage (for you, I'm only posting G-rated photos):

Sheep's rep

We just took the pics at home, in front of a curtained window in order to use the morning light. No fancy studio (we're on a tight budget, having moved into the new place), but I did visit the salon because I'm terrible at hairdos. Someday I want to look back and marvel at how my body changed during Sheep's incubation.