pregnancy lately: 33 weeks

Lots going on in the baby front over here! I'm in full-on belly/waddle mode.

How I'm feeling: Good and energetic. Once a while, someone on the street will say, "any day now!" and I'll think "for what?" then realize that they're talking about my belly. Ha! Emotionally, I'm feeling prepared. We have most of the stuff we need to keep baby alive, and attended our childbirth class and hospital tour.

What I'm wanting: All the carbs. I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes two weeks ago (damn genetics!), so I have to prick my finger three times a day and stick to a pretty strict low-carb diet. On the plus side, I'm eating crazy healthy, so it's good for me and baby. But, as someone who rarely watches what she eats, it's a challenge to have food restrictions. It makes me realize how lucky I am not to have a food allergy or a propensity to obesity.

What I'm surprised about: The nonstop doctor's visits. They're scheduled in my calendar, but I don't think I fully realized how much I'd have to go to the doc. Factor in my sugar-betes specialist visits, and I've been averaging one to two trips a week. With travel and waiting room, that's a whole lot of time. I haven't let up on work pre-maternity leave, so it's been hectic. How do office workers manage? I can't imagine making this schedule work back when I was on staff.

What I miss: Little things, like tying my shoes and getting off the couch without a struggle. I feel like a upside-down bug much of the time. Also, a short to-do list. Everyone talks about pregnancy brain being caused by hormones, but I suspect having 1,000,000 more things to think about plays a factor. On top of my normal shiz, there's finding a pediatrician, remembering appointments, calling the health insurance company, buying baby gear, planning out a budget, writing a birth plan, etc. It's funny, though, because I don't feel stressed about it. Maybe the whole super-mom thing kicks in to offset pregnancy fog?

What I love: Augh, so much! I love connecting with dear friends about being moms and hearing their advice and stories. I love feeling baby's kicks inside, talking to her, and imaging her little face. I love hearing Erik talk about all the things he's planning on doing with our baby girl (cue tears). I love walking through this incredible phase of life with Erik, my brother and sis-in-law, and Erik's business parter. Don't get me wrong, parts of pregnancy do suck (my refrain to Erik: "you better be glad I'm the pregnant one"), but it's also filled with endless joy.