My Pregnancy: Week 33

Baby's now the size of a pineapple!

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark.  She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening.  The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal.  (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.)  These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Book Review: Drive

Title: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Author: Daniel H. Pink

Length: 242 pages

Adjectives: Insightful, thought-provoking, motivational

Summary: "When it comes to motivation, there's a gap between what science knows and what most of society does.  Our current societal operating system--which is built around external, carrot-and-stick motivators--doesn't work and often does harm.  We need an upgrade.  And the science shows the way.  This new approach has three essential elements: (1) Autonomy--the desire to direct our own lives; (2) Mastery--the urge to get better and better at something that matters; and (3) Purpose--the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves."


My thoughts: My educational background is in elementary education and helping motivate kids was always a prime topic of conversation.  Questions such as why some kids are more motivated than others, what types of rewards work and how often rewards should be provided were frequently discussed in team and faculty meetings.  And yet I never felt as though anyone had a solid answer.

The ideas discussed in this book have helped to fill in some of that void.  I am no longer teaching, but I am expecting my first child and wish to incorporate more of "Motivation 3.0" into my life, for the sake of my daughter.  


In Drive, Pink discusses the concept of 20% time--spending 20% of your time working on any project you choose.  Currently, I have little control over what tasks I work on at work.  I have more freedom than some of the employees, but am still highly regulated by processes and procedures.  And, for now, I am okay with this.  I love my job and (usually) don't have any trouble finding ways to motivate myself to get tasks done.

But what about outside of work?  How do I choose to spend my so-called "free" time?  Unfortunately, I am not proud of the honest answer.  I spend far too much of my time vegging in front of the TV or mindlessly surfing the web.  I don't actually do very much.  Sure, every now and then I will get caught up in a project or idea, but these instances are rare and fade quickly.

I'm not saying that relaxation and downtime are evil.  In fact, I believe they are necessities.  But too much can create a sense of unbalance.  And all of the TV shows I watch aren't going to benefit me in any way other than entertainment.

Therefore, my goal is to spend at least 20% of my free time consciously working on and being engaged with a specific project.  The projects may vary in size and scope, and I will most likely be working on multiple projects at once.


Opinion Poll: What drives you?

My Pregnancy: Week 32

Baby's now the size of a jicama!

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds 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.

Not much to report on this week.  I went to the doctor today and everything still seems to be going right on track.  He did notice that my feet have started to swell a little, but said it wasn't anything to be concerned about.  Just supposed to prop my feet up when I can and lay on my left side when relaxing/sleeping.

The dieting and exercising continues to manage the gestational diabetes and seems to be working great since all of my numbers are within range.  The most frustrating part has been cutting pasta out of my diet.  I love me some fettucini alfredo and have been craving it like no other this week.  I've already made your dad promise that he will get me some from Olive Garden just as soon as possible.   

You continue to hang out in your favorite spot: beneath my right rib cage, making it extremely uncomfortable for me at times.

My Pregnancy: Week 31

Baby's now the size of 4 navel oranges!

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long.  She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt.  She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin.  She's probably moving a lot too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up.  Take comfort: all this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

We are now down to single digit number of weeks baby!  Crazy!!!  I have a feeling these next 9 weeks are going to fly by.  I have certainly been feeling more pregnant this week and, judging by the amount of comments I've received, I must be looking more and more pregnant too.  

Unfortunately I haven't been sleeping as soundly lately, which makes for a very tired mamma come weekends since I am still working every weekday from 6am-2pm.  Thankfully, your dad takes very good care of me every night and all weekend long.  

Mini Golfing Excursion

Feeling the need to get out of the house, Jason and I kidnapped my sister Annie and the three of us enjoyed a night out.  We went to dinner at Chili's, looked through some of my scrapbooks, and then ended the night with a round of mini-golf at Trafalga.

It was extremely crowded and Jason creamed us all (with something like 3 holes in one), but it was a great night just the same.

My Pregnancy: Week 30

Baby's now the size of a head of cabbage!

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage).  A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus.  Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keep; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day.  When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision--which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face."

Can I just say that I am very, very grateful that I am not normally a diabetic?  I have been on my gestational diabetes diet for almost a week and quickly came to realize that I am not one who has EVER had to watch what she eats.  Now I am counting carbs, limiting portion sizes, and eating more frequently throughout the day than ever before.  But, it is working.  I've been testing my blood sugar levels 4-6 times a day and they have all fallen within the appropriate range since I started the diet.

I went back for my last monthly doctor's appointment today since I go every other week for the next stretch.  He was very positive after looking over my blood sugar log.  He told me that as long as the numbers continue to fall in range, there wouldn't be any further complications from the diabetes.  With this piece of good news, I will gladly continue pricking my fingers and counting my carbs.

You, sweet baby, are still healthy and happy.  My stomach continues to expand, my weight continues to increase, my blood pressure is normal, and your heartbeat is regular and strong.  As you grow, you have found a new favorite position: wedged under my right rib cage.  

30 Weeks!

I have continued to work on putting together your nursery, with the help from some wonderful family and friends.  Here's what we've got so far:

Paper Lantern "Mobile"

Mickey Time

Fun Mickey quilt, made by Sandy (a neighbor of mine growing up)

Letter Frames-provided by my Aunt Marae and tweaked by me