Itch

I'm starting to get a tiny itch for the pregnancy to be over. It's not that I'm miserable because I am not. I definitely feel the pregnancy, extra pounds, fatigue, breathlessness, and cumbersomeness but I would not say that I'm miserable...yet. All of this seems to be par for the course and I have been fortunate to have a wonderful, typical, uncomplicated pregnancy so far.

I'm 31 weeks and 3 days so I'm just now starting my 8th gestational month. I have just a little over 8 more weeks to go. That seems like no time at all yet at the same time it seems interminable to me.

Ava is getting bigger and running out of room to move (after squishing my stomach and lungs further into my ribcage). She's no longer rolling, flipping around, and kicking. She's definitely getting stronger and her movements are more like wriggling than anything. The pregnancy books say that she is now more like a newborn, sleeping for longer stretches of time for about 20-30 minutes at regular intervals. At this point, she's supposed to be between 3 and 4 lbs. Everyone says I am carrying small and they predict that I'll have a small baby. They may be right but doctors will tell you that the size of my belly is no indicator at all of the size of the baby. Anyway, Ava will be doubling her weight in the next couple of months but I'm hoping that she'll be a nice, average 7-pounder.

Classes have started back and I only have one class this semester. I will be graduating in May and I'm looking forward to putting school behind me. It was great for a season but it's coming to a close and I won't be looking back.

I think today is just an "ugh, I feel gross" day and I've been dreaming of summer and beaches so all of that has contributed to my itch for the pregnancy to be over. 8 more weeks, 8 more weeks...