I am 33 weeks and Isabel is 3.5 year old Today!

Wow, time flies.  Isabel is at such a cute age.  She loves to talk, sing in English and Chinese and such a good girl.  She lets mommy and daddy work when we need to and is so social and affectionate.  I am a very lucky mama.

I am feeling quite big now.  I gained 5 pounds in about 2 weeks.  yikes.  Hope that will slow down a bit.  All is good otherwise.  6 weeks and 1 day to go until my planed C section.

Here is what baby center says about my progress in pregnancy.

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him 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 his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

See what your baby looks like this week.

How your life's changing:

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• What pregnant women worry about
• Episiotomy
• Baby Names Finder
• Is it normal for my breasts to leak during pregnancy?
• Who will be with you during childbirth?

As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.

Many women are still feeling sexy at this stage — and their partners often agree. You may need to make some adjustments, but for most women, sex during pregnancy is fine right up until their water breaks or their labor starts.

Lei

I am 30 weeks Today!

Wow, 9 more weeks and 1 day to go before my scheduled C. Will she come early? Am I ready? Well, my body is ready to not be so heavy. I have gained around 27 pound so far - on track but it feels heavier than that this week. A little trouble sleeping and some back pain. Thank goodness for my cardio, yoga, and weekly adjustment from Dr. Pete, I still feel pretty good :-)

According to Baby Center, the baby is about 3 pounds already and 15-16 inches long - a skinny little one right now. She is pretty active and does a lot of kicking and punching. I started playing games with her as I can find a little bump as I rub my stomach. I think it's her knee or foot and I would push on it and she would push back. It's fun :-)

Isabel is starting to ask me when she will come out. I told her Xmas. She is really excited and when I asked her if it's okay to share her toys. She said yes without hesitation. I think she will be a great big sister. She will also run to me at time and kiss my tummy to say hi to her. It's so nice that I feel like they are bonding already.

As I know my baby in my tummy can hear voices now, I feel like I am reading to both of them when I play with Isabel. At night, when I tell her stories in the dark as she falls asleep, I know my other daughter is listening as well. What an experience to grow a baby. I can't wait to meet her in December.

- Lei