30 Weeks

30 Weeks! Only 10 more to go!
3/4 of the way done with pregnancy and only 1/4 until we get to meet this little guy.
Time has just flown by. I can only imagine how fast these last 10 weeks will go (especially with both Thanksgiving and Christmas mixed in there).

Here is what 30 weeks is looking like for me:

I am feeling pretty good. Starting to get pretty tired (lately I have been falling asleep before 9). I also feel that baby is really growing right now and that my stomach is just stretching as tight as it can be. However, I know it will continue to stretch for weeks to come. My belly button is bound to pop out at any time, or at least that is what it feels like!

As far as baby boy, here is how is coming along at week 30:
*He is about 17 inches long this week
*He weighs somewhere around 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage)
* His eyesight is continuing to develop
* His brain is starting to look like a brain (with the grooves and indentations that we think of when we think of a brain)
* His brain is starting to take on tasks now that were previously delegated to other systems, like temperature regulation. His brain is now capable of turning up the heat...which means that he will start shedding all that baby fuzz that is covering his body right now!

The desire to nest and get ready for baby boy's arrival is kicking in full force. Here we are sorting clothes this weekend:

I have so many 'projects' that I would LOVE to get done. With work though, most projects are just going to have to wait until Thanksgiving break or Christmas vacation!
AND...by the time Christmas vacation is here, I will also be done working until he shows up (so that SHOULD give me plenty of time to nest and get crafty).
I was just thinking about it...after this week, I only have 3 1/2 weeks of teaching left. WOW!

On another note, Cam and I have settled on a hospital to deliver at and we met the doctor yesterday that will deliver the baby. It was not how we really imagined the 'first' meeting to go with the doctor, but we know things will be great. We feel confident in both the hospital and the doctor.
Here is the somewhat humorous story of how our appointment went, for those of you who want to know:
-So earlier that day, I got the run down on what to expect from my colleague (and friend) who is due just the week before me. She had went to this hospital last week to register and meet the doctor for the first time as well. She explained all the steps, and Cam and I set out.
We took the bus and easily found the hospital. When we walked in, the ladies at the front registration desk were VERY helpful. These three little old Chinese lady volunteers helped me to fill out the forms (writing in Chinese for me), speaking in English when they could, holding my hand while they weighed me, etc.
I paid my 300 NT (10 dollars) and was showed where to go and wait for my number to be called (to see my doctor). I was second on the list...even without setting up an appointment.
I was really glad to be the second one waiting because I drank a whole bottle of water on the bus and was really, REALLY needing to pee. However, my friend told me that I was going to have to do a urine sample, so I was trying to wait.
At one point the nurse came out and asked for 'my book' and I tried to explain that I had to use the restroom, but she spoke NO ENGLISH and just told me to wait.
Later, the nurse popped her head out in the hallway again....and I tried again to tell her that I REALLY needed to use the restroom, but she basically just smiled and shut the door.
After a few more minutes, my number popped up and it was my turn. FINALLY!
I walked in to the little room and Dr. Jean (our new doctor who we are meeting for the FIRST time) was sitting there. She smiled at me, and said "So, your first baby right?"
I didn't even really respond or say hi but rather just blurted out "I am sorry...but I have to go to the bathroom REALLY bad, and I know you need a urine sample. Can I do it right now?"
She said I could but that I had to go back to the front of the hospital where I came in and registered and that is where they take the urine samples. They would give me the cup there.
So, Cam and I bust out of her office, down the hall, across the lobby and walk up to the "lab place" across from the restroom.
The lady sitting there looks at me and I say "I need to do a urine sample." Of course, she doesn't speak any English and just stares at me. So I say urine again and do the motion for a cup.
She asks me (in Chinese) where my papers are. Of course, we have nothing because we are in the middle of our appointment with Dr. Jean...but we can't explain that at all. The lady actually just leaves us standing there and ignores us. So, as I am almost in tears because I have to go SO bad, Cam takes off running back to Dr. Jean's office to tell her we need the paper work that says I need the urine sample. He is gone longer that I think he needs to be, so I start walking to meet him (thinking that something must be wrong), but also knowing that I could pee my pants at any time :)
Just as I get all the way there, he comes out of her office with the print outs. He runs it back to the desk, while I am basically wobbling at this point.
We hand the paper work to the lady and she look at us and ask for our insurance card. ARE YOU KIDDING? Of course, Dr. Jean has it back in her office.
As I am just on the verge of tears at this point, I just basically yelled "Can you just give me a cup? I need to go NOW!"
The lady gives me a cup, Cam takes off running back to Dr. Jean's office to get my card (leaving his bag by accident) which means I have to take it (plus my two bags) but at this point...I don't care. I cram into this TINY bathroom (with three bags on my shoulders) and finally get to use the restroom.

After all that drama, we go back to have our appointment with Dr. Jean. It went well. Her English was great. She seemed thorough. It wasn't a week for my actual check up, so she basically made sure she had the info she needed from all my other prenatal checkups at the clinic. Then she felt my stomach and listened to his heart beat. Unfortunately, as she felt around....she could tell he was still breech. She gave me some exercises to do to try to encourage him to flip.
She then set me up to come back in two weeks for my "actual" scheduled 32 week appointment.
I had a list of questions I wanted to ask her since this was our first time meeting her...but with all that had taken place at the beginning of the appointment, I was too flustered.
So, as we were packing up to leave, I basically asked very bluntly:
-So...you will be delivering babies in January right? Even with Chinese New Year? (she assured us yes)
-We are pretty sure we are going to have a doula. Are you ok with this? Can she be around? You know here, right?
(she smiled and said that she was just there that morning helping with another delivery and that it was just fine)

With that said, we said our goodbyes and walked out.
Lesson learned. Urine samples are usually done at the end. So next time I will go to the bathroom when I get to the hospital. Then drink more water so that I can go again before leaving :)

Sorry for the long story...hopefully if you made it all the way through, you at least got a good chuckle!