30 weeks

"How your baby's growing:
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 keen; 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. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)"

Did you know that:
--most amniotic fluid is baby urine
--fetuses/babies swallow it and pee it right back out
--the placenta chugs away and makes more

Our nipples (all parts, from teat on out) usually get bigger and darker so that when our nearly-blind baby is born, our nips appear to be massive targets that even a nearly-blind baby can see.

How are my nipple you ask? Well, after we took out the barbells, they calmed down a bit, still on the pinker-than brown shade of things, but for sure, there is more erection, length and circumference than before I became a carrier.

And now, more from the experts who write for women with too much time on their hands and big ol' pocket books:

"How your life's changing:
You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.

"Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious."

My experiences of late:
--Man, I'll be so pissed if I have to throw out all my shoes and start over. I'm really not much of a show shopper.
--I'm not so much clumsy as I am different. I have bumped into a few things/people with The Belly.
--I'm actually sleeping better than I think I ever have. Really not letting life stress me out. I wake up a lot and toss and turn, but feel rested if I've been in bed for 8 hours, not necessarily sleeping the whole time. Also, naps are good.
--Lots of action from the little lady passenger. We need to convince her to head head-down. Right now, we think her feet are down and by week 32, we want her pointed in the opposite direction. I've been assigned some inversions and cat/cow postures to open up my pelvis, kinda as a way to say, "hey, lady, look at all this room, doesn't it look comfy DOWN THERE?

And what, no comparisons to fruit or heirloom vegetables this week???