What the heck is a jicama?

32 Weeks:

Your baby is taking up more and more space in your uterus and weighs as much as a large jicama -- about 3 3/4 pounds. (Length: about 16 3/4 inches, head to heel.)

This week, your body may start prepping for delivery day by flexing its muscles — literally. If you feel your uterus bunching or hardening periodically, those are practice contractions, otherwise known as Braxton Hicks. These rehearsals (typically experienced earlier and with more intensity in women who've been pregnant before) feel like a tightening sensation that begins at the top of your uterus then spreads downward, lasting from 15 to 30 seconds (though they can sometimes last two minutes or more). What's up with your baby? He's starting to get ready for his big debut, tipping the scales at almost four pounds and topping out at just about 19 inches. In these last few weeks, it's all about practice, practice, practice as he hones the skills he'll need to survive and thrive outside the womb, from swallowing and breathing to kicking and sucking. And speaking of sucking, your little one has been able to suck his thumb for a while now. Another change this week: As more and more fat accumulates under your baby's skin, he's becoming less transparent and more opaque. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Still have no clue what a jicama is, but hey, who am I to judge. So, he's right around 4 pounds, and gaining at least half a pound a week. Oh boy! I know he has hair, saw the "texture" of it on the ultrasound, but did anyone doubt that... I came out looking like Elvis, so the boy is doomed.

I'm feeling pretty good. Starting to get tired in this giant body that I'm so not used to. I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to have my body back... 8 more weeks! It's already HOT HOT HOT here in Phoenix. We're supposed to dip back in to the 90s for the next couple of days (YEA) given that we've been in the triple digits for almost two straight weeks now... I suppose that means I need to suck it up and go try to find some kind of bathing suit to cover my ginormous self. Oy, that so does not sound fun...

Other than that, nothing major to report. Awkward lunch Sunday with the mother-in-law and her husband. It was fine until he told me my arms were bigger than Jimmy's and then they proceeded to discuss how long it would take me to lose weight. He said 3 months, she said a year. Oh gee thanks... anyone want to start placing bets. I had to excuse my hormonal self to go to the restroom so I could cry. Then I ordered a soup and salad for lunch. Punks.

Then Saturday night I was accosted by two hippie tree-hugger friends of Jimmy's step mom at his sister's graduation party. I was showing them Jace's awesome pics and they decided to ask about how I was planning to deliver. I told them I'm not planning on a c-section, but things happen... I do plan on an epidural! They FREAKED. Went off on how it's not that bad and epidurals drug you and your baby and you are a horrible person for taking one and blah blah blah and do I realize I will be paralyzed... oh dear lord, they wouldn't stop. The one lady had 5 kids (one set of twins) all natural and couldn't believe I didn't want to experience the womanliness of childbirth naturally and how could I even think about drugs... it was freaking ridiculous. Someone finally came in the room and saved me. And then this savior lady told me she had four kids, three natural and one with an epidural. She said if I would have known how much heaven that epidural was, I would have taken it with the first three. That right there is my answer folks, someone who has done it both ways and she prefers door number 2!!! Epi please!

The good lord made those drugs for a reason and I will take full advantage!

Here is this week's pic... yes, I'm wearing the exact same thing from last week... I need to go shopping. It's difficult to find that motivation and it's getting hard to maneuver in the dressing rooms...