31 weeks pregnant

What an emotional roller coaster this week has been! I am now 31 weeks pregnant today. Time has stood still this last seven days and it feels like a lifetime has passed. I am now officially in the 'past the blooming stage, ready to have her' camp.... my fingers are now too puffy for my rings, the feet and ankles are swelling daily, and as time passes I'm finding it harder and harder to take good deep breaths. Yes, I am officially pregnant and encumbered. And for a time this week I have felt very blue, grumpy, tired and tearful, and I have turned into that pregnant woman where nothing pleases (or at least not this week). Today my mood has lifted and I feel back on track to a certain extent, and I'm glad the blue phase has passed for the timebeing.

Things of note this week? My boss has now officially be made redundant, signed off, never to return. I've had time to prepare for this over the last few weeks, but the finality of it all leaves me feeling a little jaded and sad at the end of an era. I owe him alot for his time over the years and I wouldn't be where I am today without his faith in me. So I have a new boss... well, for 3 weeks that I have left at work until maternity leave kicks in!

I did an interim handover to the Manager coming in to cover me while I'm off yesterday, enjoyed the day and looking forward to handing over the reins on 25th. She works from our sister centre in Manchester so will be here supporting my deputies a few days a week... and thats a story in itself... one of them is pregnant, due 5th December. Something in the water perhaps??! I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Laugh today I think - the crying is so last week!

And then there's this new post Head office have created which is part time. Would that provide me a better work-life balance for when I return to work??! It's all happening here in my life at the moment.

Then lastly this week, the second attempt at our 4d and 3d scan for little Gracie-wiggle. This week she had changed position a little to give a slightly better view, but she's still very comfy in there, very chilled out and relaxed. Shy even. She's lying head down facing my right hand side. We saw her sucking on her hand and playing with her toes. Matt the Husband was looking at the wall when she yawned on the screen - that'll teach him to stay focused... that's men for you!

Interestingly she's measuring big, ish. Head is measuring spot on for her gestational age. Her leg length and belly circumference are both measuring big (both above the 95th percentile), which may indicate a number of things (or may indicate she's just going to be a big healthy baby). I'll see the midwife to check. At the moment she's estimated at weighing 4lb 14oz, thats some weight for a little lady with still 9 weeks to go.... I'll post a picture later.

So yes, 9 weeks to go, and counting!