27 weeks, or, hello 3rd trimester!

Bye bye pleasant, sweet 2nd trimester. Hello race to D-day! This week marks the turning point to 3rd trimester, with two-week appointments, birthing classes, braxton hicks, and apparently a fairly regular backache, ow. The moment is a little bitter sweet, since the 2nd trimester fully lived up to its reputation as the most "comfortable" and "energized" stage in this adventure. Of course, I can't really complain too much about the 1st trimester since I was one of the lucky lucky few who had hardly an ounce of morning sickness.

But now I enter into that third and final phase, in which my energy is supposed to wane, my back and hips will probably feel more pressure, and who knows what else. Luckily, it'll all end soon enough--that creepy widget Mike added to our blog says we only have 92 days to go!

Speaking of backaches, this week's vegetable on babycenter.com makes it all the more clear to me why my own back is starting to revolt against my growing belly. A cauliflower head is an imposing visual!

Here's their update on the Short Stranger's progress:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

BTW, I think I felt those hiccups the other night at yoga. Very distracting!