38 week update - Last one?!

How pregnant am I?:  38 weeks, 4 days

Weight gain so far:  43 pounds.  Wish it weren't so many, but nothing I can do now!  I have been eating pretty healthy, although I could have exercised more.  But I am sure I will lose it all.  It is what it is!

Belly Button:  Sort of an outtie.  Not very attractive, with my scars from my laparoscopy and my piercing. 

Clothing options:  Yoga pants and a nursing tank.  Or a long sleeve shirt.  That's about all I wear.  If I leave the house, I manage to put on jeans sometimes.  But I can't wear bras anymore, because my belly pushes my boobs up to my chin, lol.  So I have been living in a nursing tank.  And I can only wear flip flops or Uggs, and even those are getting tight.  Thank goodness I am almost done!

Boobs:  Huge.  Although they seem bigger because my belly pushes them up.  Lol.

Now about the real star of the show:  This kid is officially a watermelon, the last fruit of my pregnancy!  And boy, does my belly look like it has a watermelon in it.  It could be as big as 7 lbs at this point (or 8 or 9 according to my doc!) and about 19 to 22 inches in length.  That's a big thing to carry in your belly!  It's a wonder I have no stretch marks yet!  The baby is pretty much ready to go.  Lungs should be developed, it's losing the vernix that was protecting its skin, and it should be a "normal" color now, since it should have plenty of fat and chub!  Basically, it can come out and play now!  Hear that baby?!?  Come out!

Pregnancy "symptoms":  Swelling of my feet, which is pretty bad.  I still waddle.  I feel like someone's head is slamming into my cervix, which is probably exactly what is happening.  I have heartburn a lot now, and I feel really sorry for people who have this on a regular basis.  It's awful!  And my back hurts quite often.  But I am hanging in there.  The biggest new symptom, is that for the past 24 hours, I have finally been having contractions, and I am losing my mucous plug (TMI sorry!).  But it's great, because it means I am getting close!

Cravings:  Water, pineapple, fruit, sweets.  Exercise.  I want to run, hike, bike, ANYTHING!

What I've bought so far:  What haven't I bought?  How about what I want to buy....clothes that are pink or blue!  I want gender specific clothes like you wouldn't believe!

Best moment this week:  Seeing Shawn and Morgan and Oliver, and knowing that Steve and I will have what they have soon.  Oliver is so amazing and so cute and sweet.  And they are such great parents, and a true team.  I can't wait to have what they have.  :)

What I miss:   Snuggling with Steve, sleeping thru the night, not feeling like it is such a chore just to move!  Exercise!

What I am excited for this week:  Could this be the week?  I am hoping so, that's why I finally caught up on blogging.  Baby come out and play!

38 weeks

Wow, I wasn't sure I'd make it this far.  I really thought this baby might come really early, since I have been measuring so big all along.  This week I am 38 weeks pregnant, which is one week past what is considered full term.  So if this baby decides to come, they won't stop my labor, and we will be having a baby!  Our bags are packed, the car seat is in the car, and we are ready for baby!

Last week at my 37 week appt, I was measuring 40 weeks!  Wholy cow!  Again, people are still telling me that I look really small, but I don't think so.  My doctor was like, "no way, you are ready to deliver this kid now!"  Baby's heartbeat is great, it is still kicking and rolling and punching me all over.  She says that she thinks/hopes that I will go into labor before my due date.  I really don't want to get to a point where the baby is too big for me to deliver.  I'd like to avoid a C-section!  But you never know.  Doctors measurements can always be off, so let's hope!

We went to a really nice dinner at Cafe 14 last week, thinking maybe it would be our last date night before baby.  As usual, we had great food, great service, and a great night.  They even brought us a yummy free dessert with a candle to celebrate.  Hopefully we will get out on a date there again soon after baby is born.

We also had the house cleaned for the last time before baby, and we took the cats to the vet for their annual  checkup.  Glad to have that marked off the list!  They are healthy and great and have no problems.  Last thing on the list is to get our tax papers together and get them done.  I really need this done because I need to file for financial aid for nursing school, and I can't until our taxes are done.

The day before I was 38 weeks, I decided to go get a massage since my back is still the most annoying part of this pregnancy.  I am soooo happy that I did.  I went to my chiropractors office, and there is a new masseuse there, and she is an expert at prenatal massage.  She teaches it, along with infant massage. Which I will take a class in after the baby arrives.  Anyway, it was an awesome deep tissue (as much as she could) massage, and she worked on trigger points too, trying to stimulate labor to start.  We'll see if it works.  I scheduled another one with her next week, but I am praying the baby is here by then!

Last thing is, at my 38 week appt last Friday, she checked me again for progress.  I am now 2-3 cm and 50% effaced.  I think I had some contractions earlier in the week, but I am not positive.  But I guess I must have if I am more dilated.  So yay for that!  She told me that she doesn't think I will make it to my appt next week.  But if I do, we are going to talk about inducing me on March 4th.  I am pretty against inducing and messing with mother nature, but I am somewhat worried that if I don't, I won't have a chance to deliver this baby naturally.  We'll see what kind of mood I am in if I am still pregnant next week.

Here's my 38 week pics.  I don't realize just how big I am until I look at these.  I am huge!  Maybe these pics will be my last ones?!

Maternity pics

My cousin Tonya took some maternity photos of us this past weekend.  They came out really cute!  I can't wait to print out a few and frame them.  I particularly love the one of our hands in the shape of a heart on my belly.  Thanks Tonya, you are the bestest cousin and friend ever!

36 weeks and baby class

Last week we started our 3 part class at the hospital where I am delivering.  It's a three hour class, three Wednesdays in a row.  There were about 10 other couples there, and I was the second furthest along.  So far we have learned breathing techniques, pain management, stages of labor, and just a general what to expect from labor, delivery, and the hospital.  It's somewhat redundant to what we have read/heard, but was a good review, and made things seem more real!

Also had my 35 week appt last week, and now I go every Friday.  I am getting pretty big and uncomfortable.  I know I've said that before, but now I am seriously uncomfortable.  Haha.  I still haven't had any contractions.  But I am now dilated 1 cm and 30% effaced.  And I am measuring one week ahead.  So things are moving along!

We also got our chair for the nursery delivered this week.  I will post pictures soon.  We have all the furniture now, just need to put a few things up on the wall, buy a few more last minute things, and put up the curtains and valance.  It's a really cute peaceful nursery, and I can't wait to have a baby to put in it!

Best of all, March 9th was my last day of working in the office.  Tomorrow I get to wake up when I work, and just work from home.  I will still have to go in to get mail and go over things with the doctors, but I am officially done with the office for awhile!  I couldn't be more excited!

Here's my 36 week pictures.  Wow, I am big!  The funny thing is, people keep telling me how small I look.  They are crazy!

34 weeks

Here I am at 34 weeks, 4 days.  

In other news, I've started seeing a chiropractor regularly, so hopefully that will help with my back.  And I only have 2 more weeks of working in the office, then I work from home.  Yippee!!

Also, I saw my doctor again for my 33 week appt.  Steve was in Utah, so I took my mom with me.  She did an ultrasound to check on the size of the baby.  It's measuring right on track, except...drumroll please...it's head is measuring 35 weeks.  Eeek!  She also said that the baby is probably about 4-5 lbs, and she says that if I go full term, I may be looking at a 9-10 lb baby.  Wish me luck!  Otherwise, everything is great, baby's heartbeat is strong, and my BP is still good!