37 weeks

Here we are! Officially full term. Feel free to come whenever you are ready now, baby. I can not believe that we're going to meet you in less than a month. Cray cray! AHHHHHH!!! I can't wait!!!!

You're about the size of a bunch of Swiss chard (I have no idea?) and weigh around 6.5 pounds and are about 20 inches tall. Your job these next few weeks is to just put on the ounces. Everything else is pretty much ready for life outside the womb.

Symptoms: So, here's the deal: I have had about enough of you kicking and growing inside of me. I love you so, so, so, much, but I am so ready to give you your eviction notice. I'm hot, uncomfortable, and crabby lots of the time. Not getting comfortable pretty much anywhere is the worse part. I'm pretty much only comfortable laying on my side, which I can't do most of the time. I obviously have to be sitting up at work, I can't lay down at least an hour after I eat or else the acid reflux is terrible. Your dad and I went to see a movie this past weekend, and even though I loved the movie, I was so uncomfortable the whole time. I just keep telling myself to take it a day at a time. I think the constant feeling of being uncomfortable combined with how excited I am to meet you is just a bad combination.

Workouts: Daily walks with Jax!

Movement: Your movement has definitely slowed down a little bit. But, man, when you move, it feels like my whole body is moving. You are getting strong! I've also felt you hiccuping quite a few times this past week. They say you are practicing swallowing, so maybe the increased hiccups are due to that?

Suspicions on gender: Boy.

Food aversions/cravings: My hunger has slowed down quite a bit this week. At my last doctor's appointment, I had not put on any weight. In addition, food still just isn't sounding good. I have to make myself eat on a schedule.

Sleep: Still pretty good. Early to bed, early to rise.

Next doctor's appointment: Friday! Last week's was pretty uneventful. I was tested for Group B Strep, which is a bacteria a lot of women carry and would cause me to take antibiotics before you were born if I had it. Thankfully, I don't have that. One less thing to worry about.

In other baby news, a friend from church gave us a ton of cloth diapers that she had used. I was on the fence about using them, but have heard how much money you save and how cute they are and such. In the long run, they do save you a ton (I guess for every cloth diaper you use instead of a disposable, you save 20 cents), but it's the initial investment that can be tricky. The diapers cost about $20 a piece, but they'll last you through multiple kids. So, the fact that we were given about 14 diapers gives us no excuse to give cloth diapering a try. We'll probably need to buy 5-6 more, but I'm really excited to give them a try and hopefully they'll work for us.

36 weeks

Less than a month to go! One more week and I'll officially be full term. So, baby, I'm pretty much ready whenever you are.

This week, you are about the size of a head of romaine lettuce, or just about 6 pounds and more than 18.5 inches long. For the next few weeks, the majority of your major systems are developed, so you'll just back on the pounds (or ounces I should say). Also, you're shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered your body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected your skin during this nine-month amniotic bath. You swallow both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

Symptoms: Lots of bathroom trips, more pressure down towards my pelvis and bladder, pretty much uncomfortable and tired all the time. I'm also hot all the time! You are seriously a little furnace inside of me. This next week is supposed to get really warm and humid, too. So, I have a feeling I'm definitely going to be ready to get you out.

Over the weekend, I finally used a gift card for a prenatal massage that your father gave me and I realized I should have used it a lot sooner. My leg cramps and pain felt so much better after the massage! If it starts to act up again before you are born, I may bite the bullet and go in for another one. It just felt so good. I have been experience more cramping than I have before, but I'm not sure if they are contractions, or just that feeling of being uncomfortable. Also, (if you turn out to be a boy, you may want to skip this next part), when I squeeze my boobs, a little bit of liquid comes out. I know. Super gross and I'm sorry for that. But, it is just another sign that things are moving in the right direction.

Even though I complain about a few things every week, I really must say that I have had an easy, easy pregnancy. No real nausea or lots of pain. Compared to some women I've talked to, I really have to say I have it good. For the most part, I love being pregnant and have nothing to complain about. These next few weeks are going to be hard because I am starting to get uncomfortable and I am so anxious to meet you, but I just have to remember that I only have a short time left to go.

Workouts: Still just doing my morning walks with Jax. But, boy, are they getting more exhausting.

Movement: You know it! I definitely feel you moving towards my pelvis, too. That is something I've never felt before, so I guess that means you've dropped a little bit.

Suspicions on gender: Boy.

Food aversions/cravings: Nothing really new in this department. I have been pretty uneventful in the cravings part of this pregnancy.

Sleep: Not terrible, but not terrific. I fall asleep fine, it's just all the waking up because I'm uncomfortable or have to pee.

Next doctor's appointment: This Friday. I was checked last week for progress and so far there were no signs of anything. But, I think we'll check again this week. Even if I was a few centimeters dilated, it doesn't really mean anything. I could still be pregnant for weeks. 

We have our last birthing class this Thursday. I really enjoyed all the classes and the teacher was great, but it will definitely be nice to have Thursday nights back. I'm just so tired all the time. Last week we were practicing breast feeding holds and we had this fake babies. Your dad was holding it for a bit and it just cracked me up. Doesn't he look like a natural?

My coworkers threw me a surprise baby shower, too. I was totally surprised and did not expect it at all. I thought I was going to a meeting and then a walked into a room filled with balloons and cake. Pretty sure I started crying. It was so awesome. I work with some really great people.

This weekend was also Irish Fest weekend! We didn't go down as many days as we usually do (mainly because I wasn't up to it), but did spend Sunday down there walking around and listening to music. We were listening to this band called Red Hot Chili Pipers (yes, Pipers, not Peppers). They call themselves a bagpipe rock band. And, it was so loud, you were going crazy. Kicking and moving all over. So, does that mean you like bagpipes or want to get away from them? :) We also bought you these little Irish booties. There were so many cute Irish baby clothes, it was so hard not to buy a ton of things.

35 weeks

I remember thinking about what it would feel like to get to 35 weeks and probably all the freaking out I would be doing. Well, here we are at 35 weeks, and I must say, I'm not super freaked out. Sure, I'm a little, but I'm more excited than anything else. Here we are in the home stretch. I'll get to meet you in a few short weeks and I just can't wait!

This week, you're about the size of a honey dew melon. (Side note: I wonder what produce you will be in the upcoming weeks. I mean, fruit and veggies only get so big.) You're running out of space to move now that you're over 18 inches long and weigh about 5 1/4 pounds. Also, your kidneys are fully developed now, and liver can process some waste products. Most of your basic physical development is now complete — you’ll spend the next few weeks putting on weight. Try not to put on too much. It's still quite overwhelming thinking about how I've got to get you out of me. Sorry. TMI?

Symptoms: Lots of leg cramps this week, but it's probably totally my fault. I was on my feet way to much and obviously my legs had enough. I still feel pretty uncomfortable mostly all the time. It's the hardest at work. It seems like I can not get into a comfortable position at all most afternoons at work. I've definitely been a lot more out of breath, too. There was one morning where I felt like I could not catch my breath at all. I've also experienced a little more cramping, but still not as much as I was expecting. So, no complaints there. My hands and feet are also beginning to swell. I thought I was going to be lucky enough to not have to deal with it, but that's not the case. It's not really noticeable except to me, but my wedding ring is no longer fitting. I just wear my engagement ring.

Workouts: Still just walking the dog. That's about all I can manage. But, it has been beautiful running weather and I get so jealous of runners I see outside. I can not wait to start running again.

Movement: Of course. Still moving like crazy. When everyone was in town this past weekend, almost everyone got to feel some kicks or some bumps. It was pretty exciting. Thanks for putting on a show. :)

Suspicions on gender: Still sticking with boy. When I was opening presents at the baby shower, I kept referring to you as "him" by accident. I wonder if that was my body telling me to call you "him." :)

Food aversions/cravings: Food still really doesn't sound super appetizing to me. I'm definitely hungry, it's just that nothing ever sounds good.

Sleep: About the same. Sleeping well, but waking up numerous times for bathroom breaks. This weekend, I stayed up til at least midnight Thursday (I took Friday off of work), Friday, and Saturday, and then until 11 or so on Sunday.  Needless to say, I was dead tired on Monday night and fell asleep at like 8. But, it was worth it to hang out with everyone.

Next doctor's appointment: This Friday. I will start to be checked for effacement and dilation. I'm hoping to be just a few centimeters. I would much rather have you a few weeks early, than late. But, I'm sure that's what everyone says. However, I do have a sneaking suspicion that I will have early. That could just be positive thinking though. We also only have two more weeks left of birthing class!

There are no words to describe how awesome this past weekend was. So many friends and family were in town for the wedding shower. (The only bummer was that your dad was in Seattle with friends for a Brewers trip. But, it was nice to have other people staying with me while he was gone.)

It was a weekend filled with talking about what the future will bring and reminiscing about the past. I spent Thurs-Sun night just sitting and talking with friends and it was perfect. To make it even better, your uncle Andy was in town, too.

Everyone got together and threw me the most amazing shower. I just felt so loved. It was book-themed and each guest brought me a book instead of a card. In addition, all of the food was matched up with a different book. It was perfect and I was so sad to see it end. (Quick aside: We played this game where your dad was asked a bunch of questions about you. One of the questions was how ready he was for you to be here on a scale of 1-10. He said 7, but I think it's more like a 3. :) He also said he didn't understand why you need pants. Seriously, go ask him about it.)

When Andy and Anna left, it was super emotional. I totally cried. It just hit me that it was the last time I was going to see everyone I loved before you get here and I'm so excited for it. I already love you so much and I can't wait for everyone else to love you, too.

With such a full weekend, filled with so many great people, it was bittersweet when everyone left Sunday night after hanging out and it was just me and Jax (your dad was still gone). It just made me so bummed out. So many people I love most in the world live hours away. There's nothing I can do about that and it makes the times we spend together so much more special. But, it also makes saying good bye so difficult.

All I have to say is this: Baby, you are so loved. We have such amazing friends and family who are obsessed with you already. I can't wait for them to meet you.