Induction day!

How far along?:  40 weeks, 2 days!  The last pregnancy post.  This kid is DONE!  I'm gonna keep this post short since I was so late with last week's.

Total weight gain:  Ugh, I was up ANOTHER FREAKING pound at today's appt.  

Maternity Clothes?:  I am so happy to say that my days of mat clothes are numbered.

Weekly belly pic:

40w2d, the very last maternity picture.  I don't know whether to be happy or sad.

Stretch Marks?:  Just that one little red mark on my left hip.  I think I can live with that :)

Sleep:  Has actually been pretty good for the past few days.  I took an Ambien last night to ensure that I had a great night's sleep before heading to L&D tonight and it was glorious.  

Best moment this week:  Scheduling the eviction date!  

Movement:  Constant right up to the end!  Can't wait to see if this kid's as squirmy on the outside as s/he is on the inside.

Cravings:  Nothing in particular.

Aversions:  Nada.  

Other Symptoms:  This hasn't changed since my last post... OMG the tingling/numbness in my hands HAS.GOT.TO.STOP.  Apparently this is pregnancy induced carpal tunnel.  FUN!  It's gotten so bad lately that if my right hand is above my heart for any length of time (I'm talking seconds here), it falls asleep.  This is seriously annoying since, you know, I'm right handed.

Missing anything?:  Being able to move freely.

Belly Button:  Outie!  But I'm proud to say that I managed to keep my belly button ring in throughout the pregnancy.  Now to see if they make me remove it at the hospital tonight...

Gender Prediction:  The past couple of days I've been thinking boy.  No reasoning behind it, however.

Mood/Feeling:  Excited to meet this kid, but a little bittersweet that my pregnancy has come to an end. Even though I didn't really love being pregnant, I can't complain... it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't do it again and I honestly think I'm going to miss feeling him/her be with me all the time.

Purchases:  Nothing since the last post.

Labor Signs:  None, unfortunately.  Other than feeling like I'm carrying this kid between my knees.  Say a prayer that the induction process works to send me into labor to avoid a c-section.

Milestones:  I made it!

39 weeks

How far along?:  39 weeks! Plus 7 days.  So technically 40 weeks.  Oops.  I'll try to get my 40 week post up within the next day or so.  This had been a very hectic week and I haven't had computer access so I'm attempting to blog from my phone.

Total weight gain:  OMG, people, this is a scary topic. Between 38 and 39 weeks I only gained a pound and a half, so I was happy. This week, however has been another story. Pretty much the day I hit 39 weeks, shit hit the fan and my body really started to become affected by the pregnancy. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this for the world to see... I gained 7lbs in ONE FREAKING WEEK. It's honestly ALL water weight though. My feet, ankles, calves, knees and hands have swollen to about twice their normal size. And it hurts. I'm so stiff and can't wait til I can fit in shoes and bend my toes again. I'll spare you the picture.  

Maternity Clothes?:  I've been rotating between my one pair of mat jeans and leggings all week. And squeezing myself into the few tops I have left that cover my belly fully. 

Weekly belly pic:

Taken at 39w1d at my in-laws' house, since we were kicked out of ours by the contractors.

Stretch Marks?:  It finally happened. I have one angry little red stretch mark on my left hip. 

Sleep:  I seem to sleep well about once every 3-4 nights. Ambien is still my friend. 

Best moment this week:  High five to Baby P for staying put long enough for my mom's arrival. So glad that she's here to be with us for the delivery. My mom has been here for 4 days now and has been such a tremendous help. Our house is a serious disaster and she's been working her butt off to get it clean. And she's currently cooking homemade mac and cheese for me while I sit my ass on the couch with my feet up watching her. No complaints here :)

Another great moment this week: after being displaced for a week due to the construction (THANK GOD we have my in-laws close by and they don't mind us and the dogs rooming with them) we were able to move back home and into our new master suite! Granted, we don't have electricity, nor is the bathroom done but we're in! And it's fabulous :)

Movement:  This kid likes to mess with my head... the other day, s/he was so quiet that I was doing kick counts all day long. The past few days, however, s/he hasn't stopped moving. And due to his/her size, it's getting quite uncomfortable. 

Cravings:  Miso soup.

Aversions:  Nada.  

Other Symptoms:  As mentioned above, week 39 has been pretty much unbearable... my right hand goes numb every time I lift it or attempt do anything with it.  Do you know how hard it is to do your hair and makeup and when you can't feel your fingers?  The heartburn has also gotten exponentially worse.  And the swelling.  Oh, the swelling.  I can't even put into words how ridiculously bad it is.

Missing anything?:  Feeling like a normal human being.

Belly Button:  It's officially a full-on outie.

Gender Prediction:  I personally still have no idea but Nick did a baby pool at the restaurant and at first the overwhelming majority were going with girl but over the past day or so we've evened out.  At last count it was 11 for girl, 10 for boy.

Mood/Feeling:  My anxiety level has seriously dropped since my mom's been here and things are coming along nicely with the house so I've been in a pretty good mood lately.

Purchases:  Nothing new.  Mom and I went through all the baby clothes and bottles and stuff and determined that we have enough to get by for the first few weeks.

Labor Signs:  Still dealing with Braxton Hicks pretty regularly and I *might* have had some real contractions last night after spending an hour bent over the toilet but that also might have been because hurling for that long makes your stomach muscles a bit unhappy.

Milestones:  This kid is officially fully baked.

In Other News:  At my 38w4d OB appointment, the nurse practitioner who I saw felt that baby was getting a bit big and my stomach was measuring on the large side for the first time the entire pregnancy so she scheduled me for an ultrasound for the following week.  I had that appt last Friday at 39w4d and got to see our little (big) nugget again... the picture we got of his/her face is seriously adorable.  After taking measurements, the OB determined that baby was already over 8lbs so we started talking induction.  He scheduled me for another appt today (40 weeks) and after an exam found that I'm not dilated at all but my cervix is soft, anterior and about 60% thinned so I'm making progress.  Since I've been so severely swollen and BB is on the large side, he had no problem getting me scheduled for induction this week.  I picked Wednesday in hopes that my body will decide to go into labor on it's over the next 48 hours.  Fingers crossed, people!

38 weeks

How far along?:  38 weeks!  We're down to the home stretch.  Thankfully I haven't been too bombarded with the "haven't you had that kid yet?" comments.  I've also been finding it pretty fun to mess with complete strangers... when they ask me when I'm due, I tell them "any day now!" and they look at me in horror as if the kid's going to just drop out of me right then and there.  Gotta find something entertaining about this, right?

Total weight gain:  According to my OB's scale, I'm up another pound since the week before.  Although I don't really agree (do I ever?)... it got cold here last week so I had jeans and a heavy sweater on.  I usually show up to appts in leggings and a tank or light shirt to be as light as possible on the scale.  I'm blaming the 1lb weight gain on the jeans.  We'll see what the scale says this Friday...

Maternity Clothes?:  I'm so tired of ugly maternity clothes and CANNOT wait to shop for and wear regular clothing again.  Although I'm probably setting myself up for disappointment as I'm sure nothing in my closet will fit again for ages.

Weekly belly pic:

BIG BELLY!  When I'm in actual clothes, I don't feel as if I look this large... it amazes me that I'm able to walk around without falling over ;)

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.  Fingers crossed, people!  

Sleep:  Still sucks.  That is all.

Best moment this week:  Keeping with the theme of the past couple of weeks, I'm gonna go with the house.  We've seen some pretty big changes this week.  The old exterior wall of our living room was taken down, opening the house to the new section of living room.  It literally doubled the size of it.  It's a complete freaking disaster right now but looks pretty awesome.

Here's a really blurry picture but it shows the state of upheaval that my house is in... drop cloths covering everything, the unfinished living room addition, dust everywhere... ugh.

Movement:  This kid is still pretty active.  The movement are getting more and more uncomfortable by the day though.  I think s/he dropped a bit more this week because the pressure on my bladder has been INTENSE.  TMI?  Apologies.  

Cravings:  Still going strong with the PB&J sandwiches and asiago cheese bagels from Panera.

Aversions:  Nada.  

Other Symptoms:  Nothing new, just dealing with the constant tingling in my hands and fingertips and incessant heartburn.  If the old wives tales hold true, this is going to be one hairy child.  The foot swelling is quite comical lately too... one day last week, my left foot was literally twice the size of my right and last night I had a slice of pepperoni pizza for dinner and within minutes my feet looked like puffy little pillows.  Thankfully the swelling doesn't last too long.

Missing anything?:  Not feeling heavy.  Moving is just so damn difficult.  I'm dying to remember what it was like to get out of a chair or lie down without feeling like I just ran a marathon.

Belly Button:  Oh, my belly button.  It's been a source of entertainment for us lately.  Take this morning for example.  I was lying on the couch when I felt BB move and settle right in the middle of my belly, then noticed that by doing so, s/he popped my belly button right out.  At least I'm still easily entertained ;)

Gender Prediction:  We started a baby pool at the restaurant yesterday and so far the majority of guesses have been boy.  I'm still thinking girl lately but I think it's because of the dreams I've had over the past couple of weeks.  

Mood/Feeling:  STRESSED.  Blame the house renovations.  

Purchases:  Nothing baby-related.

Labor Signs:  The Braxton Hicks contractions have been pretty intense over the past few days.  I notice them after doing any sort of activity or if I let myself get too dehydrated.  Even a leisurely stroll through Target last night brought them on.  Annoying.

Milestones:  This kid is definitely full term :)

In Other News:  This is my last week of work!  Yay!!  And with the frequency of the Braxton Hicks, I'm taking it day by day.  Thursday is definitely my last day but if I'm not feeling up to coming in tomorrow, today might be it.  Although I'm a little afraid of being bored out of my mind until the kid makes his/her appearance, I'm seriously looking forward to not working 'til the New Year.  At the very least :)

37 weeks

How far along?:  37 weeks!  Plus 2 days.  Couldn't get my act together to post on time this week.  I don't know how (well, I do) the hell we got here.  I feel like yesterday I was 30 weeks and still anticipating my next ultrasound and baby shower.  Now we're so close it's scary.  And chances are good that if baby were to come now (please stay put for another 3-4 weeks, though, BB) s/he would be perfectly fine.  Kinda scary to think that I have a fully formed child inside of me.  Still seems alien to me.  Sorry, kid ;)

Total weight gain:  As of my last appt on Friday, I'm up another couple of pounds for a grand total of 45.  Ugh.  I'm starting to get annoyed with myself for overeating so much in the first trimester.  This belly is HEAVY.  Rolling over is seriously difficult when you have to hoist your midsection up with one arm while bracing yourself with the other.

Maternity Clothes?:  I've been living in under-belly leggings lately.  I have a feeling that's not going to change for oh, several months.

Weekly belly pic:

Along with the increased belly size, I'm starting to look gross in general.  I look tired all the time.  Probably because I am.

36w4d on the left, before heading out for a charity event.  Gotta say, the people there were great for my ego.  I got a TON of compliments that night.  And I managed to rock 4" stiletto boots :)  37w2d (today) on the right, trying a smile on for size before I left my office for a luncheon.  Wanted to make sure my exhausted appearance wouldn't scare anybody, haha.

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.  Shall we start taking bets on how much longer I'll be able to say this?

Sleep:  Is a thing of the past.  Unless it's Ambien-induced ;)  I can't even tell you how many times I wake up each night.  And having to wake each morning at 6:45 before the contractors show up around 7 is starting to get really old.

Best moment this week:  Making more progress on the house!  I'm gonna stick with last week's response.  HUGE progress this week... the entire addition is sheet rocked and the stone work on the front of the house is finally finished.  Looks AMAZING.  

Movement:  S/he definitely seems to be running out of room in there.  I don't get too many kicks anymore but s/he rolls from side to side all the time, which is not at all comfortable.  A few minutes ago I literally watched the shape of my stomach completely change with a giant roll.  S/he also likes to attempt to stretch all the way across my belly.  Too bad s/he doesn't realize s/he can't come out through my ribcage.

Cravings:  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on potato bread.  I've had one for lunch almost everyday for the past couple of weeks.  Also?  Vanilla Frosties from Wendy's.  I bring them home and add caramel sauce to make them even more healthy.

Aversions:  Nada.  

Other Symptoms:  OMG the tingling/numbness in my hands HAS.GOT.TO.STOP.  Apparently this is pregnancy induced carpal tunnel.  FUN!  It's gotten so bad lately that if my right hand is above my heart for any length of time (I'm talking seconds here), it falls asleep.  This is seriously annoying since, you know, I'm right handed.

Missing anything?:  Beer?  This is unlike me as I usually go for wine but I had a sip of Nick's pumpkin beer the other night and almost died.  So delicious.

Belly Button:  I think it's still there.  I can't tell for sure anymore unless I feel for it.  Since I've apparently "dropped" a bit, I can no longer see it when I look down.  Nor can I see my feet, which makes walking a bit problematic, but that's another story altogether ;)

Gender Prediction:  I don't know... Boy?  Girl?  Puppy?  You pick.

Mood/Feeling:  Pretty good to the public at large but inside I'm DONE.  I'd been really comfortable for the past three weeks or so but all of sudden this week it hit me.  I'm large, uncomfortable and can't wait to feel like myself again.  I just feel so heavy and move so slow.  I have to keep reminding myself that I'm SO close.

Purchases:  We finally did our registry completion the other day and spent so much money that the cashier thought it would be nice to tell us that it was the highest total she'd ever seen.  Luckily though, between returns, gift cards and coupons we actually didn't spend a penny out of our pockets.  Score.

Labor Signs:  I've finally concluded that what I've been feeling for that past week and a half are definitely Braxton Hicks contractions.  They've been getting progressively worse.  Not painful at all, just super annoying.  Luckily they stop the second I sit down.  I've noticed that I get them with regularity while doing anything strenuous... house cleaning, laundry, walking the dogs or just overdoing it in general.  Because of this, I've been trying to relax as much as possible.  I don't want to do ANYTHING that could possibly me cause me to go into early labor.

Milestones:  I thought the beginning of week 37 marked full term but I read something the other day that said it's at the end of 37 weeks.  Either way, I'd say I'm there :)

In Other News:

Baby made his/her second appearance in a local publication this week.  We made the Social Scene of the Times Union on Friday.  Picture quality is terrible (which was probably a good thing) but it was taken at a charity dinner we attended a week and a half ago.

Also, I finally packed the majority of my hospital bag this week.  Nick had been on me to do so, so I went shopping for a few essentials (ahem, pads the size of my foot) and packed away.  I also put both my and Nick's diaper bags together last night.  That was kinda fun :)  So I guess if I do go into labor soon, we're ready.  Well, our bags are ;)

36 weeks.

How far along?:  36 weeks!  We're under a month out, people!  Although if I get my way, this kid will stay put 'til about 41 weeks, giving us extra time to get the house done.  Of course, I'll probably be eating those words when I get to that point and am beyond miserable.

Total weight gain:  I have another appt on Friday so we'll find out then.  I've been eating really well lately... haven't had much of an appetite so that's helped.  BB is encroaching upon my belly-space which has been good for me, calorie-wise.  I'll be surprised if I'm up more than a pound or two over the past two weeks but knowing my luck, I'll have gained another 10 or something ridiculous.

Maternity Clothes?:  It's definitely getting colder here which is making it harder to dress.  I've been cramming my fat feet into boots that barely fit and wrapping cardigans around tanks and tees.  And I broke down and bought what is hopefully my LAST maternity purchase for awhile... two long-sleeved tees to get me through the next month.

Weekly belly pic:

Can you say BIG BELLY?

Looking like crap on the left at 35w2d, all dressed up for a charity dinner on the right at 35w3d.  Please ignore the fact that my once put-together nursery is now a disheveled mess.  Hoping to get it all put back together tonight.

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.  And I checked myself again this morning so I can still say this with confidence.  Fingers crossed, people!

Sleep:  Eh.  Last night was good, I was only up twice to pee.  The night before, though?  Even Nick noticed how often I was up and that I was tossing and turning all night.

Best moment this week:  Making more progress on the house!

Movement:  This kid goes through spurts and it's starting to mess with my head.  Some days s/he doesn't stop (take today, for example).  But others, s/he freaks me out by sleeping for hours on end.  The other night while laying in bed, I realized that I hadn't felt anything in hours.  Cue mild freak out.  I jumped (well, as fast as a large pregnant woman can jump) up and ran to the kitchen to down some juice then got back in bed on my left side and didn't move for half an hour.  Finally s/he started doing it's thing.  Then naturally, I couldn't fall asleep because the kid up and s/he was kicking the crap out of me.

Cravings:  I've had a thing for miso soup lately.  Odd.

Aversions:  Nada.  Although the thought of certain meats still makes me cringe.  I was face to face with a meatloaf the other day and almost lost it.

Other Symptoms:  The heartburn has been out.of.control.  Other than that though, I'm doing okay.  It still seems odd to me that the awful foot/leg aches have disappeared.  And I don't know if it's the cooler weather or what, but I'm more comfortable now than I was a month ago).  Or maybe I'm just getting used to being the size of a small cow.  Now I'm just dealing with fat feet.  If they don't go back to their normal size after having this kid, I WILL have a breakdown.

Missing anything?:  Being able to have a conversation that doesn't revolve around babies.  Although I totally take the blame for that one... it's all that's on my mind so it's all I talk about.  My poor friends.

Belly Button:  Oh, this is good.  Apologies for the freaky picture but I noticed this last night while Nick was out and just HAD to send him a pic immediately.  I'm now the proud(?) owner of an outie.  But my belly button ring still fits!

Notice that the bottom is now completely sticking out... looks like some sort of crazy moon-scape, doesn't it?

Gender Prediction:  I had THE most vivid girl dream Sunday night.  We were calling her by her name and I could see exactly what she looked like.  But that probably means nothing and I'll most likely pop out a boy ;)

Mood:  I have my moments but I'm in good spirits overall.  I did, however, scream at the vacuum cleaner last night in a fit of rage.  As in actually shrieked at the top of my lungs because the thing was pissing me off.  My dogs and neighbors probably think I'm losing it.

Purchases:  Just a shit-load of house stuff.

The gorgeous vanity we ordered for our new master bathroom.  When I showed it to Nick he said "That's something that adults buy! We're not old enough!"  The house/kid thing is definitely bringing the grown-ups out of us.  haha

This was Saturday at Lowe's.  $2,000 later, we're the proud owners of too many light fixtures and ceiling fans to count, new faucets and fixtures for all the bathrooms, a mirror for the hall bath and a vanity for the powder room.  Took both of our cars to get it all home.  

Labor Signs:  Don't think so.  Although every time I take the pups for a walk, my stomach gets rock hard, making it quite uncomfortable to walk.  Not sure if that qualifies as Braxton Hicks or not...

Milestones:  Full term next week!

In Other News:  I came home the other day to find a diaper box on our front porch.  My first thought was "Score!  Someone sent me diapers!"  Then I saw the shipping label and realized that Buy Buy Baby just used it as packaging.  I bent over to pick it up, bracing myself for the weight and almost fell over backwards because the thing was so damn light.  Baffled, I took it inside, opened it up and found this:

Yes, that would be an average sized shirt box sitting all the way at the bottom of a huge diaper box.  And this is the second time I've gotten something like this from BBB.  They must have morons doing their packing.  Talk about wasteful.

'Til next week...

35/35!

How far along?:  35 weeks!  Which also means only 35 days left!  Crazy, right?  Baby's the size of a coconut.

Total weight gain:  I'm up to *GASP* 183lbs as of Friday.  That makes me want to vomit.  On the other hand though, that has me at a gain of only 4lbs over the last two weeks.  I don't think that's terrible, although Dr. Negativity certainly thinks it is.  Her exact words: "Wow! You've had quite a jump in weight!"  Um... really?  And excuse me if I'm wrong, but that only has me up 42lbs.  Yes, it's over the recommended high of 35lbs but c'mon!  It's not like I'm obese!  Nor will I be.  Bitch.  I really hope she's not the on-call doc when I go into labor.

Maternity Clothes?:  I'm getting so tired of rotating through the same outfits.  A lot of my cuter maternity tops are way too short (I seriously don't understand why they don't make them longer!) so I'm basically down to tank tops, jeans or leggings and some type of cardigan/wrap.  BO-RING.  I saw a new commercial for White House Black Market the other day and got seriously sad.  I can't wait 'til I can wear cute fashionable clothing again!

Weekly belly pic:

Getting more and more torpedo-like by the day.  And please ignore the fact that there is no longer a wall behind me.  The on-going construction at the house might kill me.

Can't even remember why or where I wore a dress to last week.  Pregnancy brain, anyone?  This dress is still one of my favorite mat items though.  It's looked adorable no matter size I happen to be.

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.  And I checked myself the other night so I can say this with confidence.  Fingers crossed, people!

Sleep:  Has been okay.  Until I came down with the plague on Friday.  Since then I've been up at least hourly due to horrific pain in my throat and the fact that I can't breathe out of my nose.  Even Benadryl isn't helping much.  Third trimester colds blow.

Best moment this week:  Seeing our new addition get framed in.

This picture doesn't do it justice and they've done quite a bit since it was taken.  Kinda feels like we're finally getting somewhere.  All of the replacement windows are in, the roof is up, they did the plumbing rough yesterday and we met with the electrician this morning.

Movement:  Nick and I had fun on Sunday night just watching s/he roll all over the place.  We're fairly certain we felt a shoulder, which was a little freaky.  I've gotten used to his/her butt sticking out but feeling the shoulder was odd.  And I don't think I've mentioned this yet but this kid gets hiccups ALL THE TIME.  It's cute for the first 3 seconds, then I'm begging it to stop.  The rhythmic bouncing inside my belly is honestly pretty annoying.  Especially when I'm trying to sleep.  It'll be interesting to see if s/he has hiccups as frequently after birth.

Cravings:  I'm still on a roll with the asiago cheese bagels from Panera.  If I think it, I must get it.

Aversions:  Nada.  

Other Symptoms:  The excruciating rib pain seems to have subsided over the past few days.  The only explanation for that is that BB dropped, which is mildly terrifying.  The terrible achiness that I've had in my feet and legs is gone, too.  That one I can't explain.  I've been on them just as much, if not more and I don't feel like dying by the end of the day.  And as if I was really on a roll, the swelling had also subsided.  Until today, that is.  Humidity hates me.

Check out those sausage toes!  Pretty, no?  I am so swollen today that I can barely get my flip flops on (yes, I wore flip flops to the office... sigh...) and my feet are so damn hot that I can barely stand it.  Oh, and I can't bend my toes.  Or my fingers for that matter.  Those rings are on for the duration.  And you can't tell from the picture but even my wrists are swollen... my once loose watch is now so tight that it leaves indentations.  Lovely.

Missing anything?:  Getting drunk.  Well, not really drunk.  Buzzed, I guess you could say.  I can't wait to be able to drink a couple glasses of wine and have that fantastic relaxed, happy feeling.  Five more weeks...

Belly Button:  Flattening out more and more each day.  And on Sunday while Nick and I were engrossed in Belly Watch 2012, kid moved right to the middle of my belly and practically popped my navel right out.  Thankfully it went back to innie-style as soon as s/he moved to the side.

Gender Prediction:  I'm still thinking girl lately, although I really have no idea why.  

Mood:  Good for the most part.  I was a miserable, cranky bitch yesterday, but I blame the cold and the fact that I was beyond exhausted.  

Purchases:  Nothing new this week.

Labor Signs:  I'm pretty sure I experienced my first set of Braxton Hicks contractions last night.  I was on my hands and knees taping paper drop cloths throughout our house to protect the floors from the contractors' disgusting boots, so I was up and down, huffing and puffing for a good half hour... definitely over-did it.  Once I was done, I noticed that my entire stomach tensed up and became hard as a freaking rock.  And did so sporadically three or four times throughout the next hour.  Didn't hurt at all, just caught me off guard.

Milestones:  35/35!

In Other News:  Apparently my husband is an ace at car seat installation.  We got them checked last week and the police officer had no complaints, which was nice to hear since they say that 9 out of 10 people install them incorrectly.  We also met with a pediatrician last week.  I really liked her and was impressed with the office.  It's close to the house, they have great hours (stay open til 7 each night and have weekend hours) and have an urgent care when they're closed.  I think Nick would like me to set up an appt with a different office so we can compare but we've got so much going on that I wouldn't mind just going with this office and calling it a day.

I had my 34 (and a half) week appt on Friday.  And somehow I got horribly lost on way there.  Let's keep in mind that this is an office I've been to about a million times, in a city I've lived in for over five years.  I wish I was kidding when I told you that I had to plug the address into my GPS to get back on track.  (Didn't think there was anything to pregnancy-brain?  I beg to differ.)  Anyway, other than Dr. Negativity bitching about my earth-shattering 4lb weight gain, the appt went well.  My blood pressure was phenomenal, as it has been all along and BB's heartrate was hanging steady in the 140s.  I also got my flu shot, which both Nick and I were told was important for us to have by the pediatrician since baby will be born during flu season.  Next appt is 36 (and a half) weeks and then we go weekly.  Kinda scary to think that I have all of my appts scheduled through 38 weeks.  We're getting close!

34 weeks.

Is anyone else getting tired of these posts?  I am.  Anyway...

How far along?:  34 weeks!  Baby's the size of a butternut squash.  It seems surreal that we're getting down to the wire... only 3 weeks til full term.  Crazy.  I said something to Nick the other day about the fact that we'll be parents soon and he responded with "we're too young for that... adults do that, not us".  I feel the same.  haha

Total weight gain:  Won't be weighed again until Friday.

Maternity Clothes?:  This is getting tough... it got gloriously cool here this week (hello, fall!) and I seriously don't have the wardrobe for it.  I have one pair of maternity jeans, one pair of mat work pants, one pair of leggings and my mat magic pants, but sadly they're getting pretty tight.  All the rest of my bottoms are shorts.  And since I refuse to spend anymore money on maternity clothes, I'm going to be repeating outfits from here on out.  And doing far more laundry.  Sigh.

Maternity clothes related story:  the other night I had a dream that I went into labor at 34 weeks (which was yesterday) and in the dream I was wearing a very specific outfit.  I think it's safe to say that that particular top will no longer be part of my rotation.  Not taking any chances, people.

Weekly belly pic:

I had a friend tell me that I "dropped" yesterday.  I was kinda thinking that solely based on how much more pressure this kid is putting on my bladder, but when you compare this week's picture to last week's, I think I look exactly the same.

Only took one outfit pic last week.  I'm getting tired of seeing the same stuff all the time so I'm sick of documenting it.

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.  I'm feeling like I may make it to the end unscathed.  Although I probably just jinxed myself.

Sleep:  Has been surprisingly decent this week.  Although I've been going to bed at the ridiculously early hour of 9pm just about nightly.  And then I read for a half hour or so before drifting off.  I do, however, wake up about a bajillion times each night, either to pee or roll over.  The numb hand/arm thing is getting old.  It's especially bad if I lay on my right.  I wake up and literally can't move my hand or fingers.  Talk about annoying.

Best moment this week:  This week has been pretty uneventful.  We're making progress on the house though, which is FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC.  Framing started at the end of last week and they're installing new windows and doors today.  Three cheers for energy efficiency!  haha

Movement:  This kid has been on a roll this week.  Quite literally.  And it doesn't feel good.  AT ALL.  S/he doesn't seem to like it when I'm sitting in my desk chair at my office... I must be squishing things in there because s/he rolls all over the place and uses my bladder as a punching bag.  Not a fan.  

Cravings:  My eating has been pretty much back to normal this week.  I've been trying to get more protein and greens in and have been good on the sweets-front.  At the grocery store the other day I even put back two packages of cookies after walking around the store with them in my cart with every intention of leaving with them.  That, my friends, is restraint.

Aversions:  Nada.  

Other Symptoms:  The feet are still my biggest woe.  Sadly, almost none of my shoes fit anymore.  So this happened:

Yes, that would be a picture of my feet in slippers.  At work.  haha.  I gotta tell you though, since I've been living in slippers (at the office as well as at home), my feet haven't been swollen, nor have they hurt so much. I guess walking around in heels or barefoot on the hardwood at 8 months pregnant probably wasn't the smartest idea I ever had.

Missing anything?:  My old body.  I woke up at the crack of dawn on Sunday, when the only things on TV were infomercials and got sucked into one for Insanity.  I've been thinking about purchasing it to get myself back into shape post-baby but I'm pretty sure I'm now sold.  I desperately miss working out and can't wait to get some semblance of my old self back.

Belly Button:  Flattening out more and more each day.

Gender Prediction:  I had a very vivid girl dream on Sunday, followed by an even more vivid boy dream on Monday.  The boy dream was crazy... he came out and looked just like a little Asian baby and for some reason we let my dad name him.  He came up with Jonathan Kirkpatrick Dominick Purnomo.  Where that came from, I have no idea.  My subconscious is effed up.  (More evidence pointing toward that: last night I dreamed that I got sucked into a cult.  WTH?)  Anyway... in real life, I've been having stronger and stronger girl feelings but I don't know why.

Mood:  Good!  Just tired, even though I've been getting about 9 hours of sleep a night.

Purchases:  Nothing new this week.

Labor Signs:  I feel it's probably appropriate to add this category back into the rotation, although I don't think I've had any labor signs yet.  I'm still waiting for the infamous Braxton Hicks contractions.  And funny story (and totally TMI): last night after peeing for the 803rd time, I peed all over my hand while wiping.  For a split second I was like "wow, did my water just break?" but then I realized that BB rolled onto my bladder and pushed more out.  ha!  You're welcome for that story.

Milestones:  Um, I'm really bad at this category.  I swear I do read that updates that flood my inbox each week but I can never remember what significant development baby is currently making.  Bad Mommy.

In Other News:  We're getting our carseats inspected tomorrow and also meeting with a pediatrician.  I shall update next week :)

The idiots are out.

Apparently being pregnant makes it okay for people to say whatever the hell they want to you.  Below are just a few of the comments I've heard over the past 7 months that have made me shake my head.

Size Issues:

1: Random guy at restaurant, after Sis jokes to him about the fact that I was eating for two (she's allowed), says "are you sure you're not eating for three?"  Asshole.

2: Maintenance guy at office, "I was really surprised to hear you were pregnant."  Hello, I'm 32 and have been married for almost three years... is it really that shocking?  Then he says after looking at my belly, "are you having twins?"  Ugh.

3: Drunk acquaintance at a charity event, "you must be ready to pop" (motioning to my belly, alluding to the fact that I'm far too big for only seven months)... I got a little defensive and told her that I'm actually measuring EXACTLY on track and the doc thinks that baby is on the small side.  Bitch.

4: A coworker walked into my office and said to me today "Well, you're certainly not getting any smaller".  No shit, dumbass... I'm pregnant and don't plan to get any smaller until the kid has been evicted.

5: And I've gotten the twin thing from quite a few more people... my own aunt, people in my office building, acquaintances, etc... do people really think it's possible to have gotten to almost 8 months without realizing that there is, in fact, only one child in there?  Sigh.

Breastfeeding:

Let's just start by saying that at this point I don't think I'll be breastfeeding my child.  And let's leave it at personal reasons for my decision.  If you haven't noticed, there's been a big push in favor of breastfeeding recently.  It's everywhere.  And yes, I understand why.  Breast is best and all that jazz, blah, blah, blah.  I'm just not comfortable with it.  So apparently that makes me a bad mother before I've even begun.  And I'm getting hit with it from the most unexpected sources.

1: The electrician we had come to our house to give us a quote for our addition has a one year old and after small talk about when we're due, he felt the need to tell me how cool it is to watch his wife breastfeed.  He must've seen the look on my face and assumed I wasn't into it because then he said something along the lines of "oh, you've just gotta try it, it's best for the baby, you never know what kind of crap they hide in formula".  Thanks for your opinion, asshole.  And by the way, we won't be hiring you.

2: A close friend who has a four month old texted Nick and me the other day saying "You might want to invest in a small chest freezer if you haven't already.  I haven't seen anything but milk in mine for months."  This was completely 100% unprompted.  He just assumed that I'm going to breastfeed and felt the need to text us out of the blue about what we'll need.  I didn't respond.  All Nick said in return was "Good to know."

Breastfeeding is such a personal topic.  I just don't get why people think it's okay to bring it up all the time.  And hearing it from men?  I never thought I'd have that problem.  I know it's ridiculous but it seriously makes me feel guilty for wanting formula feed my child.  And that's just not right.

Random:

1: As I was in line to check out at the grocery store on Labor Day, the idiot behind me said "You're not going to have your baby on Labor Day, are you?"  And then proceeded to laugh his face off.  Thought he was so damn clever.

Aside from finally having BB in my arms, I think the biggest thing I'm looking forward to about not being pregnant anymore is the asinine comments stopping.  Now here's hoping no one says anything thoughtless to me about still looking pregnant after giving birth...

33 weeks.

How far along?:  33 weeks!  Plus 3 days.  This post is seriously late.  If I wrote it yesterday though, I probably wouldn't have any followers left.  I was MISERABLE and probably would've bitched and moaned my way through the categories.  Long story but I'm better today.  Thank the Ambien I took last night ;)

Sidenote: what the hell is a durian?  That's what The Bump relates the size of baby to this week...

Total weight gain:  Ugh, 39 effing pounds as of last Friday.  And after indulging myself in every sweet known to man last weekend I'm probably up another 5.

Maternity Clothes?:  Are definitely getting tight.  I don't understand why they don't make clothes to last all the way through pregnancy.  All of my shorts are uncomfortable and my tops are starting to get short.  And I'm EXACTLY the size I should be at this point so it's not as if I'm too big or anything.  Sigh.  I guess I'll be living in leggings and baggy tops 'til October.

Weekly belly pic:

Belly is sticking out more and more each week.  Kinda makes me laugh.

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.  Seriously hoping to keep it this way.

Sleep:  Has been awful again.  I'm finally to the stage where I have to prop my belly on a pillow to be comfortable laying on my side.  It's so damn heavy!  And I have to support it with my hand when I (attempt to) roll over.  As mentioned above, last night I just couldn't take it anymore so I popped half an Ambien and slept hard.  So hard that when Nick got home he said he actually felt me to make sure I was still breathing.  haha.  

Best moment this week:  My baby shower!!  It was incredible.  I have some seriously generous people in my life and and am beyond thankful.  Full post on the shower to come later this week.  Or month ;)

The haul, which is currently residing in our dining room.

Best moment #2 of the week was getting to spend time with my favorite little boy.  I was lucky enough to have my mom, brother, sister-in-law and nephew fly in for the weekend for my shower.  I haven't seen them since June when Cameron was only 5 months old so it was great to them all again.  I am beyond in love with my nephew and had such a blast watching him crawl around and pull himself up on everything he could get his chubby little hands on.

Cutest little boy ever, right?  L to R: In the "I love my Auntie" bib that his favorite aunt got for him.  Discovering his love for bakmi.  All dressed up for dinner.

Movement:  Things are definitely getting a bit in there.  I don't feel as many kicks anymore... it's more rolling and stretching.  And ugh, the stretching... this kid doesn't seem to realize the s/he can't come out through my abdomen.  I've been trying to record it because it's definitely a little alien-like to see my entire stomach shift and change shape when s/he pushes to one side.  S/he is also quite fond of pushing his/her booty up under my ribcage.  I'm not a fan.  My ribs feel so bruised that certain movements are pretty painful.  Please stop hurting Mommy, BB.  Please? 

Cravings:  Have I mentioned sugar?  This has really got to stop.  Over the past week I've eaten no less than 3 cupcakes, a slice of cake, numerous cookies, a scone the size of my head, lemon squares, brownies and two bags of caramel popcorn.  I have a problem.

Aversions:  Nada.  Bring on the food.

Other Symptoms:  The feet.  Oh, the aching feet.  It's getting to the point where I seriously can't deal.  I ache so bad every night that I just lay on the couch and moan.  Getting comfortable is next to impossible.  Doesn't help that with the renovations I have to walk the dogs a few times a day rather than just letting out to do their business in the yard.  Walking is not my friend anymore.  In fact I had someone say to me the other day that he could tell I'm nearing the end because of how slow I'm walking.  Yup, I make no attempt to walk at a normal pace anymore.  It's sad.

And can we also discuss the size of my feet?  I went slipper shopping yesterday and almost had a meltdown in the middle of Target.  I'm normally an 8.5, sometimes a 9 but had to buy a freaking 10 yesterday.  A TEN.  That's ridiculous.  I thought it was just swelling but it seems that the length of my feet have grown a bit as well.  I can't even squeeze into my heels anymore.  If my feet don't go back to normal after giving birth I seriously might die.  We all know how attached I am to my beautiful shoe collection.

Missing anything?:  Alcohol.  Although I did indulge in a glass of wine with dinner on Friday and had a celebratory mimosa at my shower on Saturday.

Belly Button:  Definitely getting flat but the maternity navel bar is hanging in there.  I'm starting to have hope that it may make it to the end.

Gender Prediction:  I've been leaning towards girl lately.  No idea why.  And it's not even something I'm cognizant of... I just think of the baby as "she" when looking at my stomach.  But apparently when speaking aloud I refer to baby as "him" without even realizing it.  So who knows what I've got in there.  Nick dreamed last night that it was a girl but I still keep having mixed dreams.

Mood:  As mentioned above, I was beyond miserable yesterday.  Even had my first hormone induced ugly cry.  That was fun.  Today, however, I'm 100% fine.  I'm not a fan of the back and forth mood crap.

Purchases:  After my shower, we went through the gifts and made a few returns and were able to buy most of the rest of what we'll need for baby.  Now we get to spend hours upon hours putting everything together.

Milestones:  Had my 32 week appt and ultrasound last Friday.  Since Mom was in town for my shower, she got to come with us.  It was awesome to have her there.  The tech took her time so we could get a good look at BB and we found out the s/he is head down (woot!) and weighs approx. 4lb 7oz with a heartrate in the 140s-150s.  Based on this size estimation my OB said we could end up with a 7.5-8lb baby at birth.  That would be awesome.

In Other News:  We're finally making progress on the house... the framers have been there all week and got the living room addition almost fully framed and are starting on the big addition today.  I love seeing progress.

32 weeks.

How far along?:  32 weeks!  Only 8 weeks left to go.  Does that scare the shit out of anyone else?

Total weight gain:  We shall find out on Friday.  I'm not looking forward to it.  Although I keep looking at myself wondering where the hell my body is hiding 35 extra pounds.  I'm seriously ALL belly and it honestly doesn't seem that big.

Maternity Clothes?:  My maternity pants (the demi-panel ones, anyway) are starting to get a bit snug.  This could be a problem.  

Weekly belly pic:

What do you think?  Starting to get a little torpedo-like, huh?

A couple outfits from last week.  Totally forgot about the coral shirt that I bought way back in the beginning... it was a nice surprise to find in my closet.

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.  And let's keep it that way.  

Sleep:  Still a little better.  Although I'm exhausted during the day yet can't fall asleep before midnight at night.  I'm not napping either, so it's kind of strange.  And I set a new record the other night by getting up 6 times to pee.  In 7 hours.  Ridiculous.

Best moment this week:  My best friend of 32 years had her baby this week.  After the hell she went through to conceive, carry the pregnancy to term and deliver him safely, I'm so happy that she and her husband finally have their precious little baby boy.  My Godson :)

And in house news, we have footings!  Is it sad that a little bit of poured concrete excites me so?

Progress!!  And today they moved the sewer line.  See that giant pipe sticking out of the middle of the existing foundation?  Can't have that going directly through our new basement so they're moving it to the garage wall.  When I left the house this morning the forms were in place to pour the foundation walls so hopefully we'll really start to see some progress soon.  T-minus 8 weeks, people.

Movement:  So constant that it's a little annoying (sorry BB).  When I sitting up and leaning forward slightly, s/he kicks up a storm right at my waistline (probably doesn't like being squished) and it seriously tickles.  Thank God there's no one else in my office to see me squirming all over the place.  

Cravings:  I saw a recipe for Fudgy Brownie Cookies on the Pinterest the other day and immediately ran out to buy the ingredients necessary to make them.  They are AMAZING.  But you really didn't think I could stop at the cookies, right?  Turning them into a warm brownie sundae with Fudge Tracks ice cream and caramel sauce proved a way better idea.  And yes, I've had a bowl each night since Saturday.  And I wonder where the 35lbs came from, haha ;)

Aversions:  Nada.

Other Symptoms:  The heartburn seems to be getting progressively worse.  I've been living on Zantac for the past week.  My legs and feet though, are still my biggest source of complaint.  I can't even describe how sore and achy I am at the end of each day.  I just lay on the couch and moan.  I'm sure husband loves it.  My feet have also started to swell pretty badly all of a sudden.  It's not really noticeable to anyone but me but I can't stand it.  And it's really only my left foot.  Explain that one.

Missing anything?:  Being able to roll over in bed without getting winded.

Belly Button:  It's just about flat.  I'm starting to worry about my beloved belly button ring making it another 8 weeks. 

Gender Prediction:  Still keep hearing from EVERYONE that this kid is a boy.  How I would love to prove them all wrong.  (Not that I don't want a boy, I just don't like it when people tell me so confidently that they know what it is.  And proving people wrong is fun.)

Mood:  Still good.  I'm pretty excited this week because Mom gets in town on Thursday, followed by Craig, Michelle and Cameron on Friday.  Then I get to celebrate baby at my shower on Saturday!  Can't wait.  'Til then though, I'm occupying myself by stalking the shit out of my registry online.

Purchases:  Nothing new this week.

Milestones:  32 week appt is this Friday which means ultrasound!  Haven't had one since 20 weeks so we're pretty excited.

In Other News:  We took the Crib Notes & Baby Talk (i.e. Parenting for Dummies) class at the hospital on Saturday.  Thankfully it was much better than the hospital tour we did the previous week.  The instructor was crazy-enthusiastic about everything baby and gave us some fantastic tips.  We also got some hands-on practice with burping, swaddling and diapering.  Quite helpful for someone who hasn't taken care of a newborn in almost 20 years.

31 weeks

How far along?:  31 weeks!  Technically 31 weeks, 2 days because I'm a slacker and can never seem to post on time.  And in case you're keeping track, today marks exactly two months 'til my due date.  Woot!  BB is the size of a pineapple.  Thankfully not as prickly, though ;)

Total weight gain:  Seriously hoping that my appt next weeks shows a minimal gain.  I realized a couple of days after my last appt (that showed a 5lb gain in two weeks) that the iron pills were doing a number on my digestive system... i.e. bringing to a complete halt.  Now that the Colace seems to have kicked in, I'm back to normal and blame the weight gain on my intestines being, um, full.  Hopefully now that they're being emptied on the regular, I won't be as heavy.  You're welcome for that story.

Maternity Clothes?:  Nick seemed worried the other day that I didn't have enough to get me through the fall so I went back to Destination Maternity to invest in a few more pieces.  Didn't find too much but I got another cardigan and a pair of full length leggings to wear with boots when it gets cooler.  

Weekly belly pic:

After looking back at my earlier bump pics today, I realized that I really need to start doing my hair again.  This flat, lifeless thing I've got going on isn't doing anything for my appearance.

Pretty sure I forgot to post this last week, so here it is.  These stickers are silly but I like 'em :)

Stretch Marks?:  Still none.

Sleep:  I'm almost afraid to say it but sleep has been better this week.  I've been getting up only 2-3 times to pee (probably means I'm not drinking enough water) and I've been feeling fairly rested in the mornings.  Let's hope this keeps up for a little while longer.

Best moment this week:  Getting our maternity pics!!  I teased one of them last week but here are some of my favorites.  I had so much fun during the shoot and am so glad we have these to remember this time in our lives.

Movement:  Sunday was insane.  BB literally didn't stop moving all day.  Even during church while I was standing s/he was doing flips and throwing punches.  I usually don't feel him/her unless I'm sitting or laying down.  It was distracting, to say the least.  Then on Monday though, Kid decided to scare me.  I realized sometime late evening that I really hadn't felt him/her much that day.  So I laid in one position for about 45 minutes and felt only one movement.  Cue minor freak out.  I got up, chugged some juice and laid back down.  A few minutes later s/he finally began to roll around.  And hasn't stopped since.  I being punched in the cervix as we speak.  

Cravings:  Ice.  This is a weird one for me, but apparently it's a pretty common pregnancy craving.  I find myself wanting to chew the little ice cubes in my water lately.  I've never been an ice chewer because my teeth couldn't handle the cold.  Now I can't get enough.

Aversions:  Nada.

Other Symptoms:  My feet are still rebelling the extra weight.  Yesterday I did a fair amount of walking and paid for it last night.

Missing anything?:  Booze.  I had a dream last night that I had the baby and was getting bombed with girlfriends on margaritas and wine.  Two months and counting.

Belly Button:  Hanging in there.  

Gender Prediction:  Although I've really had no inclination one way or the other, early in the pregnancy I kept picturing BB as a boy and referring to it as a him.  Now for some reason whenever I picture baby I think girl.  Might have something to do with the fact that EVERYONE thinks it's a he and I just want to prove them all wrong ;)

Mood:  Good!  Now that our renovations are finally moving along I've been able to relax a bit and I think it's helped my mood. Also helpful is the fact that my shower is next Saturday and my mom, brother, sister-in-law and nephew are all flying in for it.  So excited!!

Purchases:  I don't think we purchased anything baby-related this week.

Milestones:  Um.  I'm drawing a blank again.  I should probably start looking something up about the baby for this category.

In Other News:  We did our hospital tour last night.  Big fat waste of time, in my opinion.  I mean, I suppose it was good to get a lay of the land and some sort of idea of where to go and what the rooms are like but it was pretty worthless.  It was more of a lecture from the tour guide/L&D nurse on the benefits of breast-feeding.  So naturally I'm now worried that the nurses at the hospital are going to try to shame me into doing something I'm not comfortable doing.  We're taking a "crib notes" class on Saturday... or what I like to call, the "how to keep your child alive" class and I seriously hope they're not as preachy.  Sigh.