38 Weeks

How have I been feeling?... Excited, nervous, uncomfortable, exhausted, irritable, sad, worried, etc. I have been having quite the mix of emotions lately. I’m VERY ready to meet our little boy and I am beyond excited to have a child but at the same time, I’m terrified. I’m sure this is normal and I was never scared until just recently and I think that’s because I am SO close to having him.

I’m scared because we have no family here to help.
I’m scared because I want to be the best Mother I can be.
I’m scared because I feel like I won’t know why he is crying.
I’m scared of this big bad world eating him up.
I’m scared of losing him.

I’m sure once he’s here, it will all fall into place and we will feel like we never lived without him but how do I ease these other fears for now?

I’m scared about things I can’t control, I know this. And the funny thing is that I’m not scared about birthing him but rather what’s to come once he’s here.

What am I looking forward to?... My MOM coming on May 3^rd!!! I just saw her in March but it feels a lot longer than that. Also, that means that I can finally relax and welcome our baby boy any time after that. She and I both want him to come after she arrives so she can see the birth of her first grand baby.

Any weight gain?... Oh geez, I’m sure. Wait, actually, to date, I have gained 31.5 according to our scale at home. I think the scale at my Midwifes office says more so I refuse to go by that one. haha I always weigh myself in the AM with no clothes on. When I get weighed at her office, it’s about 4pm, I’ve eaten and drank water all day and have clothes on. NOT a good judge of my true weight, geez!

How big is baby?.... The average newborn has a length of 21 1/2 inches and weighs 7 1/2 pounds. He is fully developed, though still adding connections between neurons in the brain (this continues well after birth). His nails have been growing and now reach to the ends of his fingers and toes. His movements are quite restricted by his close quarters.

He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold him hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after he's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

How is my body changing??... You're probably having a whole lot of back and neck strain, lots of fatigue, and not much relief! You continue to add a pound a week and have a hard time getting around gracefully. Don't be tempted to try to induce labor with herbs or castor oil. Herbal supplements are unregulated by the FDA and can contain highly variable concentrations and unlisted ingredients that may be dangerous. Keep eating small, frequent, nutritious meals, and if you think that your contractions may be the real thing, eat something. The calories will help fortify you for the job at hand.

Health?... Great. No complaints!

Cravings?... Anything that I shouldn’t be eating…..not good!

Food Aversions?... Nothing, I’ve been VERY lucky in this part. I only had some issues in the first trimester.

New Sensation?... Some contractions! Nothing that is consistent or too painful but they are definitely there and come and go as they please. They can continue as long as it doesn’t lead to labor until at least May 3^rd.

Next appointment?... We have our last group class (before the final final class where we meet all the babies in June) on Wednesday (today) and then my next individual appointment is May 1^st. I’m hoping that they check me at that point just to see if my body has decided to start the process. I’m VERY curious to know if anything has happened yet.

And my weekly pictures..............I do NOT feel cute anymore, at all! My chin has been breaking out and I'm so tired, I really don't care what I look like anymore. haha I am very proud to report that I still have no stretchmarks though! YAAAAAAAAAAY!

37 weeks = FULL TERM

First of all....WOW, I'm really considered full term already? Where oh where did the time go? I feel like we just found out that we were expecting! I honestly cannot believe that I have 3 weeks to go until D-Day. I know he could come early (any day) or even a week or so late (we're hoping not) but I just can't wrap my head around the fact that we are having a baby! HA!

How have I been feeling?... Well, I can't say I feel great anymore. I still feel blessed to have VERY little issues but the issues I do have are starting to get to me. My feet hurt and it's not just a once a week kind of things, it's every day! They swell so big, I can't wear any other shoes than flip flops. We went to a baseball game Saturday night and apparently I walked too much because now the bottom of my right foot hurts to put any pressure on it. AH yi yi!!! I keep telling myself I only have a few weeks to go.

What am I looking forward to?... One more week closer to meeting my baby boy and not working for 12 weeks. lol Oh yes, I'm VERY excited to have 3 months off of work even if I'll be "working" while on leave. At least it will be rewarding work.

Any weight gain?... Not sure, I try to stay off the scale now a days.

How big is baby?.... Your baby has likely hit the six-pound mark by now, and her length is approximately twenty-one inches. The weight on your abdomen probably feels like twice that. Your baby is practicing her breathing, but she has increasingly less space to practice stretching and kicking. Your baby' intestines are also building up meconium, a greenish-black substance made of baby by-products such as dead cells, shed lanugo, and amniotic fluid. It'll become your little darling's first bowel movement, hopefully after she is out of the womb. Her body fat has increased to about eight percent. By birth, it'll be about fifteen percent. If your baby is a boy, his testes will have descended into his scrotum. While your baby could be born at any time, the longer she stays in, the more time she has to develop the connections in her brain in the pleasant peace and quiet of your womb. At this point, she can do all the things a newborn can, with the exception of breathing air and pooping in a diaper. Just as you're feeling stretched, your baby is being squeezed on all sides. Some of your antibodies are crossing the placenta, giving your baby's immune system some support for her first days in the world. If you breastfeed, you'll later be giving her immunities in your milk.

How is my body changing??... This week, you may expel the cervical mucus plug, aka "bloody show," at any time. If you're worried about stretch marks, be patient. They'll begin to fade a few months after you deliver. Stretch marks are caused by broken collagen fibers under your skin's surface. The strength of your collagen is genetic, so if your mom got stretch marks, you probably will, too. The hormone relaxin is causing all of the smooth muscle in your body to unclench. You'll feel like you have loose "rag-doll" joints. You're probably having Braxton-Hicks contractions, which you may or may not notice. How can you tell these contractions from the real thing? If you have to ask, they probably aren't. Real contractions grow progressively stronger, more intense, and more regular.

Health?... Great. No complaints!

Cravings?... Ice cream YUM!

Food Aversions?... None

New Senstation?... Constant pressure on my bladder and some serious rib kicks. OUCH!

Next appointment?... Tomorrow. I'm not really sure what will go on at this appointment but either way, I'm excited to hear Preston's heart beat again.


Well, we still haven't packed our bags or finished the birth plan. Procrastination? Yes! I don't know if I feel like it's not going to happen any time soon so I still have some time or if I do these, he will come. Either way, I NEED to get on both of these things!

A friend let me borrow a baby swing so we don't have to buy one. YAY for that! I'm pretty excited we don't have to shell out another $100 on a swing especially not knowing if he'll even like a swing.

We met a Pediatrician last week and we really liked her until we got her view on vaccines sooooooooooooo we're moving on to bigger and better ones. I think I've found one, who has been recommended by 2 friends, but I still want to meet her. I will be calling tomorrow to set up an appointment!

EVERY where I go now, people are asking when I am due. Seriously, there's not one place that someone doesn't ask. I must look big! haha

We talk about whether Mr. Preston is going to have a head of hair or not. I am reaaaaaaaaaaally hoping he comes out looking like he needs a hair cut. I just LOVE babies with a ton of hair! hehe

Well, I think he's starting to drop........................

36 Weeks = 9 months!!!!!

How have I been feeling?... Great actually! For being 4 weeks out until my due date, I honestly don't feel like it. Yes, I feel big and uncomfortable but not like I was anticipating at all. My feet and ankles are still swelling when I don't put them up, I'm constantly peeing and feeling him move, kick, roll, etc., being asked by everyone I see when I'm due, if it's my first but I really can't complain and I love it. I've been very lucky and blessed throughout this pregnancy with no problems at all other than Edema of my feet.

I had my first bloody nose yesterday. It wasn't bad but I had to shove a tissue up my right nostrel.
One weird thing I have noticed, not sure if it's normal or not, is that my tears sometimes sting! Weird, right? I agree. The first time it happened, I thought it was just something in my tear duct but it happens A LOT now. I should probably research this to see if I am the only one who's ever experienced this.

What am I looking forward to?... A BBQ at work today, miniature golf and lazer tag on Friday (for work) and the Dbacks vs. Giants baseball game on Saturday. We're seeing some people we haven't seen in a LONG time and also asking someone to be our son's God Father! YAY!
Any weight gain?... Not sure, I try to stay off the scale now a days.

How big is baby?.... Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

How is my body changing??... As women in the grocery store have probably already told you, you look like you could go any minute. And they may be right—your due date just suggests a time when the baby's likely to be born. In reality, you could go into labor any time between now and six weeks from now! Your belly button is becoming flattened, and may even stick out like a wine cork. You may feel a lightening sensation on your ribs and organs as your baby descends into your pelvis. Breathing and eating will be easier, but you'll be running to the bathroom more often than ever, and the change in pressure may cause shooting pains in your groin or leg. If you're aching (and we don't see how you couldn't be), indulge in a pregnancy massage from a professional masseuse, or find a pool, and take a swim. At home, try sitting on an exercise ball to take pressure off of your back.
Sleep?... Still going good other than getting up a couple times a night to pee.

Health?... Great. No complaints!

Cravings?... I can't think of anything this week....

Food Aversions?... None

New Senstation?... Nothing new, really. Just the constant pressure on my bladder.

Next appointment?... This Wednesday for the Strep B test. I can't wait to get that over with and hear that I'm negative (yes, I'm using the power of positive thinking). I just don't want to worry about having to take antibiotics when I'm in labor. BLAH!
So, I have FINALLY set up an interview with a Pediatrician for this Thursday. She is very close to our house and hospital so it'd be very convenient. I hope we both like her and that she's willing to do things the way we want to do them. If not, I'm back to the drawing board!

Still haven't packed my bag yet. HA I packed the diaper bag and the car seat is ready to go so I'm close. We will probably pack 2 bags this weekend, one for me and one for Daddy A.

Funny story.....I had to run to the grocery store last night for seasoning that I thought I had for pasta salad. I didn't bring my phone because the store is literally right behind our house and thought I'd be gone for 5 minutes. Turns out they didn't have what I was looking for so I had to run to another store about a half a mile down the road. When I got home, Daddy A said " I was a little worried about you. You didn't bring your phone and you were gone longer than I thought you'd be so I thought 'honey, right now is not a good time to go into labor when you don't have your phone with you'." HAHAHAHAHA He's so funny!

Here are my pictures....still going strong with no stretch marks! YAY

Yep, the car seat makes it feel real!

Yes, watching my belly grow makes it feel real….

Feeling him move inside of me makes it feel real….

Putting his nursery together makes it feel real….

Buying a stroller and car seat makes it feel real….

BUT

The one thing that REALLY makes it feel real is putting the car seat base IN the car.

I was going to take it to the Fire Department to have them install it but as I was reading the directions, I thought to myself, “This is NOT hard at all”. So, I went out and put it in my car. It probably took me 10 minutes, if that.

Yes, I took pictures and Daddy A even laughed at me a bit for it. Hey, having your first baby only happens, well, once so I have to document EVERYTHING.

I don’t have the car seat in the car yet but I plan to start driving around with it in there maybe starting next week. I’ve had many people tell me it helped them to get used to it being there and having blind spots. Blind spots from the car seat? I was confused a bit by this. It’s in the middle of the back seat so how does that create blind spots? Hmmm, I guess we shall see, right?

Now that we have the base in my car, I have to put the 2^nd one in Daddy A’s car so that way it’ll be much easier to transfer cars when needed instead of taking the base out every time.

Well, here are the pictures I took.

                                                                                  View from the front seat. hehe

35/35 WOW

For those who may not know what that signifies, it means that I'm 35 weeks with 35 days until my due date!! WOW! I can't believe how fast we've gotten to this point. Honestly, it's FLOWN by! I feel like I just found out I was pregnant but that was 7 months ago.

How have I been feeling?... Still really good. I think I feel the best I've felt in a long time other than being tired but I can handle that. We've been staying busy so that's been draining my energy levels but my nesting is still going.........trying to get everything in order for the big day!

Braxton Hicks contractions started on Saturday. They don't hurt. They feel like period cramps. I'm kind of excited they have started even though it is NO indication of what's to come.

What am I looking forward to?... My shower on Saturday!!!! I'm soooo excited to have my girl friends over and celebrate my little man.

Any weight gain?... Well, as of this past Wednesday, I had no gained any weight since the previous week so YAY on that one! Still at 28 pounds total!

How big is baby?.... At more than five pounds and between sixteen and twenty inches, your baby is becoming more ready for birth with every passing hour. He's the size of a small roasting chicken. His nervous system and immune system are still maturing, and he's adding the fat that he'll need to regulate his body temperature. But, everything else, from his toenails to the hair on his head, is fully formed. If he were born now, he'd have more than a ninety-nine percent chance of surviving. YAY

How is my body changing??... Your size is probably making you really uncomfortable. You're carrying so much extra weight and fluid that simple things can be tiring. If your job requires sitting all day, take frequent breaks to walk around and stretch your legs (if you have the privacy to lie down for a few minutes or do stretches on your hands and knees, even better). You'll see your care provider once every one or two weeks now. If you have other children, this can be a poignant time, because it is the last few weeks of being a family in the way that you're used to. Don't forget to arrange care for any children or pets for the two to three days you'll be in the hospital. Ask a neighbor to collect your newspapers and mail.

Sleep?... Still getting up to pee A LOT but when I'm asleep, I sleep great. I've been having some crazy dreams though.

Health?... Finally back to normal from that cold I had for about 2-3 weeks.

Cravings?... Still fruit. I just can't get enough of it! Also chocolate..

Food Aversions?... None

New Senstation?... Nothing new, really. Just the constant pressure on my bladder.

Next appointment?... April 13th when I have my Strep B test....that should be fun! HA!

We still have to find a Pediatrician, install car seat bases in both cars, finish ceiling fan in Preston's room, write birth plan, finish painting as much as we can, do quarter rounds in living room and kitchen, completely finish the nursery, pack my bag.....

O.M.G.....Still sooo much to do and I have VERY little time left!!

Here are my pictures....