She's Here!

Little Miss arrived 11 days early on June 10, 2013.  Story coming soon. We are head over heels in love!  

37 weeks

How far along?: 37 weeks 

Baby Development:  Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel.  Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Had a doctor's appointment on on Friday,and everything is measuring perfectly for 37 weeks.  Baby's heartbeat is strong too and baby is still head down!    

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  I actually lost two pounds this week -- holding at 160.  

Gender:  We'll know soon! 

Movement: Baby is still head down (yay!) and legs and feet are still moving a lot -- especially into my ribs and lungs.  Some people at work said I look like I have dropped, but I don't think I have as there is still a butt and lots of leg movement in my rib cage.

Maternity Clothes: All the time.  Not looking forward to having to wear pants/shorts again that I will have to button and zip!

Sleep: Really tired most of the time, but sleep is still on and off good.  Getting up anywhere from 2-4 times during the night...  I did have a bit more of a burst of energy this weekend.

What I miss:  I still love being pregnant.  Yes, I have aches and pains and moving is slower than normal, but I'll take it.  

Cravings: Milk -- have to have it everyday.  Fruits of all kind, cinnamon sugar toast,  Hot & Spicy Cheeze-Its, ice cream, Mexican food.

Aversions:   Still Chinese food, bananas and peanut butter.  Salad is also not at all appealing.

Symptoms:  Warm/hot most of the time (poor P is cold in his own house), swelling in ankles/feet and hands, moving more slowly, tired, short of breath, sappy/moody, hips and inner thighs are sore and feel like they could give out on me when I stand up.  I have developed pregnancy induced carpal tunnel -- I woke up a couple of weeks ago feeling like I had developed arthritis in my hands overnight.    Luckily it will go away after delivery.

Best Moments this Week: 

Celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary this past week.  Getting to celebrate Auntie S's birthday with her and the rest of the family. Having dinner with Auntie C to celebrate the end of her school year.   High school friends having a surprise shower for me Friday night and just having a wonderful girls night out.  Getting to visit P's grandma in Fort Dodge Saturday and having some really fun conversation with residents of her commuity over lunch.  

Looking forward to:  

Today P and my dad did an awesome job of putting the shelves together for the nursery.  I'm looking forward to getting clothes and books organized in them.  

Getting a pedicure with a friend some time this week.  Since I can't get anywhere close to my toes these days, this will be very nice and will hopefully get me through delivery!  

I don't have any new bump pictures this week, but here are a couple of pictures of the great work P and my dad did on the book shelf and dresser, as well as of the rocking chair with my mother-in-law's beautiful sewing work.  

36 weeks

How far along?: 36 weeks 

Baby Development:  Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds  and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her 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 her first bowel movement.

Had a doctor's appointment on on Friday, the 24th and am still measuring right on track.  She told me if my water breaks to go to the hospital...um yeah, hope that's not for awhile yet!    

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  I think I gained about 3 more pounds over the last two weeks.  I'm guessing a lot of that is fluid as my ankles/feet are swelling quite a bit.    

Gender: Everyone is having fun guessing!  There was a lot of pink being worn at my shower yesterday.  My friend Laura, who I had lunch with a couple of weeks ago, declared that "it's a girl".  She said she wasn't sure 2 weeks ago, but is now.  

Movement: Baby is still head down (yay!) and legs and feet are still moving a lot -- especially into my ribs and lungs.  I taught a class at work on Thursday and found myself out of breath just talking.

Maternity Clothes: Loving dresses and skirts right now -- much easier to put on than pants.  :-)

Sleep: Really tired most of the time, but sleep is still on and off good.  Getting up anywhere from 2-4 times during the night... 

What I miss:  I still love being pregnant.  Yes, I have aches and pains and moving is slower than normal, but I'll take it.  

Cravings: Milk -- have to have it everyday.  Fruits of all kind, cinnamon sugar toast, bread, burgers, sweets.

Aversions:   No Chinese food.   Bananas & peanut butter are still no-gos, though I can now eat them in things (like banana chip cake from Starbucks and scotcheroos).

Symptoms:  Warm/hot most of the time, swelling in ankles/feet and hands, moving more slowly, tired, short of breath, sappy/moody, hips are sore and feel like they could give out on me when I stand up.    

Best Moments this Week: 

So blessed having another shower this weekend where we were very spoiled! I also had 3 great young helpers to help me open everything.   Also enjoyed having everyone over to our house afterwards, even though the weather was less than desirable.  I may have snuck in an hour or so of snuggle time with our God son James who was here from Minnesota.   

Getting to spend time with family and friends throughout the week.

More organizing in the nursery and getting the rocking chair up there.  I forgot to mention last week that Auntie C gave us a box of treasures when we visited them last weekend -- full of clothes her girls wore, as well as some of P's baby clothes.

Getting a preview of some of the photos from our maternity shoot with P's cousin -- so happy with how they turned out!  

Looking forward to:  Celebrating our 8th anniversary this week.  

Getting the shelving built in the nursery so clothes and books can be put away.    

Reaching full term -- 37 weeks!    

35 Weeks

How far along?: 35 weeks  (wow -- only 2 more weeks till full-term!)

Baby Development:  Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

At my doctor's appointment on May 9, everything measured great, fundal height measured right at 34 weeks, heartbeat was strong and steady (she let me listen for a long time) and she estimated baby was 4.75 - 5 pounds which is crazy.  I weighed 4 pounds 11 ounces when I was born, so baby is already bigger than that most likely!  

Starting this week I will have weekly dr. appointments.

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  At the last appointment a week ago, I was up 4 pounds from the previous 2 weeks, but I believe a good portion of that is that I've started swelling in my feet/ankles and hands.  

Gender: Everyone is having fun guessing!  Today L (our niece), when I asked her for boy name ideas, replied "why do you need boy names? It's a girl."

Movement: Yes, and doctor confirmed baby is head down and butt and legs/feet are hanging out in my rib cage.  I'm really feeling the fact that I am short waisted and long legged!

Maternity Clothes: Loving dresses and skirts right now.  Bought a denim skirt at a consignment shop (for $3) and am pretty sure I will be living in it until delivery.  Unfortunately denim isn't in the dress code at work...  

Sleep: Really tired most of the time, but sleep is still on and off good.  Getting up anywhere from 2-4 times during the night...  I'm getting really tired of people telling me that not sleeping now is getting us prepared for when baby arrives!

What I miss:  Can't think of anything.  I love being pregnant!  I'm actually getting a bit sad thinking about it being over, but am so excited to meet this baby!

Cravings: Milk -- have to have it everyday, but it no longer HAS to be chocolate.  Also craving nectarines which fortunately are now back in the grocery stores.  Mexican food is high on the list too.  Baked Potatoes (boring, I know).  I had to make Snicker salad this week because I was craving it after someone else made it last week.

Aversions:   No Chinese food.   Bananas & peanut butter are still no-gos.

Symptoms:  Feeling short of breath as baby grows and stretches -- the other day I was just talking to a co-worker and was short of breath which was weird.  Tired all the time.  Swelling in feet and hands off and on.  Generally just moving more slowly and it is harder to get up and down from a seated position.  Some leg cramps at night.  Sore hips.  Feeling full much faster. Vivid dreams.    Warm.  

Best Moments these Weeks: 

Having P's cousin C take maternity photos last Saturday -- can't wait to see them as she is a very talented photographer and her parents have some fabulous scenery on their farm and house.  And there was no snow this time that made us have to postpone!  

Getting things organized in the nursery so all the diapers are in one place, all the socks are in one place and so on.  It's been fun unpacking the generous gifts we've gotten.  

Looking forward to: Another shower hosted by friends Memorial Day weekend.  

Getting bags packed and ready for whenever the time comes (hope it's not for several more weeks, but want to be prepared.