Pregnancy Highlights: 39 Weeks

How Far Along: 39 weeks...he is probably around 20 inches long, and weighs 7+ pounds. He is the size of a watermelon.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Don’t know, don’t care. Though I DID lose 3 lbs this week. Woo hoo!!!

Maternity Clothes: Same – still wearing what I’ve got, refusing to get anything new! In fact, since he dropped, I am wearing 2 non-maternity pieces of clothing today (2 tops) so that's kind of nice, especially since it is to be in the 80s today.

Gender: Boy. Carter Nicholas.

Movement: Slightly less this week. He's out of room. But I can and do still feel him stretch, tighten up, and squirm quite a bit. The kicking has subsided substantially.

Food Craving: Cereal is the only REAL craving. Though I must say, I am hungry every 2 hours or so again since he isn't using my stomach as a pillow anymore.

What I miss: Lack of back pain, being able to walk without waddling, sleeping.

Sleep: Horrible again. It hurts to roll over (my round ligaments seriously feel like they are about to burst). This is TMI, but I went to the bathroom six times last night. I didn't even really have to go any of them, but it felt like it because he is laying on my bladder.

What I am looking forward to: HIM!!!!! I want to hold my baby and kiss his sweet cheeks. :)

Symptoms: Impatience, braxton hicks (or real???) contractions, crampiness, anxiety to meet him!

Happy week 39 - only SEVEN days to go!

Full Moon

Well, full moon passed and I didn't have the baby. Those wives' tales are big fat lies.

In continuation of my nesting, I set up his high chair (it has a reclining feature for infants or else we wouldn't have put it up yet) while Seth was at work last night and then vacuumed....again.

Don't forget to go to my post from April 14th and submit your baby birth pool guess if you haven't already. There are only eight days until I am due so not much more time to guess.

Yesterday at my appt, I was 80% effaced, 1.5 cm dilated, and he was in the 0 position which means he dropped a bit. So...being the nice person I am, if you guessed already and want to change it, I will let you in light of this new information. Or you can keep your current guess, too, if you still think it's right! :)

Yay for tomorrow being Friday AND the forecast being gorgeous weather!

Happenings this past week

Aside from waiting for our little bundle of joy with an impatience that is indescribable, life seems to be sort of in a routine. Here are some things that have happened the past week or so:

*We have been slowly transitioning Bentley out of his crate in hopes of having him crate-free shortly after Carter arrives. It will give us so much more space in the living room and will eventually allow us to travel with less stuff. He's been doing SO WELL - in all, he's been out of his crate for 2-3 hour stretches for about 5 or 6 months now and has never once done a thing. The past 3-4 weeks, we've been letting him out during the workday (after the Messiah student comes to let him out over lunch, he is then out the remainder of the day until we get home from work). He has literally been an angel every day - some days, there isn't even a single toy out of his basket so we know he's lazy bones and just sleeps all day. Well, last Thursday, he has his first minor setback. He ate a small 4 x 6 photo album and its contents (well, most of them at least...the rest were strewn everywhere). He knew he was in big trouble and sucked up to us all night. Aside from his poop being laced with NYC memories of Seth and I, he's been fine though. Seth will call me the pet psychologist, but oh well...I think he only did it 1) because I left it on a stool at his level and 2) I had the pet sitter put his rawhide up on the counter when she left so he wouldn't eat all of it in one day so I think he was angry about that and found something else to chew!

*I made letters for above Carter's bed. Pretty self explanatory. Except that I used a hot glue gun for the first time in a very long time and literally burnt the tips of every single finger on my hands while doing so. Good thing that just last week, I had read on a blog that toothpaste and a band-air on burns works way better than ice or ointment. I did it and it TOTALLY worked. Keep that in your back pocket!

*We hosted a birthday gathering for my dad's 54th birthday. We made homemade pizzas on the grill, which were super yummy! It is SO EASY and way quicker than in the oven. Basically, you just take the dough (in small portions for personal sized so everyone can top it as they want), put it on the grill for 3-4 minutes, flip and top with whatever you want, shut the grill lid and grill until the bottom is crispy and the toppings are hot/melted.

*I have kicked up the hormonal emotional wife a notch, but Seth is taking it like a pro. I cried like a baby last week when I read a story about a woman whose dog died, and I have major separation anxiety from Seth when he isn't around. I seriously worry like I have never worried - that he won't hear his phone when I'm in labor, that he'll be in an accident, and on and on. I'd prefer if he was just attached at the hip to me forever and ever. Amen.

*A stranger in an elevator told me that I'm going to be overdue because the baby hasn't dropped yet. Um, thank you. Please be quiet now. And then someone else told me "wow, your baby is going to be SMALL. You have the tiniest belly." Huh?!?! She might need glasses :) But hilarious to me how people's perceptions can be THAT different.

*I got a pedicure. A heavenly, fluffy-massage-chair pedicure. I loved every second of it and sometimes wish I had a best friend who owned a salon and was willing to give her friends free pedicures all the time. While I was there, the Chinese girl giving me my pedicure (maybe 16 years old) said "wow, he big" as she pointed to my belly. And again I say it.....perceptions.

*My best friend, Allie, and I were able to solidify some plans for her to visit from GA to visit baby C!!! YAY!!!!!

Well, I think that's it for now. I'm sure there will be many more stories of complete and total strangers who feel the need to say inappropriate things to me at my most vulnerable times. Stay tuned. :)

Pregnancy Highlights: 38 Weeks

How Far Along: 38 weeks...he is probably around 19 1/2 inches long, and weighs about 7 pounds or so.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Don’t know, don’t care. :)

Maternity Clothes: Same – still wearing what I’ve got, refusing to get anything new!

Gender: Boy.

Movement: I’m in pain….seriously. He is tucked in a little ball up under my ribs and when he stretches out, my stomach is lop-sided. He isn’t really kicking per se because I think he’s running out of room, but he moves and stretches SO MUCH.

Food Craving: Cereal again. Mmmmm….

What I miss: not having constant rib pain, sleeping through the night, and wearing my normal clothing.

Sleep: Not the best, not the worst. Somehow, some nights, I’m back to only needing to go to the bathroom one time.

What I am looking forward to: His arrival!!!!! I am 1.5 cm dilated but still only 50% effaced. I’m also looking forward to hanging up his new letters in his room above his crib. I’ve been painting them this week, and now need to just figure out how I want to hang them (with ribbon, picture hanger things, etc.). I think they will look so cute!!!

Symptoms: still swollen ankles and feet, though I’ve totally become accustomed to it now, serious rib pain, nausea/stomachaches, hungry every few hours.

Happy week 38 - only 14 days to go!

Tired and the baby isn't even here yet!

Tuesday afternoon, I talked to Seth from work like I always do. We always talk about what we'll have for dinner and 9 times out of 10, he's home to get it started (and often finished!) before I walk in the door. So it was a day just like any other...

I talked to him again at about 5:05 as I was leaving work. He was to put baked potatoes in the oven, get a ham steak out of the freezer, and he was going to make one of those boxes of muffins where you only have to add water. I told him I'd be home in 30 minutes and to plan accordingly.

I called him again closer to home but I got no answer. I figured he must be outside grilling the meat. When I walked in the house, Bentley came running but no signs of Seth. I yelled for him, looked out front and out back and assumed he must be next door or something. When I opened the oven, I saw that the muffins were not in yet, let out a sigh, and made them myself.

Finally, I walked into the living room. He was asleep on the couch. "Babe." Nothing. "Babe??" Nothing. "BABE?!" I smacked him on the feet and he slowly opened his eyes, completely dazed and confused. I told him he never finished dinner and asked if he even had the ham on the grill yet. He told me no, so I sighed (sense a pattern?? A preggo mama is HUNGRY when she gets home from work!!! haha), went to the garage and got one, defrosted it the quick way, and walked it out to the grill. And when I opened the grill, I saw it.

Yes, yes he DID put ham on it already and then fell asleep. It was charred black and about the size of a piece of lunchmeat. The potatoes in the oven looked like they were bite sized they were so burnt.

After a lot of coaxing to "come to," he finally meandered to the table as confused as ever. About 5 minutes into the meal, he said he just was feeling too sick to eat, was dead tired, and was going to lay back down. Turns out he wasn't feeling well all along, but ohmyword does he sleep deep.

Wasn't so funny at the time (more annoying - but like I said, I was hungry!) but looking back, it cracks me up at how out of it he was after just 20 minutes of sleeping.

He has something coming when the little guy arrives. I just have that feeling. :)

It's getting closer!

It's finally starting to hit Seth and I that in absolutely no more than 3.5 weeks, we will have a baby (they would induce at 1 week late). I mean, obviously it has been hitting me for a while now since he, as adorable and precious as he might be, has been kicking me to pure death day in and day out every single day. So I've been pretty aware that it's coming. :) We love to feel his little feet when they stick out a full inch or two from the rest of my stomach. I think he's starting to send the message that he's cramped in there.

I have my 38 week appt. tomorrow. I swore I would never endure a cervical check again in my whole life (clearly, I am not cut out for laboring a child), but I lied. I thought I could handle not knowing but I need to know if there has been any progression the last week (at 37 weeks, I was 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated). I am just TOO excited to meet him!!!! I definitely always thought I'd go early, but since there haven't really been too many "signs" that labor is imminent, I'm starting to think maybe he'll be late.

The nursery is completely set up and cleaned, pack n play is set up and stocked with diapers, wipes, and all of the essentials, car seat is in the car, bags are in the trunk, camera memory card is empty and the camera has fresh batteries (AND 3 packs of new ones...JUST IN CASE. I would just die if the batteries went dead, trust me), my maternity leave plan is set and ready to be put into action, and we're growing increasingly impatient to meet the little guy after all this time.

We're so excited for everyone to meet him - of course we'll post pictures as soon as we can! We don't have a laptop, so we won't be able to take advantage of the free wi-fi at the hospital (so if you visit us and want to bring your's if you have one so we can upload some pics, we wouldn't be opposed).

In the meantime, we're staying busy with nesting and keeping the house as clean as possible, going for walks, sitting by the outdoor fireplace, watching movies and going on date nights, etc. :)

Pregnancy Highlights: 37 Weeks

How Far Along: 37 weeks...he is probably around 19 inches long, and weighs about 6 1/3 pounds (unless you're Carter and your mommy’s doctor said you’re probably more like 7 pounds).

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I no longer keep track. I gained 3 since last week, but she said of course I would with all the fluid retention. I stopped caring.

Maternity Clothes: Still eeking by with my long-sleeves. Just when I think I can handle the heat no more, we have some cooler days and I survive. I refuse to buy anything new because I am holding out that maybe just maybe he’ll come early.

Gender: Boy.

Movement: Constant and hard. But we love it. Seth loves it more than me because his ribs are not being used as a punching bag. :) (In all seriousness, it lets me know he's alive and well!)

Food Craving: Eh, nothing really. Still the occasional cereal and Italian ice craving.

What I miss: sleeping, wearing shoes other than flip flops, shaving my legs without getting out of breath from bending over.

Sleep: Better this week, but maybe it is because I was so insanely exhausted from last. Nonetheless, it was greatly needed for both Seth and I.

What I am looking forward to: Carter is full-term now, so he COULD come any time. At my appointment yesterday, I was 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated, which I’m pretty sure means nothing. haha...BUT, be sure to go to the last post and guess when he'll be here and his stats. :)

Symptoms: crazy swollen ankles and feet at the end of every all day, overheating for no apparent reason, breathlessness, sciatic nerve pain, creaky bones and joints (I feel my hips pop sometimes when I stand), general feeling of discomfort, heartburn again, gurgling stomach/throat (from what I can only describe as acid reflux), general anxiety of not knowing when I’ll have the baby, etc.

Happy week 37 - only 21 days to go!

Baby birth pool

Let's play guess when baby Carter will arrive. :)

Seth and I (and many others) have taken to throwing out there when they think the little guy will arrive, how much he'll weigh, and how long he'll be.

So, when do you think he'll be here? How much do you think he'll weigh? How long do you think he'll be?

If you win, there are no prizes except a nice pat on the back, but let's play anyway! haha

I'll start:
May 2 (hey, I'm being optomistic, alright??)
8 lbs., 2 oz.
20.5 inches

Your turn!

Pregnancy Highlights: 36 Weeks

Warning: Negative Nancy pregnancy edition #2 (you may recall one several weeks ago)

How Far Along: 36 weeks...he is 18 1/2 inches long, and weighs about 6 pounds. I'm going to take a stab and say that he feels like he weights about sixTEEN. :)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I don't even think it's fair to keep track of this anymore because there is no feasible way it is ever accurate. Depending on the time of my appointment, I am retaining so much water I look like the 1/2 ton woman on TLC. I did ask if he was going to be a giant baby and she said "nooooo, he'll probably be upper 7s, maybe 8 pounds." I'm going to hope she's right on that one.

Maternity Clothes: I am thankful that it is to be slightly cooler again this week because I was running out of options of things to wear in 90 degree heat everyday. Everything I have still fits but is just starting to be too warm.

Gender: It better still be a boy because if he comes out a girl, I'm going to just die. Or else she'll be wearing a lot of blue, and will still be named Carter. haha.

Movement: A LOT. We love feeling exactly where he is and love identifying baby parts. I'm almost 100% positive that it is his knee that occasionally sticks out an inch or two on my left side. Too bony to be a foot. And he is moving almost all day now with very short down periods rather than the other way around.

Food Craving: Eh, nothing really. Probably italian ice if I had to pick something.

What I miss: I'll just sum it up with "not being pregnant." This week has been a tough one with serious swelling, rubbery joints, pain, etc.

Sleep: Let's just say that God is preparing me in a mighty way for motherhood by what I can only describe as significantly less sleep. I seriously toss and turn ALL NIGHT (Seth can attest to this because he is also a walking zombie some mornings because he gets no sleep either). I never wanted to get to this point, but I'm wondering if the poor guy might have to sleep in the guest bed some nights so he can actually get any type of sleep. Last night, I remember vividly apologizing to him two times during the night because I was so miserable and was keeping him awake.

What I am looking forward to: The fact that at the end of this week of pregnancy, Carter will be full term and then I can wish him here all I want. :) We can't wait to meet the little guy!

Symptoms: Swollen ankles and feet all day, overheating for no apparent reason, breathlessness, sciatic nerve pain, creaky bones and joints (I feel my hips pop sometimes when I stand), general feeling of discomfort, pressure of the baby dropping maybe?

Happy week 36 - only 28 days to go!

Grace Like Rain

Hallelujah, grace like rain

falls down on me.

And hallelujah,

all my stains are washed away.

Happy Easter!

Pregnancy Highlights: 35 Weeks

How Far Along: 35 weeks...he is 18 inches long, and weighs about 5 1/4 pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not sure, no real appointment until next Wednesday. I do have a quick nurse visit today to check B/P and urine since yesterday my swelling was really bad to my knees and my B/P was elevated when I stopped at CVS to have it taken after work. It's back down to normal now (was probably elevated due to a combination of nerves and the insane swelling). But just to be safe, OB is having my swing in for a few minutes today to just check. Better safe than sorry before the holiday weekend, right? :)

Maternity Clothes: Yes, and I might sweat to death if I don't find some short sleeved shirts to wear soon. I did go back into my regular wardrobe of flowy shirts and manage to find a few that work with pants that have a full panel (to help hold them down and keep the shirts from creeping up in the front) so that's nice. But seriously, this little guy makes me feel like I have my own personal space heater.

Gender: Boy. Carter Nicholas.

Movement: Still a ton. We can totally feel exactly where he is, and are starting to be able to identify parts besides the head which is pretty obvious. I think I touch his tiny little butt like 27 times a day because it is right at that spot where pregnant people always rest their hands on their belly. haha. Plus, often, we'll see a foot poke out the left side of my stomach.

Food Craving: Popsicles.

What I miss: Not having swollen calves and feet every.single.night. And not being out of breath when I walk down the hall at work. I think it's safe to say there is a baby foot in my diaphram. It better be a cute baby foot, that's all I have to say. :)

Sleep: There is absolutely no pattern whatsoever anymore. Some nights I sleep amazing and only get up once to go to the bathroom, other times I get up 3 times and can't sleep at all. A few nights ago, my mind was racing so insanely bad, I was certain I wouldn't get more than an hour or two of sleep....any worry a new mom can I have I did: what if my water breaks at work? What if we have to go to the hospital and we don't have our labor bag and CAMERA? What if I can't reach Seth when I'm in labor? What if my house is messy and we have to bring our new bundle of joy home to a messy house? What if I go out on maternity leave before my maternity leave plan is finalized at work? What if he comes early and something is wrong? And on. And on. And on.

What I am looking forward to: Picking up the glider today from Babies R Us. It's the last component of the nursery that was ordered and we were waiting for....well, except for the letters for above his crib which should be here soon! But we can at least live without those if he came. Also, in non-baby excitement, we got mulch delivered yesterday which Seth is diligently working on. So this should make our flower beds and gardens look lovely for baby C's arrival.

Symptoms: Swollen ankles and feet at the end of every day, overheating for no apparent reason, breathlessness, sciatic nerve pain, general feeling of discomfort, anxiety about the fact that we could have a baby pretty much any day but that in reality DEFINITELY within just a few weeks (almost a month!).