37 Weeks

Photo Thoughts:  No picture, odd week

How Far Along: 37 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 27 lbs

Size Of Baby: 18.9 to 20.9 inches, about the size of a winter melon

Cravings: Still nothing extreme. I just eat lots of small meals (I now have to because I get full so quickly) which made it really fun when I had 3 separate Thanksgiving meals

Maternity Clothes: I am looking for a cute dress to wear when I do maternity pictures, other then that just the same ones.

Stretch Marks: Nothing new, so I am hoping those are the only ones that I get.  .

What I Love:  That I am so close to the end.  I love the look on people's faces when I say I only have 3 weeks left (because I don't look that far along). And just having him with me, I love knowing that he is right there all the time, it is going to suck when he is not just attached to me.

What I'm Looking Forward To The Most:  I know I should be saying having this over with or being done, or getting to meet him, which is sort of true (I do want to meet him) but I like being pregnant.  And being a mom scares me so I would rather just stay pregnant for as long as I can, I'm getting good at this and I am feeling good now so I guess I am looking forward to..... being off of work.  I am down to only one job now (from my previous 3) and I have never taken so much time off at once, not even for my wedding so it is going to be nice.

Worries: I touched on it a bit before but I am worried that I'm not going to know what to do.  I have read books etc etc but it is never the same as doing it yourself.  I am getting more comfortable with the labor stuff (although now I know the signs of going into it I am paranoid about watching for all of the signs) but once he is out and with me, I don't want to just freeze.  Hubby assures me that I will be a good mom and I will know what to do when the time comes but I am just not sure....

Sleep: Not great, I keep waking up and I actually had a night of insomnia, where I got maybe 2 hours and I wouldn't figure out why I wasn't sleeping (it was very annoying) but after that night it has been much better with not as much waking up except to flip over.

Belly Button In Or Out: Out.

Happy Or Moody Most Of The Time: Moody.  This has been a hard week, I had my last day at one of my favorite jobs (I had been there for almost 7 years) and then it was Thanksgiving and I decided to do Black Friday because I normally have to work because I work retail so I could this year and I ran around for about 7 hours on Thanksgiving (places opened early so from around 7 to about 2:30) and then got up the next day and ran for about another 9 hours so by the end of the day I was so tired and stressed that I might have had a little breakdown that resulted in me going to bed at around 9.....

Symptoms: I had a headache that wouldn't go away for about 2 days (and when I told the doctor about this I was told to come in if it happens again because it could be a sign that I am having blood pressure problems) and normal back pain when I do things that will hurt it (sit in bad chairs for long periods of time etc) and still some belly pain but it is not as bad as it was.

Movement:  He scoots around lots, but it seems like he is getting bigger and my belly isn't so he is just more cramped so he can't move around as much.

The Belly: I think it has stopped growing... it looks the same size to me and I would like it to be bigger (even one of the nurses commented that she didn't think I looked as far along as I am)

Doctor Visits: So I am going to add in this new one for the last few because I am visiting the doctor every week and he is checking to see how I am doing and how close I am so I thought since I post everything else about my pregnancy, lets post about how close I am to going into labor :)  So my last appointment was on Wednesday (11/21) and I normally do Friday appointments but they were closed because of Thanksgiving.  So they checked me and I am 75% effaced and 2 cm dilated so he said that we are just waiting for me to go into labor but he thinks it is going to be sooner then later, which would be nice considering I have everything planned around him coming on or close to my due date.

Milestones: He is developing his own immune system.  He looks like an actual newborn now. (I am not sure why but none of my sources really has much for this week sorry :( )

36 Weeks

Photo Thoughts:  So I hate the weird shadows but overall a cute picture and I loved the Thanksgiving theme on the sign and of course since it was so cute I had to post it too.  They have all been printed now so (you know all 2 that I have left) and they all have the cute backgrounds so I will be posting 2 pictures technically each time from now on.

How Far Along: 36 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 26lbs

Size Of Baby: 17.2 to 18.7 inches, about the size of a honeydew

Cravings: Still nothing weird, although I am liking things that I don't normally love.  Normally I don't really like cake (i will eat it plain but not really with frosting) but for my shower I had to have an actual cake and I have been loving the leftovers.  It just tastes so good and I am not sure if it was the cake or just me (and by the way it was a baby belly cake and was absolutely adorable helps too)

Maternity Clothes: Still the same things, still loving the leggings and looking into buying more buy I am trying to look at nursing clothes so that I have something when the time comes

Stretch Marks:  Same 3 spots, boobs, back of thighs and on my one side by my hip, which is looking more pronounced but isn't much bigger, thank goodness.

What I Love: Has to go to my baby shower :)  It was so much fun, my best friend came down from up north for it so not only did I get to hang out with her for more then a couple hours but I got to have an awesome party where so many friends helped set everything up (there were 5 of us total working for minimum 5 hours before the party, yeah it was kind of extensive) but all the sweet people that came and celebrated with me, it was just so much fun.

What I'm Looking Forward To The Most:  Finishing getting ready, I am excited to do everything so that it will all be ready for when he comes.

Worries: That my wonderful hubby will definately decide that he doesn't like the name we picked, he is becoming iffy about it right now and has gone back to searching for one that I will like too which will be fun for him because I like the name we picked so it will have to be really good for me to want to change my mind, but it was just one thing I thought we had kind of decided....

Sleep: I keep waking up but I am still tired lots but maybe if I slept for more then 6 hours at a time I wouldn't be....

Belly Button In Or Out: Out, although if I lay down in the right way it looks like it is still in :)

Happy Or Moody Most Of The Time: Happy, it has been a good week, I have been getting stuff done and haven't worked a ton (which is wonderful) so it has been good.

Symptoms: Back pain, random stabbing pain which is apparently my muscles freaking out because they are getting stretched too much....  Nothing remotely like labor.  And the doctor said I will still be pregnant next week (I am now doing weekly appointments) so I am pretty confident that I am not having a baby this week, thank goodness

Movement: He moves, I watch him.  He sticks his limbs in my ribs and I push them away (I have no clue if I am supposed to do this but since it makes sitting really uncomfortable I figure he is fine to scoot a little) But I really do love seeing him move because to me, that shows that he is alive and healthy. And I don't remember if I had already mentioned this and I don't really want to go back and read the posts to check so if I did then you get to hear about it again.  So he will play with me now a little, if I tap on my belly where I can feel him, he will move in response :)  To me that is so awesome because he seems to just normally move when he wants to, but I am glad he will perform for me a little.

The Belly: Sore and big, I can't tell if it is growing much still but it isn't as large as I think it should be.  My mom says I should be happy I don't have a huge belly but I don't think people believe that I am as far along as I am and I want a decent sized belly to do maternity pictures (I know it is a obvious pregnant belly but still)

Milestones: His skin is getting smoother and his kidneys and liver are fully functional.  His circulation and immune system are good to go too.

35 Weeks

Photo Thoughts:  No picture, odd week

How Far Along: 35 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 24 lbs

Size Of Baby: 17.2 to 18.7 inches long, about the size of a coconut

Cravings: Just food, I am just hungry all of the time but I am really working on not eating everything in sight.

Maternity Clothes: Just got a new outfit for my shower and I have realized that I love leggings, I have never worn them before but my friend was helping me find something cute and had me try them and then I didn't want to take them off.

Stretch Marks: So I am so sad to report that apparently I also have stretch marks on the back of my thighs.  I have no clue why but I do and I am just very glad that I can't see them myself.

What I Love: Having him there, I keep thinking that once he is out, I won't get to feel him move all the time with me at work and everything so I am trying to take it all in while I can.

What I'm Looking Forward To The Most: Doing more things on my list, I have been slowly marking things off with the help of my wonderful hubby and it feels good to see that there items crossed off of it.

Worries: That I won't finish everything in time and that I won't know what I am doing.  Hubby has been wonderful with both of those saying we can always buy stuff as we go and that we have enough natural instincts to not completely screw up as parents and that there are much less caring people out there that have perfectly healthy babies so we should be fine (yeah the second part was less comforting but I appreciated the thought and the effort)

Sleep: Not as great, it is harder to be comfortable and I keep catching myself sleeping on my back which is bad for me and the baby so I try to roll over but it is so comfy to be on my back....

Belly Button In Or Out: Out

Happy Or Moody Most Of The Time: This was a very long week with lots to do so I am going with moody.  I had a couple freakouts when I had more to do then I had time for but thanks to my mom and friends everything got done and I didn't have to do most of it.  

Symptoms: Random belly pain, the top is still hurting  but I was told when he drops it should stop, but then I will have to pee all the time, which I think I would rather have.  My back has been on and off but not nearly as bad as it once was.

Movement: Not as much kicking, a lot more just scooting around and sticking his limbs in my ribs and hips which is fun in itself :)

The Belly: Getting much larger, a way I can tell is my maternity pants when pulled all the way up don't go to my boobs now, they are just slightly over my belly button, so the belly must be a decent amount larger from when I first started wearing them.

Milestones: 99% of babies born now survive without any mojor complications so that is a big yay!  The central nervous system is maturing, the digestive system is almost complete and the lungs are fully mature.

34 Weeks

(So I am going to start this with a not about why there is no 33 weeks.  Even though I post most of these late, I do normally write them on the Friday I hit my new week or Saturday but for some reason I never did the last week and it is now so far gone that I can't remember it really so I am just moving on and considering I have done 25 of these so far, missing one isn't too horrible.)

Photo Thoughts: Good picture :) I would have liked to have been smiling more but hey I can't have everything

How Far Along: 34 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 23 lbs

Size Of Baby: Finally has moved to a new bracket, 17.2 to 18.7 inches, about the size of a butternut squash.

Cravings: I have been eating normal lately although I have been wanting some pot roast but not bad enough that I am going to actually cook it myself

Maternity Clothes: Wearing lots and looking into nursing stuff now, I figure I should start stocking up

Stretch Marks: Boobies and the one that is starting to develop on my side, down by my hip :(  It is still small though so I am hoping that it will stay like that.

What I Love: Him getting so big.  Sometimes it feels like he is all over in my belly and it is kind of fun, sometimes annoying but it feels like bonding to have him move and to talk to him about it if he is being annoying.

What I'm Looking Forward To The Most: Getting the nursery (aka one side of my bedroom) set up, I am pretty much done with all of my sewing projects and we have almost all the furniture, we just beed to rearrange everything and put it all together how we want it, but if everything goes according to my pan we should have it done by next week.  That way in case he comes early we will be ready :) Also for the baby shower which is coming up :)

Worries: Not being prepared for the birth, everyone is getting me all worried so I am now reading books and things but so far they aren't helping as much as I would like, I am not sure what to really do about it :/

Sleep: On and off, some nights I sleep great others I keep waking up and having problems getting comfy, I might need to get a new body pillow (I was borrowing one from a friend who then got prego too so she needed it back and I was just using one that we had from around the house but it doesn't seem to work as well)

Belly Button In Or Out: So out, and it is all soft, I didn't expect that

Happy Or Moody Most Of The Time:  This week was happy, I have had fun working on stuff so it had been good.

Symptoms: Back pain but I have borrowed a heating pad from my mom and that really helps.  My stomach, the actual skin still hurts but I keep being told it is normal, it is just really annoying :( 

Movement: He moves all the time.  He likes to hang out on my right side most of the time and seems to like to keep a limb firmly planted in my ribcage, it is awesome :) 

The Belly: Getting bigger, I really do look pregnant now so it is kind of fun.

Milestones: He is starting to be able to reconize and react to simple songs.  He is developing his immune system to fight off mild infections.

32 Weeks

Photo Thoughts: I am wearing my Halloween costume and for some reason am not smiling very much but not a bad picture, kinda cute.

So because I got a special one this week for Halloween but since I take all of my pictures at night you can't really see how adorable it is so I have to post what it actually looks like.

How Far Along: 32 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 21 lbs

Size Of Baby: 15.2 to 16.7 inches about the size of a squash

Cravings: Nothing much, just eating normal stuff

Maternity Clothes: Wearing all maternity clothes pretty much.

Stretch Marks: Same ones except I think I have seen on lower on my side but it is tiny and my hubby says that I am just crazy but I swear it is there

What I Love: Being able to feel him physically inside me (like i can place my hand on my stomach, feel around a bit and feel something hard inside and I have figured out that I am feeling him inside me)

What I'm Looking Forward To The Most: Getting to hold him, with how wiggly he has been I am very excited to hold him in real life

Worries: That he will come early and we won't be ready for it

Sleep: Alright, even better when I get lots of it.

Belly Button In Or Out: Out but it isn't hard like I thought it would be, it is soft and squishy

Happy Or Moody Most Of The Time:  It was a hard week, just not good mostly so moody

Symptoms: Back pain so much pain.  It has been really bad, I have also had headaches and the skin on my belly feels like a fun combination of of a sunburn, sore and bruised.

Movement: He gets hiccups a lot, and seems to be very wiggly which I love, it is so much fun to see and feel him move all the time.

The Belly: Getting big

Milestones: He can turn his head from side to side and his toenails are complete. He keeps practicing opening and closing his eyes but he sleeps 90% of the time.