38 Weeks - Home Stretch!

How far along: 38 weeks

Total weight gain: 26 pounds and getting dangerously close to not posting my weight gained on the internet anymore.

Maternity clothes:  Yes.  Definitely.

Feeling: Pretty good, in general.  I'm trying to hang in there just in case the baby picks two weeks past its due date as a birthday - because if that is going to happen, it's way too early to start whining now.

Sleep: Not great, but way better than last week.  I think I've found the winning combination of pillow prop-age to keep my hands from falling asleep and/or throbbing.

Food cravings or aversions: I've been pretty bad recently.  Chick-fil-a, Blizzards, you name it.  I figure my days are limited, so I've thrown caution to the wind.  I need someone to reign me in.

Appointment Update:
The 36 and 37 week appointments were both good and much the same as the 32 and 34 weeks.  Blood pressure is good (and actually lower at my appointment last week than it has ever been), baby's head is down, and I have gotten the standard "You make this look easy!" comment from the doctor the last three appointments.  I really love the doctor I've been seeing the last several times and am hoping he's on call when I deliver.  Not likely, but one can hope!  I go again tomorrow and will get the first internal check.  I'm hoping it's somewhere in the middle of 0 cm and "whoa, the baby's about to fall out".     


Movement: Consistent every day, and today was perhaps the most active the baby's ever been.

Gender: Getting very close to knowing!

Labor Signs: I feel crampy all the time and feel like things are happening.  I think the baby's dropped and my hip joints are so loose.  Or is that in my head?  

What I miss: My wedding ring.  I had to ditch it soon after the last update for fear that it would need to be cut off.

What I'm nervous about: I'm nervous about what labor will actually be like and hoping I can handle it.

What I'm looking forward to: Not a whole lot this week other than the weekend.  :)

Milestones and new this week: The baby weighs about 6.5 pounds and is fully baked.  I want it to have some more time, but that's for the baby to decide, not me!  I think it's so cool that the baby actually sends a message to your brain to make you release the hormone that starts labor.  If you still don't believe in God after having a baby, I'm not sure what will ever make you believe!   

Maternity Pictures

We had maternity photos taken by April Archer a few weekends ago.  She came to our house where we did most of the shoot before moving to one of the lakes in our subdivision.  We can't wait for her to come back in October and take our little pumpkin's newborn pictures!
 

It's been awhile...

...since I had any sort of an update on life stuff other than baby.  The whole baby thing starts to really take over towards the end - I'm sure those of you who have one can appreciate that.

We've spent the last several weekends settling into our new house, unpacking boxes, working on the nursery, and trying to relax from a few hellacious work weeks.  We had a basement flood a few weeks ago (why not?) that set us back some, but I really feel a lot more prepared for the baby after this weekend.  Finally.  We're just a car seat installation away from ensuring that this baby doesn't come until October.

Here are some pictures of our other recent happenings:

We bought a gigantic bear from Costco.  I have no idea why, but think it's hilarious.  This bear is now the bane of Bonnie's existence.  

Lucy was visiting from Houston last week!  She was in town for a few days for a professional conference and I met her on Sunday night for dinner.  She looks adorable and I never get to see her, which is why I'm posting this.  Otherwise, I do recognize that I look like an un-make-upped marshmallow sitting next to her.  She brought Lima Bean a soccer ball and burp cloths.  Thanks, Lucy!!  

    

Puppa!  Have you missed her?  She loves our house and is up to her old hyjinks.  We're not sure which version of Bonnie we like better - the one that hid in the pantry most of the day really was the easiest to manage, but we're glad she's not terrified of the air conditioner anymore.

Yesterday we headed up to the mountains.  We really had no agenda and planned it as we went.  

The first stop was a town called Nederlands.  We ate at the Sundance Cafe based on the recommendation of Brent's friend.  Great Cobb Salad!  

Then we headed to the main area of town to check out any shops and see if there was anything going on.  

There wasn't much happening if this is any indication.  Based on my impression of the locals, this town is the place where hippie burnouts settled circa 1971.  They are currently running their own ineffective campaign to legalize marijuana and oppose any new clean air emission acts that might require them to upgrade their vehicles from said era.  In summary - it was pretty wild.
 

We moved on down the road to Blackhawk and Central City - two neighboring towns known for their casinos.  That's really all these towns have going on - gambling and $5.99 All-You-Can-Eat prime rib.  

Brent sat down at a Blackjack table at the Mardi Gras casino and doubled his money in about 7 minutes.  I snagged a free Pepsi and then we left.

Brent ran the Boulder Marathon this morning, but unfortunately I don't have any pictures.  The course was hillier than he thought it would be and his Achilles started hurting him again, so no PR for Brent this time.  26.2 is still something to be proud of in my book.  We ate a Mountain Pie at Beaujo's Pizza after the race. 

Have a good week, blog readers!  I'm glad it's a short one!  

 

 

34 Weeks

I think a belly picture in the midst of our moving chaos appropriately documents this pregnancy.  

How far along: 34 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: 21 pounds

Maternity clothes:  Yes.  Definitely.

Feeling: Pretty good!  No complaints really.  Sometimes I catch myself waddling and try to straighten up and walk like a normal person again.  Bending over to pick something off the floor isn't so easy anymore.  

Sleep: Getting a little more difficult.  It takes awhile to get comfortable, I wake up at least once a night, and often find myself flipped over on my back when I wake up, which hurts sometimes.  Then I struggle a bit like a turtle to flip back over.  

Food cravings or aversions: Muffins are my new thing, and my love for potatoes is still going strong.

Appointment Update:
My 32 and 34 week appointments both went well.  I saw a midwife at 32 weeks just to try one out at the practice, and waited for an hour and 15 minutes to see her.  She did take more time with me, but I'm going back to the doctor group.  At my next appointment I was in and out in 15 minutes.  Yes, I'll take efficient over chatty any day.  The midwife thinks the baby is vertex, and I do too based on much stronger movement up at my ribs than down low.  I'll make sure they check again at 36 weeks, but right now we're on track for a regular old delivery.  Blood pressure's good, the baby's measuring right on track, etc. - uneventful, which is good!!  I've been given no weight estimates and there are no more ultrasounds planned, which is fine with me.

Movement: Consistent movement every day and it seems to be slowing down a bit.  Makes sense to me, since there isn't as much room in there anymore!  


Gender: Final prediction - boy.  The cup of crystals I peed into this week confirmed this.  (It was some gender prediction kit that Lana bought me as a joke.)

Labor Signs: occasional cramping and maybe a contraction or two (not that I would know what they feel like), but nothing that needs timed.  Probably just Braxton Hicks.

What I miss: Being as active as I would like.  Being at home with my friends and family.  The distance seems really far to me now that I am confined here for the next however many months and can't/shouldn't travel very far.

What I'm nervous about: Having enough time to prepare everything for the baby before it arrives.  The crib is still in pieces in our garage, and will need some time to dry and off-gas before we put it together.  I know that the crib isn't necessary at first, but I would like to get the nursery painted/put together before I have the baby.  We'll get there!  I keep saying, "Just give me three more weeks and then let's get this whole labor and delivery thing out of the way!".  We could have a baby in two weeks or six+ weeks, so maybe I'll end up with plenty of time for everything!
   
I'm also nervous about what we'll do with Bonnie if I have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night.  We now live pretty far from our hospital and are only able to drop her off at our usual boarding place between 7 and 7, if they have room for her.  I really don't feel like I know anyone well enough here to ask them to deal with my dog, and don't want Brent to leave me at the hospital while I'm in labor to run home to take Bonnie somewhere.  I'm trying to work this all out and like so many other things, it just depends on when the baby comes.

What I'm looking forward to: Maternity pictures tomorrow and getting the nursery finished.

Milestones and new this week: The baby weighs about 5.5 pounds and is working on gaining weight and getting those lungs ready.    

The Luckiest

I very regretfully missed my friend Mel's wedding in Ft. Wayne this past weekend because after our last hectic travel experience a few weeks ago I was concerned that I might drop this baby on the airport floor at 34 weeks (and no one wants to see that).  I heard that she and Andy danced to "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds.  This is a personal favorite of mine and was nearly our first dance song until I gave in to Brent's suggestion since I get my way with most everything else.  He's a good man.

There's no other way to describe how I feel after my wonderful weekend of baby showers in Indianapolis other than, "I am The Luckiest".  I was truly overwhelmed with the number of people who attended my showers and how nice everything was for Lima Bean.  So without further ado, here are pictures - lots and lots of them:

Friday night, July 29th - ex-BKD Girls' Club Shower

The sacred cupcakes - reserved especially for our showers.

Sweet little treat bags

These ladies really outdid themselves.  They went together and bought us our high chair, pack and play, and lots of books!  I had such a nice time catching up with them; what a great little shower!!  A big thanks to Christi and Jay for having us stay with them that night as well, since our belongings were packed into a semi that afternoon:

Saturday, July 30th - Lunch at the Propylaeum

Mom threw a wonderful shower for Lima Bean at a tea room downtown, and everything was fantastic, down to the smallest detail.

 We had the whole Carriage House to ourselves.  It was a perfect venue for our crowd!

College friends making Play-Doh babies.  Alli was the winner, but sadly I did not get a picture of her swaddled purple baby with the fresh flower on her hat.  Other games were "Come Up with a Girl Name for Lindsey" and Baby Bottle lottery tickets.  As luck would have it, the lottery ticket at my seat had the baby bottle.

Emma, Cake Baker Extraordinaire and the very delicious white shower cake. 

Loved the polka dot ribbon

With MBA friends Jana and Betsy

With Rachel and her twins, who are almost half baked now!!  Unbelievable. 

DFAS friends - Alli, Lori, Christa, and Megan

Ashley and our matching belly button sweat marks.  It was hot in there for two very pregnant ladies. 

College friends - Becca, Ashley, Laura, Mel, Emma, Emily, and 4 future MC babies waiting to be born 

With Ashley, new mommy to Jack - not pictured, but you can almost see his carseat.  Such a good baby!

The woman who made it all happen (the shower, not the baby)- my favorite Mommy, Big Lou

MaMa and Grandma Pillers

With my gorgeous cousins Baleigh and Megan

With my gorgeous aunts, too! 

All our loot in Mom and Dad's living room.  We are seriously so lucky.

The men-folk, celebrating the baby in their own way on Sunday - with a Rib Fest in the garage.

Thank you so much to everyone who showered our baby with so much love and so many gifts!  It was beyond wonderful to see everyone and I hated to leave. 

Technical Difficulties

Something's wrong with our computer, where all of my pictures are stored, and I can't blog about the wonderful baby showers thrown recently in Indianapolis. I know that I'm getting behind, but it's not me...it's Comcast. Right now the only piece of technology I can get to work is my iPad, as long as it's not trying to use Adobe Flash.

Just wanted to let you know I'm still here, still alive (barely), and that the baby's still baking. I hope to have connectivity again to do a 34 Week post in a few days!