Tuesday, September 29, 2015

37 Weeks

Not my best chalkboard, but to be fair I have been doing this for 37 weeks (plus the 39 weeks from my last pregnancy) and am entitled to some laziness.  Also, is it just me, or is that baby looking LOW???
How far along? 37 weeks, YAYYYYY!!!!  Also for the record, I just realized this is my 100th blog post!  So...this is me acknowledging and celebrating that little milestone along with the bigger milestone of being full term 
Maternity clothes? Of course!  I've definitely had more gruff days than cute ones lately...I've officially entered the "I'm enormously pregnant so I don't care that I'm wearing flip flops and yoga pants to church" phase.  Just as an example. 
Sleep:  Pretty good!  Although rolling over is rough. business.  Wakes me up every time.  But I was just saying to Jacob how I have had way less weird dreams this pregnancy than I did with Jenna's....I must just be really worn out by the end of the day!
Best moment this week:  Being officially full term!!!!  I'm doing my best to soak up these last moments of pregnancy, since this is (theoretically) our last one....but it's hard when I'm so excited to meet Juliette!  And am the size of a whale... 

Miss Anything? Not having my thighs touch my belly when I sit will be glorious
Movement: Yes, she LOVES stretching her legs out and pushing them against my side!

Food cravings: Sweets.  This poor kid.  I solemnly swear to eat lots of broccoli this week so she'll at least want to eat some of that in between Hostess cupcakes someday....
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, I feel great!
Have you started to show yet: Yeah, apparently I got huge this week!  Look at last week's picture compared to this week's picture.  WHAT?!  HAPPENED?!  I have to believe it's an angle thing because I don't see how that's even possible to grow that much in a week
Gender: Girl!  Even though everyone keeps telling me that it looks like I'm having a boy.  Wouldn't that be a surprise!
Labor Signs: No more Braxton Hicks this week (yay) but also no more dilation progress according to my OB (boo)
Belly Button in or out? Soooooo out!!
Wedding rings on or off? On!  I do take them off at night though.  That's when I feel the most swell-y
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy
Looking forward to: Well, OTHER than having Juliette with us in person, I'm looking forward to our neighborhood Halloween parade next week!!  I'm so excited for seasonal festivities to begin, especially since Jenna will actually be able to appreciate them this year, and I'll have TWO little munchkins to put in cute little {fill-in-the-holiday-blank} outfits!  I still think that having a baby in December was way better pregnancy-wise because it wasn't as hot when I was super big, BUT having a baby in October is way better postpartum-wise because I'll have this cute tiny little baby to dress up during the best holidays of the year!!  Do you think she'd forgive me for dressing her up as a mini-pilgrim for Thanksgiving??  (Answer: probably not, as I'm not sure I've wholly forgiven my parents for dressing me up as one in 4th grade...JUST me, mind you.  My puffy hair must've made me the best candidate for looking like I came from ye olde rustic times.  I promise I'll post a picture if I can find it.)

Monday, September 21, 2015

36 Weeks

We finally settled on a name!!!! ...I think.  Even just two days ago I started having doubts again, but Jacob reminded me how much we love the name and I calmed down :)  For the record, she's NOT named after me.  In fact, we almost didn't choose it because we felt weird that it was so similar to mine.  But we stuck with it because Juliette was the name we both liked the best after all of the voting...(results shown below!)  We chose Elize for her middle name because it means "pledged to God," which we thought was beautiful.

Please note the hilarious lack of diversity in name meanings
How far along? 36 weeks.  You guys!! One week from today I'm going to be full term. I could have a baby at our house in ONE WEEK!!!  Ahhh!!
Maternity clothes? Definitely...even my maternity tanks are starting to look a little short. YIKES!
Sleep:  Good!!  I've been napping a lot more...I don't know if that's because I'm getting toward the end of my pregnancy or because Jacob and I have stayed up late a few nights this week to work on little projects (putting together dressers, Halloween costume for Jenna, etc.) but I haven't minded the few extra zzz's during the day
Best moment this week:  We went to an infant CPR class at the hospital and got to walk by all of the tiny little babies in the hospital nursery!!  I forgot how small they are and I can't wait to hold my very own soon :)

Miss Anything? I would say having more of a variety of outfits but let's be real...it's so much worse to dress postpartum than it is pregnant.  I will cherish these last moments of having people tell me I look cute because of my big belly!!
Movement: Not as often, but when she does, they're BIG!  Sometimes it makes me nervous because she'll go a little while without moving, but all I have to do is drum a little beat on my tummy and she starts jammin'!

Food cravings: Still sweets
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing
Have you started to show yet: Yes yes yes.
Gender: Girl!!  I keep picturing another little Jenna, but I know she could look so different!  I can't wait to see!
Labor Signs: No more Braxton Hicks this week, but my OB says I'm almost 2 cm dilated now!
Belly Button in or out? Out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  MOSTLY happy, although I was prrrrreeeettty cranky Thursday evening and Friday.  I think I just needed a little bit of me time...something I definitely won't have as much of in a few weeks!!
Looking forward to: HAVING! MY! BABY!  Oh, and PDQ (YUMMY, in case you don't know) is opening nearby this weekend aaaand they have half-price shakes from 3-5.   Thank GOODNESS I didn't have this available my whole pregnancy but I will definitely be taking advantage of it these last few weeks!

Monday, September 14, 2015

35 Weeks


How far along? 35 weeks
Maternity clothes? Yep, it's either maternity clothes or Jacob's clothes these days!
Sleep:  For the first half of the week, it was not fantastic.  I was just feeling so uncomfortable...it's my toes!  And my feet!  I feel like I can feel them swelling by the second.  I think I wore myself out so much at the beginning of the week though, that the second half of the week I slept wonderfully
Best moment this week:  Going to Baby J's shower!!  It was so great to be surrounded by so many people I love, celebrating a baby I love :)  And I feel much more prepared for her to be born!!  Jacob and I worked on putting together her nursery afterwards...it's not totally done, but I will share this picture of her cute little reading/nursing corner!

Miss Anything? I miss being able to crack my back easily!!  Terrible habit, I know,  But the twisting is just not in the cards right now and I miss it!!!
Movement: Let's talk about MY movement for a second, shall we?  I've basically been waddling everywhere and sometimes even needing to hold up my belly for a little extra support.  BUT.  I don't think I have ever moved so fast as I did this week.  Let me tell you friends, you don't know fear until your child starts saying "potty!" when you're in line at the post office.  Which DOESN'T have a bathroom, by the way.  And they won't let you use the employee bathroom, even when your potty training toddler needs to go.  And then you go outside and your toddler squats down and starts grunting.  And then you put her in the (fairly new and clean) carseat as fast as you can, while half-begging/half-encouraging your toddler to hold it.  And you want to speed down the neighborhood streets back to your house, but you're stuck behind a giant and apparently very law-abiding van.  And then you hear grunting from the back seat. ("Hold it! Hold it!!! No mess!! You'll get a treat if you put your poo poo's in the potty!!")  And then you make it home and everyone and everything is miraculously dry and clean, so you run run run inside and get to the potty....and your toddler puts her stuffed kitty on the potty instead, because apparently it was KITTY that had to go potty all along.  -_- 
Food cravings: Still sweets, and a few nights in a row where I really wanted a burger and fries!! 
Anything making you queasy or sick: No
Have you started to show yet: LOL
Gender: Girl
Labor Signs: I went to the OB this week and she said I'm 1 cm dilated!  Woo hoo, I'm already 1/10th of the way through labor!  Or something like that haha.  She also said that it seems like the baby has dropped and that my belly is measuring at 37 cm, when it's supposed to match the number of weeks you are.  
I've had several rounds of Braxton Hicks this week too.  Who knows, maybe this baby will be early!  Not TOO early though, I hope!  
Belly Button in or out? Way out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  So happy!!
Looking forward to: Baby J being born!!  I can't WAIT to see what she looks like and I'm so excited for Jenna to meet her!!!!

Sunday, September 6, 2015

34 Weeks

How far along? 34 weeks
Maternity clothes? Yep!  I especially love when I go to hike up my big pregnant lady pants and grab my big pregnant lady underwear by mistake and give myself a big pregnant lady wedgie. #adorable
Sleep:  Great, although I have had a few insomniac moments after waking up to pee
Best moment this week:  We were in an aisle at the grocery store (secluded, don't worry!), and Jenna wanted to say hello to her sister.  She lifted up my shirt, grabbed my belly, gave it several kisses, and said "love you!"  It was so so so so so so so so precious.  I can't wait until they're face to face!

Miss Anything? Cookie dough!  I'm probably going to give in and make an egg-less version tomorrow...yum!
Movement: All the time!  I love it!!  Except when I get randomly kicked (punched?) in the cervix.  Anyone who's been pregnant before, you know what I'm talking about. #notatrampoline #savetheladybits

Food cravings: I don't think this counts as a craving, but I'm getting excited for fall foods!! I'm trying to wait until it cools down a little more before I really dive in, but I might have to make some chili for the NFL season kickoff next weekend!!  Maybe wiiiiiith...cornbread waffles?
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, feeling great!
Have you started to show yet: Most definitely.  I'm getting to the phase where my belly is getting in the way of my leg movements
Gender: Girl
Labor Signs: Nope!  Hang in there, Baby J!  Just a few more weeks!!
Belly Button in or out? Out
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy!  I did have a couple moody moments, but as Jacob was traveling and I was flying solo all week with a sick toddler (mostly snuggly, but sometimes very cranky)...I say I had my reasons
Looking forward to: Fall, and everything that goes with it!!  Cooler weather, sweaters, pumpkins, boots, apples, scarves...although, not while pregnant.  For some reason being super pregnant and wearing a scarf just makes you look 10x bigger.

Friday, September 4, 2015

33 Weeks

This is pretty much what half of my pictures turn out like these days.  #momlife
How far along? 33 weeks....ignore the fact that the 33rd element is arsenic for a second, ok?  I was just so excited to work in a chemistry connection.  Baby J is the size of a durian fruit and/or a head of lettuce (both of which, coincidentally, I'm equally as likely to consume as arsenic.  Just saying.)
Maternity clothes? Yes a bit, but I can't wait until it cools down enough to wear my jeans!! I can only rock my yoga pants/skirt/one pair of shorts so many times in public without feeling like a total bum.
Sleep:  Good!  I'm pretty reliant on my body pillow....although unless you have one of those U-shaped ones (which I don't) then every time you roll over it feels a little bit like wresting with an alligator
Best moment this week:  Just some really nice get-togethers with friends.  Bible study, work out sessions, High Tea hosted by a British friend...let's talk about scones for a second, shall we?  YUM.

Miss Anything? I was definitely missing cookie dough this week while I was baking!!  Jenna enjoyed herself though...she was supposed to be helping me, but she ended up grabbing a spoon from her tea set and just digging in.  
Movement: Still plenty, but definitely less than before.  Or maybe just less drastic movements...she must be running out of room in there!

Food cravings: Sweeeeeeeeets
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week!!! Phew.
Have you started to show yet: Oh yeah.  You KNOW you're getting big when your toddler keeps trying to lay on you but keeps rolling off instead.  And then when she finally figures out how to stay up there, she realizes that it might not be as comfortable as she was picturing...
Gender: A girl
Labor Signs: Some cramping, nothing major

Belly Button in or out? Out
Wedding rings on or off? On...this has been the biggest surprise for me this pregnancy!!
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy!  But also maybe a little extra hormonal...we've been potty training this week and I definitely started weeping at the dinner table when Jenna asked to go potty and rocked the whole process from start to finish.  She had done it before, but I think since that was the first time she did it in front of Jacob...I just had a super proud (and pregnant!) mama moment haha
Looking forward to: Jenna starts gymnastics this week!!  Doing sports/activities is one of the things I was most excited about when we started having kids, so I can't wait to see her in action!!