Pregnancy: UNCENSORED!

Just kidding, I will probably censor a little.  Can you blame me?  Some of pregnancy is super gross and some mental images you just can't erase.  That being said, there are quite a few personal details here, probably a little bit of TMI and also one really gross picture.  You've been warned.  Feel free to stop reading.

As my baby could come any day now, I've spent some time looking back at my blog, just for kicks and giggles. As I did this, I started to realize that there were some things that I didn't write about or certain pictures that I didn't post.  Part of this is because I didn't know how I felt about blogging at first.  Who was I primarily blogging for?  Me?  Far away family members?  Baby J?  A book to put on our coffee table?  Each would result in very different details being shared and as a result I ended up posting basically nothing [see Week 11.  What in the world?  Why am I so boring?]  Clearly, as I've regaled you all with the weekly ongoings of my belly button, I'm now over this, but there are a lot of early details that are missing because of my indecisiveness.  

The second reason I didn't post some things is because sometimes there are thoughts you don't want to put into words until you know how they're going to turn out.  Will this memory/feeling/fear be something that is funny 10 years from now or something you don't bring up around the family unless you want everyone leaving super pissed?  Thankfully, everything has turned out well thus far and in the interest of posterity and maybe helping others who have felt the same feel not so alone, I'm going back to put these things into words.  Plus, full disclosure...I have this image in my mind of Jenna looking through a Snapfish book version of these posts during her first pregnancy and I want her to have as many details as possible.  Strange that I'm already picturing my unborn baby having an unborn baby?  Probably. Sorry, Jenna.

Alright, so without further ado, general pregnancy timeline with randomly added details and photos:

Getting Pregnant
Don't worry, I won't include the gory details.  I do just want to say...Natural Family Planning works!  We just didn't do it right haha. Title this section of the saga:  "Surprise surprise, I'm irresponsible = SURPRISE!  You're pregnant!"  We were planning on starting our family in a few months anyway, so the timing here was actually pretty great.  BUT we weren't expecting it which leads me to...

Finding Out We Were Pregnant
Here's why I love NFP...I know EXACTLY when I ovulated.  Not the average ovulation date for the average woman's cycle, but legit when my ovary released that little ball of 1/2 of Jenna's DNA to meet up with the other half.  When did I ovulate?  April 2.  When did I start experiencing pregnancy symptoms?  Exactly one day later, on Jacob's birthday.  Happy birthday, honey!! I made you a baby.

So anyway, we go to dinner and I was trying to be a trooper, but about halfway through the meal I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.  I think my words were something like, "Babe, happy birthday, I love you so much and this BBQ is the best I've ever had, but I don't think I can physically be awake another second."  I fell asleep on the drive home.  (FYI, this same exact scenario played out on my birthday.  Just exchange "BBQ" for "seafood" and take out the part where I tell Jacob happy birthday)

The next few days pretty much went the same.  Get home from work, make dinner, eat, go to bed by 7.  After about a week of this, this conversation happens:
  Jacob:  How can you possibly be so tired? You've been sleeping 13 hours a night for the past week!
  Me: Really?  That can't be true.
  Jacob:  Do you think you might be pregnant?
  Me:  What?  No, there's no way.  
A few days later...
  Me:  Are my boobs getting bigger? Maybe I'm pregnant...

Cue trip to Walmart to buy pregnancy tests and waking up at the butt crack of dawn day after day because apparently that gives you the best results.  Negative...negative...negative...maaaybe positive?  Cue taking a thousand pictures of a pee stick so I can obsessively analyze throughout the day and play with the contrast on my computer screen to figure out if that is actually a second little pink line or not.

Cue second trip to Walmart to buy dummy-proof test because the first kind is giving me a heart attack, and plus I've used them all up already.

Boom.  Pregs.  Thanks ClearBlue!

Sometimes, Pregnancy is Scary
This is the part where my happiness is clouded over by the worst freaking experience of my life.  I blocked out quite a bit of this, so I forget some of the details but here's the gist: I started spotting, which I read was normal, but then it went on for like 5 days.  I'm starting to get nervous. At some point I called the doctor and they say it's was too early to see me but to wait it out.  The bleeding gets worse, so they send me to get my hCG levels tested.  Three days later...tests are inconclusive, I need to get another test.  Have to wait over the weekend, on Monday no one calls with my results, I call them on Tuesday, nurse practitioner tells me that my levels more than doubled.  I say, "Oh that's good, right?  Thank goodness, does that mean it's not ectopic?"  She says, "No, I didn't say that."  I say, "Oh, but it's a good sign, right?" She says, "It could be.  Honestly, I don't know if it's going to stick."  I'm sorry, are you the devil?  Why would you say that to me??  I didn't ask any more questions because frankly, I was too afraid to hear her answers.  This started a few days of obsessive internet research about hCG levels, culminating in me bringing a multi-page packet with color coded highlighting to my vice principal (who knew about all of this because I kept having to leave work for testing and because she's a great friend).  First of all, are we surprised that I accumulated a packet of color-coded research at some point in this pregnancy?  No, we're not.  But my VP gave me GREAT advice which was basically to calm the heck down.  My research wasn't helping anything and if anything was making me more stressed, which definitely wasn't helping.  So here I will repeat that advice to pregnant people who are nervous something will go wrong:  Relax and enjoy, take care of the fact that you're pregnant right now and don't worry about anything else.  Perfect advice, and that's the ONLY reason I'm exposing this awful (and awfully long) paragraph to the general public.

Reveling in Being Pregnant
This was the best.  We got to tell our families and friends (videos and stories about this are posted here, here, and here), we went to the library to check out books about pregnancy (Jacob was really into that part of it), DIYed the chalkboard into existence, started the blog, and went onto websites that predicted what our baby would look like, which was always hilarious.  This part was awesome.

First Trimester
The most memorable things about first trimester was just that I was CRAZY tired.  I have huge bags under my eyes in all of my early chalkboard pics.  I also pretty much gave up doing my hair, which adds to why I looked completely grosky.  I would get home from work, nap, wake up to eat, and then go to bed.  I also was avoiding caffeine like the plague, which my students definitely noticed, and not just because they chose THIS time of year to start a coffee-selling fundraiser.  ("Miss, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you should start drinking caffeine again.  You're a lot nicer after you've had your coffee") Sorry to my 8th graders if I was a total slacker teacher, I barely remember being alive.  I DO however remember that all food tasted RIDICULOUSLY good and that I cried about EVERYTHING!  I accidentally almost started a riot against my husband on the last day of school...one of the students asked what I was doing next year and I said I was going to be a stay-at-home mom.  My student then said, "You're not going to be a teacher anymore?"  In my mind's eye, I pictured myself saying, easy as you please, "Nope! I'm not going to be a teacher anymore!"  In actuality, I opened my mouth and just started sobbing uncontrollably.  My students all got REALLY concerned and were like, "Is your husband MAKING you stay home, Miss?"  "You don't have to listen to him!"  "You can still be a teacher if you want!"  which made me laugh and cry all the more.  All I could do was just shake my head, sob, and say, "No *sob* I *sob* want *sob* to *sob* stay *sob* home!" *collapse sobbing into my hands*  They must think Jacob has me chained to the wall or something haha

Other than that, this trimester involved a LOT of self control.  I was the MOST careful to avoid coffee, read all cheese labels, overcook ALL of my food, etc. during the first trimester.  I was so nervous something would go wrong and just wanted all of her organs to develop ok.  (I've since eased up on the avoiding caffeine thing and have officially become a Starbucks Gold member since.  Look at me!)  The HARDEST thing to keep under control was our excitement!! Jacob and I couldn't WAIT to start telling people...it was like the slow leaking of an overinflated balloon.  FINALLY being able to share with the whole world was the. freaking. best.

Second Trimester
Second trimester is where you're supposed to feel amazing, but this was not the case for like the first month of mine.  This is where my morning sickness really started.  I'd had a few moments of sickness in the first trimester, but second was where it really kicked into gear.  If I was in the car, I had to sit perfectly still looking straight ahead with my teeth clenched or I would be sick for the rest of the day.  And regardless of car activity, each evening I had a headache right around dinner time that ended with me vomiting around 8.  Side note, this is also approximately when one night Jacob had an upset stomach, farted, and it smelled so bad that I threw up.  That was probably his proudest pregnancy moment.  Also, this post where I talk about how great our anniversary was?  Yeah, I conveniently neglected to mention the part where I started crying at the dinner table because I had such a terrible headache and didn't have any Tylenol because we were in the middle of an island.  Leave it to me to be crying because we're on a beautiful island. The waiter and Jacob were SUPER nice about it.  The waiter even brought me some Advil and even though I couldn't take it I appreciated the gesture.  Plus side pregnancy symptom: I got a HUGE burst of energy and started psycho cleaning e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  I'm not sure I even knew we had base boards before, but once second trimester hit, they sparkled!

BEST part of second trimester was finding out we were having a girl!!!  I'm going to throw two truth bombs at you here.  Truth bomb #1: I knew it was a girl from like week 9, but I didn't want to say that I had this really strong feeling because what if it turned out to be a boy?  I wouldn't want him to think that I was disappointed with him being a boy AND I didn't want to FEEL disappointed finding out it was a boy because I had been expecting a girl. I tried to play out both scenarios equally in my head to keep it fair, but deep down inside I kept hearing "Girl! Girl! Girl! Girl!"

Truth bomb #2:  I'm not sure Jacob really knew we were pregnant until we found out we were having a girl.  I would try to talk to him about it and he would try to engage but...really he had no idea we were having a baby.  This is a picture of me when we were about to find out Jenna's gender:

Clearly busting at the seams with excitement.  Ok, now here are the pictures of Jacob:

Look at that face!  That is the face of a man who has no idea he is having a child.  It took everything I had just get him to open his eyes!  Luckily, after we had the appointment, things totally changed.  This was his first time really seeing Baby J on the ultrasound and after we found out she was a girl, things got super real.  We started talking about names, we started talking about how she was going to look and what kind of activities she would be involved in, Jacob started talking about teaching her how to play sports...things we still haven't stopped talking about at almost 39 weeks.  This, in my opinion, is the best part of being pregnant.

This trimester was also awesome because it's when I first started feeling her kick!  First little flutters around week 15/16 and then definite kicks around week 20.  Pretty amazing.

Oh yeah, AND I loved this trimester because it's when I really started to show!!!  It was especially crazy for Jacob because we were in different states for a couple weeks and before I left there wasn't much of a bump, and then when he saw me again it was like HELLO BABY!!  And I got to blow up his phone with text messages like this:

To which he responded...

Third Trimester

I think this was about the time I started to get really obsessed with my belly button.  I wanted it to pop out SO bad and Jacob sooo didn't.  Also, I had a ton a free time which resulted in this:

In case you were wondering, this is the gross picture.

Third trimester was probably my easiest, up until the very tail end.  I felt great, I had a decent amount of energy, I was starting to feel a little large but nothing too crazy.  Setting up the nursery was amazing.  I just love going in there and seeing her tiny little clothes hanging in the closet on those tiny little hangers.  All of the baby showers were amazing too...I really just felt super loved and cared for by my friends and family and LOVED having them all gathered together!  Huge blessing all around.  I especially loved the tree painting my little sister made and how Jacob and I got to sign our prints Mommy and Daddy (his idea...melt my heart, why dontcha!)

 The last month or so has been a little tougher.  Little bit of heartburn, little bit of nausea, kind of exhausted, super nervous to be a parent, but SUPER excited to meet my little girl!  Labor is going to be a whole different ball game, so I'll leave all those details for another day.

Other random overall side notes about pregnancy: constantly congested (can't wait for that to be over!), often constipated, overly hot and sweaty, extra sensitive skin (tags have never been so annoying), lots of huffing and puffing, a weird feeling in my feet like my toe joints were all swelling, but really excited and happy the majority of the time.  And honestly, despite the nausea and exhaustion and what-have-you, being pregnant is pretty much one of the best things EVER and I will miss it!

Phew!  Long post, and I will probably be the only one who reads the whole thing (except maybe Jenna someday).  Anyway, it's for posterity so at least I have all the memorable moments written down somewhere in this blog.  Here's hoping there are many more! :)

38 Weeks

So...freaking...pregnant...

How far along?  38 weeks
Total weight gain:  37 pounds...pack 'em on while you can, baby.  It's all coming off soon!
Maternity clothes?  Oh yeah clothes...I suppose so.  Although I've been BOILING hot all week!  Not because it's hot outside anymore, just because I'm pregnant.  We've been keeping the house around 60 degrees most of the time and I'm still walking around in tank tops.  Jacob had made a few comments, but it didn't click how freezing our house really was until I realized that even my dog was cold.  Whoops...

Poor puppy!  I promise, most of the time she does like living with us...

Sleep:  I've been sleeping pretty well, but have apparently been feeling extra anxious because I've repeatedly woken myself up grinding my teeth!  Ugh, isn't that awful??  I have never done that before and I hope it doesn't keep happening!  Or maybe I just need to cut down on the caffeine before bed.  Something needs to change, that's for sure. 
Best moment this week:  Making cinnamon ornaments and doing other Christmas-y things with James and Dominique!  We basically hit up every classic Christmas activity short of staging a live nativity...which is still not totally out of the question in my opinion, depending on whether or not we have an actual baby to put in the manger before Christmas.  Just sayin'.  Raven would make a really cute sheep.
Miss Anything?   You know what?  Glass half full.  Pregnancy has some downsides, but for the most part I think I'm going to miss being pregnant.  Well...being pregnant like it was for the first 34-ish weeks.  I could do without feeling like a complete whale all the time.
Movement:  She's really taken to punching me in the cervix lately which, as my OB says, "always feels really special."  For those of you who have never been pregnant before, let me translate: special = HOLY SMOKES FOR THE LOVE OF CHRISTMAS MAKE IT STOP!  Just so you know.
Food cravings:  Blugh, nothing.  My only two motivations that have kept me eating have been 1) I'm trying to grow a human here and 2) in the hopes that eating food will help settle my very queasy stomach.  If it wasn't for that, I probably wouldn't be eating anything at all but the desserts at small group.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  For the past few days I've been getting extremely nauseous around the same time of day...this is JUST like when I was getting sick in my second trimester.  I googled it and apparently it's a sign that your body is preparing for labor so I will take it with a smile!
Have you started to show yet:  Yes, obviously.  My baby is the size of a WATERMELON.  I feel like I'm about to bust out of my skin!
Gender:  Girl
Labor Signs:  SLIGHT progress here!  The nausea, for one.  The doctor also told me that it feels like her head has dropped a little and while I'm not at all dilated yet, it seems like I'm trying to dilate...whatever that means haha.  Hopefully we'll have more progress here next week!
Belly Button in or out?  Most of the time, it's actually pretty flat.  Except when I stand, then it looks a bit like a doorstop.
Wedding rings on or off?  Off
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Er...happy, I guess although I did have a few outlandishly tearful moments this week.  Chalk it up to the same hormones that are making me sweaty and nauseous.  Basically, I'm a total catch right now.
Looking forward to:  HAVING MY BABY!  I'm feeling very very ready to meet her!!!

37 Weeks

How far along?  37 weeks!!!  It took everything I had not to be double fist pumping in this photo.  Baby J can be born safely anytime now!
Total weight gain: I think I'm at 35 now?  I don't know, I'd have to check, but frankly my purse is really far away and math just feels like a lot of effort.  Let's just say I'm overall less than 200 and call it a day.
Maternity clothes?  Not much of a choice, these days.  Although I will say...I used to be appalled by my tummy poking out of the bottom of my t-shirts (Winnie the Pooh style) and wore an extra long tank top underneath at all costs.  Recently though, I've just started to own it (around the house only, obviously.)  It makes me feel like...I don't know, Mike Hagerty or John Candy or something.  Just...jolly like somebody's weird uncle who's visiting for the holidays and walking around carefree in sweatpants with a beer giving strange life advice.  Or maybe it's just getting too hot outside to wear two layers of shirt, I don't know.
Sleep:  Yes.
Best moment this week:  Getting extra time with the hubby this week!  He got Thanksgiving and the day after off so I feel like we had a bunch of time together to reconnect, laugh, read, talk about parenting, buy a Christmas tree, watch him play video games, go on walks, nap...we're livin' the high life here, friends.
Miss Anything?  Cold meats still.  I'm coming for you, salami!
Movement:  All the time.  She keeps pushing her foot against my side.  I felt the full outline of her foot the other day and another time Jacob was practically grabbing it and moving it around.  That's probably a weird thing to do, but I think it's so cool.  It makes her seem so tangible.  Soon I'll be able to hold her foot for real!
Food cravings:  Doughnuts.  I think about them all the time, but I try not to.  Friends from up north: I will give you $1000 (worth of love because I don't have any real money)  if you ship me some Entenmann's.  $2000 (worth of love because again...totally broke)  if they're the chocolate ones with the crumbs on top.  Or the waxy ones.  Or the waxy ones with the chocolate insides...you know what?  I'm not picky. 
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not so much, although heartburn is frequently making guest appearances.  Actually, it's less like heartburn and more like Jenna kicking my stomach and everything in there is just...temporarily displaced.  No amount of Tums is going to fix that, son!
Have you started to show yet:  As the lady sitting next to me in church stated while everyone was greeting each other, "You're due Christmas Eve??  It looks like you're due like...now!"  Normally people just say good morning and shake my hand but hey, that's cool too.
Gender:  Girl
Labor Signs:  None.  Zip.  Zero.  She hasn't even dropped a millimeter as evidenced by the fact that I woke up this morning with her foot wedged between two of my ribs.  My doctor has started to talk about setting an induction date, just in case.  Obviously it's early still and anything could happen, but I'm more intrigued by the idea than I thought I would be.  TBD.
Belly Button in or out?  Oh, who knows what's going on down there.  Something semi-flat and semi-pointy and wholly bizarre.
Wedding rings on or off?  Off...I'm really hoping this doesn't last long after Jenna's born.  I'm starting to have dreams that Jacob married someone else because he wasn't sure if we were married because I was walking around with a purity ring on instead of my wedding band.  I was SUPER mad at him when I woke up which I realize is both bogus and unfair but...come on.  Somebody has to be held responsible for those shenanigans.
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, except when my dream husband marries someone else (who looks suspiciously like Emily Thorne from Revenge with just as mean of a glare)
Looking forward to:  Well this is a weird one but...my hair falling out after I give birth.  I have a LOT of hair on a regular day and after 37 weeks of prenatals and pregnancy hormones, it's pretty much unreal.  I went to go get a haircut this week and my stylist said "Well Julie, I didn't think it was possible but you really do have more hair. It's even thicker than it was before!"  Yep, and it's making it IMPOSSIBLE to look nice.  I swear, every day it looks more and more like a Christmas tree.  Festive?  Yes.  Flattering?  Not so much.  I thought it would get better after it was cut but it didn't really help.  Before it was long and puffy and now it's just...less long and puffy.  I honestly think that 50% of my hair could fall out at this point and it would look a million times better than it does now.  Just sayin'.

36 Weeks

How far along?  36 weeks
Total weight gain:  33 pounds...so really I'm like TWO stuffed turkeys!
Maternity clothes?  Yes, and Jacob's clothes.  His hoodies are longer and who decided boys clothes should be so soft?? It's almost not fair.  They have it so good... 
Sleep:  Lots of naps this week, which is a-ok in my book!  Better get them in now!
Best moment this week:  Seeing the second Hunger Games movie!!  So good.  Jacob and I haven't been to the movies in FOREVER and going to Alamo Drafthouse is always tops (Fried pickles? Sure!)
Miss Anything?  Being able to stand purely of my own volition.  Jacob has to help me up most of the time these days.  Nothing makes you feel more lovely than having your husband hoist you up with both hands from behind like a stubborn zoo animal.  Bonus points if he adds sounds effects. Also, being able to stand up or sit down silently.  I don't know if it's just a bad habit or because I weigh 33 extra pounds, but I can't seem to do anything anymore without an audible "oof!" coming out of me.  Super attractive.
Movement:  More hiccups, poor girl.  She gets 'em for like an hour every day. Plus she does this awesome thing where she pushes her feet against one side of my stomach and her back against the other side...it feels like my stomach is about to bust open.  Now I know what they mean by "about to pop!" and it's not nearly as adorable as they make it look on those popcorn containers. 

Food cravings:  Thanksgiving foods, duh!  Good thing those cravings are about to be satisfied in full!
Anything making you queasy or sick:  No, and I finally was able to use nail polish remover AND paint my nails without gagging!! Thankful for the little miracles
Have you started to show yet:  Yeah, "Big Girl, You are Beautiful" by MIKA is pretty much my theme song these days.
Gender:  Girl
Labor Signs:  Other than being larger than life?  Nada.  I'm 0% dilated and she hasn't even dropped yet (my lungs are getting their fair share of snuggle time).  Totally fine, since I'm still a month away from my due date, but I'm definitely getting more and more ready for her to be born. 
Belly Button in or out?  Status unchanged.  Still flat with the little overhang.
Wedding rings on or off?  Off
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Is nervous an option??  I think this conversation with my mom pretty much sums it up...
Mom: How are you feeling?
Me: Um...really nervous.
Mom:  It's ok, everyone goes through childbirth.  It is what it is, and then it's over!
Me:  No, not that!  I'm nervous about the actual PARENTING part!  The having to take care of a baby part!
Mom:  Oh...yeah.  Yeah that's legitimate.

Haha sometimes, there's just nothing you can truthfully say to comfort a person and the best answer is, "Yep.  You probably should feel that way."  Mom knows how to keep it real.
Looking forward to:  Thanksgiving!!! Jacob's cousin Ryan is coming to visit and I can't wait for all the great family time and good food!!!

35 Weeks

How far along?  35 weeks...ahhh it's getting so close!!!
Maternity clothes?  Same old same old...a couple of pants and tank tops.  Luckily, my wardrobe already had plenty of cardigans so I wear those all the time.  Really, my outfits don't look that different compared to pre-pregnancy.  They're just filled out a little more these days :)
Sleep:  I've been sleeping great, except that I've been waking up randomly around 4:30 every morning.  This makes me super thankful for four things: 1. My Kindle (I just keep it under my pillow these days)  2. Friends that work odd hours and can text me  3.  Coffee and 4. That I'm not teaching full time anymore.  Tired teacher = crabby teacher and I for one am thankful not to have to subject 200 students to that on a daily basis.  And that I can take naps like all the time, which is lovely.
Best moment this week:  Stacy and Andrew having little baby Asher!!!! He is CRAZY cute and I can't believe my sister has a baby!  One of the weirdest things about getting older is seeing people you know so well start to have babies...and then seeing their babies actually LOOK like them!  I know that's how DNA works, but it's still such a freaky feeling.

Hello, you cute little thing!!!

Also, our birthing class was the JAM last night as we basically just practiced being relaxed.  I'm not sure if it will actually help me during childbirth, but I felt like I had just been at the spa.  That's probably what it's like giving birth, right?  Yeah...
Miss Anything?  Cold pepperoni.  I know that's weird, but now that we're getting into the holiday season, you can't go anywhere without one of those little meat and cheese trays and I am SO sad that I can't partake in that deliciousness!  Soon and very soon..
Movement:  This morning she had the hiccups for a crazy long time.  She's only had the hiccups once before, but I was listening to music and for some reason I just thought she was kicking with an incredible sense of rhythm.  Soo...instead of a musical prodigy, I'm getting a child with a spastic diaphragm.  Ah well, you can't win 'em all.  She also had a TON of fun at the pre-Thanksgiving party we went to this weekend.  Delicious food, great people, and fabulous holiday tunes...what's not to love?  She was dancing like CRAZY during all of the Thanksgiving songs!  Yeah, you heard me right.  It just wouldn't feel like Thanksgiving without those classic Birkeneder Thanksgiving carols!  They sounded awesome with the whole band performing...great job Moriah 3!
Food cravings:  The usual suspects: milk, peanut butter, bananas AND [getting into the holiday spirit]...PUMPKIN PIE! :)
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Ugh, yes.  That evening queasiness has started to come back.  No vomiting yet, but oy. Also, for the record I've had round ligament pain like whoa.  For those of you who don't know what that is, it's basically shooting pains in your lower abdomen whenever you move too quickly...or in my case, 60% of the time you walk anywhere.  It's pretty much awesome.
Have you started to show yet:  Yeah...I was subbing yesterday and they have you stand in the doorway to shake hands with all the kids as they walk in...only I couldn't fit in the doorway AND have the kids walk by without knocking into the belly.  Embarrassing.  I'm definitely starting to feel like a bit of a whale.
Gender:  Girl
Labor Signs:  None, I don't think.  She needs to cook in there a little longer!
Belly Button in or out?  Still have that weird overhang thing going on, but I think it's starting to even out a bit?  Hopefully?  Thank goodness I'm having this baby in December and not during swimsuit weather.  The world doesn't need to see this.
Wedding rings on or off?  Alas, still off.  I hope I'll be able to start wearing them soon
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Mostly happy...sometimes nervous, sometimes crabby, but mostly happy :)
Looking forward to:  The holidays!!!  We're having a mini Thanksgiving here and then it'll be time to decorate for Christmas!!!!  Tis the season and I can't WAIT to get my tree up!!

34 Weeks

How far along?  34 weeks
Total weight gain: Well according to the doctor, 33 pounds.  However, my appointment was later in the day and I had just eaten a big breakfast so I weighed myself again this morning and it was only 31 so...I'm going with 31.
Maternity clothes?  Yes, I love the maternity jeans!!  Still haven't been able to use my Bellaband though since my regular jeans are still MIA.  This is my life now.
Sleep:  Pretty good.  I've been having a lot of crazy dreams, which sometimes results in more restless sleep than restful I think.  Some of them have been really good though...or I thought they were anyway.  Example: I had a dream one night that Jenna was moving around and pushed her head against my stomach so much that you could actually hold it and see the outline of her ear.  I LOVED that dream because it reminded me that there's a real baby in there with ears and stuff and that I'm going to get to hold her so soon!  When I told Jacob about the dream, he made a face and said that it was really weird/creepy.  Haha ah well...agree to disagree
Best moment this week:  Four things (I'm starting to think I need to have a separate blog post for my favorite moments of the week.  Or I just need to start keeping a diary). One, my shower this past weekend.  Oh my goodness, SO. MUCH. FUN.  The girls worked so hard on it and I really had a blast!!  

Obviously, I couldn't stop laughing.  We're skinny posing here.  It is clearly not working on me lol

Two, Jacob set up the crib this weekend.  There's no mattress yet, but I just keep looking at it because it's so pretty and I love having it up!!! 

Three, we had our first Getting Ready for Childbirth class yesterday!  The class itself was really helpful and I can't wait for the next three sessions (especially next week when the dads learn how to give the moms massages. Um, yes please.)  Mostly though, I loved it because I started to realize that I'm going to actually be having this baby pretty soon!  I have good and bad feelings about that, especially since we watched a bunch of videos of people giving birth and they did not look happy.  BUT then I reminded myself that I'll be getting an epidural and I felt slightly better. Then they passed around a tray showing what 10 cm dilated actually looks like and I felt slightly worse...it was a roller coaster, really. 

Um...oh my gosh.

Four, Jacob planned a surprise date up to the Lost Maples State Park.  We got to walk around looking at the beautiful fall colors, have a little picnic, and just spend time together as a two-some (three-some if you count Raven!) before Jenna comes!

Miss Anything?  Still my brain.  I was sitting on the toilet earlier this week and couldn't remember if I had actually gone yet or not.  For real, my memory is THAT bad.
Movement:  She's moving a LOT more lately, which is a lot of fun and also sometimes weird
Food cravings:  [I like to ate ate ate] Apples and bananays
Anything making you queasy or sick:  The carsickness is starting to come back a little bit...not NEARLY as bad as it was before though, so I'm thankful for that
Have you started to show yet:  Whoa baby, have I.  While my belly has not [yet] been a magnet for strangers touching me, it has been a magnet for lengthy and very personal conversations with strangers.  I literally had a samples girl following me around a chocolate shop saying "AWWWW!!!" every time I moved.  I'm not kidding, she said it at least 8 times.  Normally, I would be happy about a person with a tray of chocolates following me around everywhere but in this case I couldn't wait to get away.  There are only so many ways that you can respond to perpetual (and GROSSLY undeserved) adoration like that from a stranger.  Anne Hathaway, is this what it feels like to be you?
Gender:  A little lady
Labor Signs:  None lately...I did feel quite a bit of downward pressure at the end of the day Friday, which made me nervous but my doctor said it was probably just gravity because I'd been on my feet so much that week
Belly Button in or out?  It's less of a halfsie now and more of a flat pancake with a fancy awning, like at a bistro
Wedding rings on or off?  Off
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy
Looking forward to:  Getting the nursery completely set up!!  We still have some gear left to buy, but for the most part we're ready to dive in and get everything settled!  We're almost ready for you, Jenna!!!

33 Weeks

How far along?  33 weeks
Total weight gain: 28 pounds...it just keeps climbing!!  We also got a prediction for Jenna's weight...right now based on her size they're guessing she's 4lb 4oz...lucky skinny biotch (kidding).  Although if she's anything like me, she'll looks like she's 4lb 4oz but will actually weigh almost twice that much.  I've always been dense like that...MOST importantly, it looks like she's right on time for a Christmas Eve delivery, as predicted!  I know every mother and doctor is going to laugh at this, but I really think she's going to be right on time.  I just have a feeling this is a very punctual baby.
Maternity clothes?  Yup.
Sleep:  Deeply and often!
Best moment this week:  Seeing Baby J on the sonogram!! Holy crap, she has gotten SO big!  Her head alone pretty much took up the entire screen!  But it was just so cool seeing her little face and her feet tapping....the doctor also said that she has some hair already so I guess that accounts for the heartburn I've been having.  I playfully asked her if she could tell what color it was and she said "Yes, it is black and white."  Lol what a jokester. 
Miss Anything?  My brain!  I read an article that said "baby brain" happens because your brain is literally rewiring itself and so different things are getting unplugged and replugged, etc.  Well, I'm pretty sure my brain was like, "Wow, we have a lot of work to do here. Let's just start from scratch" and just unplugged everything at once because it was seriously like...lights out from one day to the next.  Example #1...I went to court for that ticket/warrant that wasn't my fault, spoke to the judge, walked out and spoke to Jacob and was like, "It went so well!" and he was like, "What did he say you have to do?" and....nothing.  Totally blanked.  Had no idea.  Had to ask the clerk at the desk because it was like the last 10 minutes of my life had been totally erased.  Thanks baby brain.  Example #2...a friend gave me a Bellaband which I was really excited about because it meant I could try to wear some of my old jeans.  So, I open my drawer to grab a pair and...no jeans.  I look through ALL my drawers and...no jeans.  For real, guys...does anyone know what I did with my jeans?  I'm assuming I thought I wouldn't be able to wear them for a while and just...relocated them all or something but I really don't remember doing that and it's been over a week and I'm about to file a missing pants report with the police.  If you have any information with where my jeans are, please let me know.  Did I leave them at your house?  I'm serious.
Movement:  All the time!  I love it!
Food cravings:  Apples...THANKFULLY because there was a plethora of them at my (BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL) shower this weekend! I couldn't get enough!  Plus, it was just a really precious time with some very special people...combine that with all the amazing apple stuff and it doesn't get much sweeter than that! Banana cravings are also back in full force and I am having a serious love affair with milk...I think I personally went through a gallon in less than 3 days.  Jacob was like, "Didn't we just buy milk?"  Yes, we did.  Now please go get some more.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not so much
Have you started to show yet:  Oh yes.
Gender:  Girl...although the European kiosk man at the mall yelled after me, "Eet's a boi!" as I walked by.  When I told him it was a girl he said, "Ahhh...I knew it! I knew it!"  Did ya, pal?  By the way, I purposely wear my hair curly and no, I will not let you straighten one piece of it so I can walk around the mall looking ridiculous for the rest of the day.  But thank you for the free hair serum samples.
Labor Signs:  I think I had a couple of Braxton Hicks contractions the other day because I was laughing so hard at my dog.  I need a life.
Belly Button in or out?  Still rocking the awkward halfsie.
Wedding rings on or off?  Off
Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy! 
Looking forward to:  So many things...Asher being born ANY day now, eating the leftover apple things from the shower, subbing later this week at my favorite campus, and our LAST baby shower being thrown this upcoming weekend by my friends from work!  I can't wait!