40 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

 

How Far Along? 40 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 35 pounds.  The doctor says that anything I gain over 35 pounds is mine to keep!  Time to maybe cut out the ice cream?

Maternity Clothes? Yes and even most of those are getting short over my belly.

Belly? Still measuring 2 weeks small, although I don’t look like it!  And my belly button still isn’t popped out!  YAY!

Baby size? Full grown!

Gender? We’ll find out any day now!

Movement? I think it must be getting squishy in there because now all I have are the alien trying to burst through the skin type movements.

Sleep? That would be nice.  I’m up multiple times a night and often can’t get comfy in bed when I am there.  I’ll try sleeping again in a few months.

Cravings? Food.  I seem to be hungry again all the time.  But then not a lot actually sounds good when it’s time to eat it.

Aversions? Getting up after I’ve sat down and bending over!  (And yes, I do realize it’s talking about food also ;).

Symptoms? I run out of breath if I’m doing more than one thing at a time (you know, like walking across the room while also having a conversation).  Going to the bathroom every half hour or so.  Randomly feeling warm sometimes.  Swollen feet. Carpal tunnel in my right hand causing my fingers to go numb throughout the day (it will go away within a few months of delivery).

Preparing for birth? We still have to get the base latched into Danny’s car.  It’s in there though.  And then there’s the packing of the last minute things and we’re ready to go.  And figuring out exactly how it’s going to look with Josiah, although if we wait a few more days all our plans line back up because people are back from vacation.

Labor signs? Contractions throughout the day but nothing like two weeks ago when I thought for sure we were meeting this baby.  Feel free to change your prayers from “keep that baby in there” to “activate labor now.”

What I miss? Carrying Josiah without having a contraction and him being able to sit on my lap.  Bending over.  Doing the things that need done.  Painting my toenails.

Best Moment this week? Easter and having Josiah open his basket.  I was so excited for him to get it.  I’ve had it ready for weeks in case Raspberry came early.  Josiah wore a little suit and then Danny put plastic eggs in my parent’s yard for him to “hunt.”  Of course he hadn’t napped so he pooped out about half way through and the adults had to pick the rest of them up (although Charlie did try to help).

While we are super excited to meet Raspberry and find out about him or her, God’s timing is perfect.  We all three came down with a cold this week that wiped each of us out for a couple of days (blessedly not all at once).  We are still recovering.  I am so thankful that we did not have a newborn here to expose all of our germs to.  Please pray that we get over this in the next few days so that we can focus on getting this baby out here in the open! 

And because there is still no baby, we were also able to see Danny's dad get baptized which we didn't even know he was planning!  Now we can have this baby at any time...

38 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

 

How Far Along? 38 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 32 pounds—We’re back on the balance scale. L  The doctor says that anything I gain over 35 pounds is mine to keep!  I’m being very careful…

Maternity Clothes? Yes and even most of those are getting short over my belly.

Belly? Still measuring 2 weeks small, although I don’t look like it!  And my belly button still isn’t popped out!  YAY!

Baby size? 19-22 inches (head to toe) and about 7 lbs.—about the size of a watermelon, which makes sense since that looks like what I’m growing!  I think the feet are a little longer than my thumb based on measuring while they are pushing out.

Gender? We’ll find out any day now!

Movement? Like I’m a human bounce house.  And then there are the body parts poking out, sometimes near my spine.  :D

Sleep? I wake up once or twice a night to go to the bathroom.  Sometimes we play in Josiah’s room with the door shut so I can doze on the guest bed.

Cravings? Still on Frosted Mini Wheats.  And I made some homemade coffee creamer, so I’m loving my morning coffee again.

Aversions? Getting up after I’ve sat down and bending over!  And my belly button popping out--it's just a thing.

Symptoms? I run out of breath if I’m doing more than one thing at a time (you know, like walking across the room while also having a conversation).  Waking up hungry in the middle of the night.  A little heartburn.

Preparing for birth? We still have to get the base latched into Danny’s car.  It’s in there though.  And then there’s the packing of the last minute things and we’re ready to go.  And figuring out exactly how it’s going to look with Josiah.

Labor signs? Contractions throughout the day that are getting stronger.  I’ve had to stop a few times while writing just to track them.

What I miss? Carrying Josiah without having a contraction and him being able to sit on my lap (although on the floor he still can, but in chairs he slides off).  Bending over.  Doing the things that need done (like carrying boxes, etc.).

Best Moment this week? There have been a lot: a kid free lunch with a great friend (well, except Raspberry was there J), some great deals at Michael’s (everything for less than the original price of the frame I bought), our bathroom cabinet being finished and in our bathroom (although not all the way installed), playing outside in the warm weather with my adorable son, and watching The Croods with Danny even though there were no children watching (I love watching those movies with him!). 

36 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

 

 
 

How Far Along? 36 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 31 pounds—Funny story about this: Last week when I went to the doctor I had a new nurse who weighed me on the digital scale instead of the balance type scale.  I had apparently lost 7 lbs. in the last week!  So this week I was back on the balance scale and I’d really like to go back to the digital!  J

Maternity Clothes? Yes and even most of those are getting short over my belly.

Belly? Measuring 2 weeks small by my doctor’s measurements (I saw a different doctor this week while mine was on vacation and I measured right on for her).

Baby size? 19-22 inches (head to toe) and about 6.5 lbs.—about the size of a watermelon, which makes sense since that looks like what I’m growing!

Gender? It’s a surprise! (I think girl.  Danny thinks boy.)

Movement? I often wonder if people around me see the acrobatics going on.  The other morning Danny was feeling the baby and his comment was, “Well, I guess you got your kick counts in for the day, huh?”  Hiccups feel like Raspberry is jumping on a trampoline.

Sleep? I wake up once or twice a night to go to the bathroom and sometimes I can’t get comfortable back in bed so I end up on our huge comfy couch where I can lay on my back some.  I would still really like an afternoon nap, but Josiah is down to one nap a day so that doesn’t happen anymore.

Cravings? This week I really needed Frosted Mini Wheats (which I don’t usually like as I like plain Shredded Wheat better).  And onion bagels.  For some reason throughout the whole pregnancy they have sounded good and I’ve bought them sporadically, sometimes to have as an egg sandwich and sometimes just toasted with butter or cream cheese.  I really wish I craved healthy green things since I’m developing the baby’s taste buds and likes for life, but let’s just say this baby is going to love chocolate, ice cream and coffee!

Aversions? Getting up after I’ve sat down and bending over!

Symptoms? I run out of breath if I’m doing more than one thing at a time (you know, like walking across the room while also having a conversation).  I woke up hungry at like 4:00 this morning.  It looks like we’re back to middle of the night feedings—for me!

Preparing for birth? We took a refresher childbirth class with a great doula to be reminded of labor positions and help teach me how to relax.  I know practice relaxing each night before bed.  I realize this may sound silly, but that was the biggest problem my body had with Josiah was being able to progress through the labor stages because I apparently am not the relaxing kind.  :D  Josiah is in his new room, and it’s painted and even has some decorations up thanks to my mom and dad.  Raspberry’s crib is also up, gender neutral newborn clothes are in the drawers, her pack and play is assembled and by my bed, and her diapers are ready to go.  I’ve also finished packing us all for the hospital except for snacks and the last minute things we use all the time.

Labor signs? Contractions throughout the day.  The contraction app is downloaded and I’ve been playing with them (since there are bazillions out there) to find one I like, but I think ultimately I’ll go with the one Danny likes.  J  As far as I’m concerned, we can get this thing rolling anytime now.

What I miss? Carrying Josiah without having a contraction and him being able to sit on my lap (although on the floor he still can, but in chairs he slides off).  Bending over.  Doing the things that need done (like carrying boxes, etc.).

Best Moment this week? Making it to 36 weeks!  I’ve never been this pregnant before and now I know I can deliver in Redmond and with my doctor and the baby should be just fine.  Oh, and people exclaiming over how big my belly has gotten in the last week (thanks Mom!) and wondering when I’m due…yeah, not for another month, but I don’t think I’m going to make it.  I wanted to wait until April (which it now is) and not have the baby on the 1^st (which could be tomorrow then) since she would never outlive hearing about that from my dad.  And my wonderful date with my husband while Josiah practiced spending the night at Grandma's alone.