The End

I know you've all come here to see pictures of the new baby, but I'm tricking you in posting just another pregnancy update. This is odd because I'm almost 95% sure that this will be the last one I ever write. 

Weight: I gained 1 pound according to the doctor's scale. So overall this pregnancy I gained 42ish pounds, which compared to the 55 pounds last time, that's pretty amazing. And I started about 7-8 pounds lighter this time around too.

Maternity Clothes: I am waiting to put away these maternity clothes once and for all. I will say that wearing maternity clothes is pretty limiting and I would recommend opting to splurge a bit and buy some cute ones. Hindsight is 20/20.

Stretch marks/belly button: Same -No stretch marks and the belly button is still not permanently out.

Baby Movements: Lots of them. And she loves kicking my right ribs with her foot. It also feels like she's punching my pelvis at times, which is just as comfortable and lovely as that sounds.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing. I'm getting heartburn again -mostly when I'm too full. But it's hard to prevent it because my appetite is so much smaller so the quantity of food I am able to consume is much less than I'm used to.

What I miss: Being able to stand on one foot! I have a lot of pelvic pressure and climbing in and out of bed (mostly Callan's) has proven to be challenging since standing on one foot straddling the bed rail is pretty painful.

Other: I am supposed to be getting induced today (actually as we speak), but I've been turned away! Well, not really, that was just my very dramatic way of saying that it hasn't happened yet. We got a nice early time

slot (5:30 AM) and at 7:30 they told us to go home. Sigh, now we're just waiting for a call back. What the heck, isn't the whole point of scheduling this so you know when it's going to happen? Guess not... maybe nature will take over and I'll have to go in and be admitted.

The (hopefully) last picture taken of the belly... this is what 40+ lbs looks like!

Week 38 -the end (ish)

Weight: I didn't gain anything since last week and may have even lost a little. I haven't been super hungry recently, so other than the gallon of orange juice I've been drinking a week, I actually have a fairly normal diet.

Maternity Clothes: Yes and I am getting sick of them. I see all the cute clothes around me and I can't wait to dress like a normal person again.

Stretch marks/belly button: Same -No stretch marks, but the belly button threatens to pop out permanently. Right now it still wavers.

Baby Movements: She seems to have a decent amount of room in there or at least it seems that way based on her movements. Towards the end it's supposed to get less agitated, but she's still bouncing around.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing new to report. Same as last week. My appetite has definitely diminished and I'm not having full out aversions, but something that sounded delicious to me a minute ago now is the furthest thing from what I want.

What I miss: Lying on my stomach! I've been lying in bed to read Callan's books and I gravitate towards lying on my stomach and that is a definite no go.

Other: The swelling seems to have calmed down a bit (probably helps that I'm not eating as much) and I've decided to become a sensible person and stop wearing heels. I'm still working (and commuting on the train), but those days are definitely numbered. We are actually contemplating an induction next Wednesday (when I would be 39 weeks). I technically am a good candidate since I've already started dilating and effacing (funnily enough, I'm at the same point I was last pregnancy. Between the last 2 appointments I didn't gain any weight and I didn't dilate any more, but I'm slightly more effaced --just like last time!) and I had pitocin last time so I know I won't have a crazy reaction to it. And it makes sense. We could get someone to come in and help for a bit, we wouldn't have to worry about Callan and Huge's work schedule is perfectly aligned as he'd be home for 2 weeks straight. So it seems like the best thing to do, but for some reason I'm really hesitating. Part of it is knowing that life as we know it is about to totally change (which, I get logically was going to happen anyway, but maybe knowing that there's a deadline now makes it different? Who knows -can you really reason with a pregnant lady?) or having to really acknowledge it's about to happen with a finite countdown -like this could be Callan's last week as an only child... The good news is technically I don't have to decide until next Tuesday, but in reality if this is going to happen we've got to decide a heck of a lot sooner so we can get our ducks in a row. And in other news, Huge is away again this weekend... Can a 9 month pregnant lady and an almost 2 year old assemble a crib and put together a baby's room on their own?!? haha. And if we schedule this induction is it going to be Murphy's law where the baby is going to come even earlier because I am having some serious Braxton-Hicks today!

Of course, here's today's picture... Don't be alarmed by the giant-ness!

Week 37 -full term (already?!?)

Wowsers, I'm full term already. How did that happen?

Weight: I've hit 40 lbs... I've always been an overachiever (at least when it comes to weight).

Maternity Clothes: Yup and the shirts are getting s-h-o-r-t. You'll see in the picture below that unless my pants have a full belly panel, there's a possibility of feeling a draft on the bottom of my belly. I'm still in my puffy coat though. Good thing I decided this was the last year for it because the zipper is getting tested on a daily basis.

 

Stretch marks/belly button: No stretch marks, but the belly button threatens to pop out permanently. Right now it still wavers.

 

Baby Movements: She has gotten into a nice comfy head down, spine out position (perfect for delivery). She's still pretty active and lots of kicks to the ribs.

 

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing new to report. Although my appetite has definitely diminished. I used to eat like a truck driver (or a high school football player), but recently I've had to remind myself to eat a proper meal (somehow I don't forget to eat my daily share of candy).

What I miss: I miss being able to walk briskly for long periods of time. Going to the store seems like a long trek. There's also lots of Braxton Hicks and pelvic pressure which make walking briskly somewhat challenging.

 

Other: We had our 36 week ultrasound, which confirmed baby G's head down position. She also was measuring at an estimated size of 6 lbs 11 oz (about 70th percentile). Interestingly enough, Callan was 6 lbs 8 oz at his growth ultrasound appointment (I also wore the same shirt in that week's picture and I'm definitely more giant this time around). It also looks like I've dropped and the swelling has started. It's not too terrible, but it's definitely starting. I'm also slightly dilated (almost 2cm) and slightly effaced (50%), which was again where I was last time around so we are right on track.

 

35/35 -35 weeks down, 35 days left...

We are at that point where we're 35 weeks down and have 35 days left. That means there's a month (at most) left for this little girl to cook... This has gone by way too fast, but I'm excited to see this new little munchkin.

Weight: So, we're at 37 lbs... Ya...

Maternity Clothes: Yup and the shirts are getting shorter and shorter. I'm miraculously still fitting into my winter puffy coat, although by the end of a day (or after a big meal), it's definitely tight around the belly and I need to unzip it from the bottom a bit to sit comfortably.

Stretch marks/belly button: Still no stretch marks. This clearly goes to show that it's mostly genetics/luck that play into it. If it was just weight gain or size, I think I would have a bazillion already. The belly button is pretty flat and sometimes sticks out. It's not all the time and it's usually just one side (the left), which makes it look even odder. I'm not as weirded out by it as I thought I would be.

Baby Movements: Still rolling, kicking, punching and moving about. She's pretty active and every now and again she'll get something stuck up under my ribs (mostly my right side), where I'll have to gently coax her to move. She was breech at the beginning, so I'm hoping all this movement is just her way of settling into a nice head down position.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing new to report. Same old, same old.

What I miss: After a day of eating and sitting, the belly's getting kind of uncomfortable, but considering my size I feel pretty lucky. I also miss being able to walk up the stairs/carry Callan or play comfortably on the the floor with him. I'm assuming the last few weeks are just going to get worse, but again, considering my size (and stage of pregnancy), I feel pretty lucky.

Other: Still feeling calm about everything. I've been talking to friends who have 2 and although I know it's not going to be a walk in the park, I'm not thinking it's going to be so difficult. Huge (of course) is freaking out a bit, but my philosophy is sort of like I'll get through it and there are tons of people who have gone through this before me. I may not remember what the first few weeks of newborn life are like, but we got through them (I do remember I made Huge come home early one day, but by the time he got home I was totally over whatever it was that I freaked out about). I think my expectations are realistic, but I'm also pretty optimistic that in the end it'll be fine.

I have a doctor's appointment and ultrasound in a couple of weeks, so it'll be interesting to see just how big this child is (I'm going with giant. I had a 2 vessel umbilical cord last time with Callan, which usually causes some growth restriction and yet I still managed to birth an 8lb, 21 inch baby) and maybe get a better idea of when I should prepare myself for her arrival.

Here's this week's picture so you can envision for yourself how giant this baby girl will be:


Don't mind Callan in the corner, he wanted to get in on the action. Also, yes, I know we're missing Callan's 22 month newsletter... it's not denial it's just a lack of time right now.

Week 32ish

So we're on to month 8... that's awfully close to the end. I haven't done one of these updates for a month so here goes.

Weight: About 31ish pounds. Interestingly enough, I've gained almost the exact same amount of weight as I did last time. I'm carrying differently though and I feel like it looks like more belly (last time I got massive tree trunk legs, which I seem to be avoiding this time around), but I'm also a few pounds lighter than I was last time around.

Maternity clothes: Yup. Oddly enough my shirts are already starting to get short (again, I think it's the giant belly) and because I'm carrying higher up, I'm still able to wear non-maternity pants that are stretchy (i.e. pjs and sweats) and non-maternity tights. Another difference this time around is that I'm loving the low panel pants rather than the big high panel ones. Last time around the low panel pants dug in too much too my belly, which was probably a combination of the fact I was carrying lower and that I was bigger.

Stretch marks/Belly button: No stretch marks and the belly button isn't consistently out, but after a big meal or when she's in the right spot it will poke out a little bit. I'm hoping to avoid stretch marks again, but with the weight I'm gaining and the size of my belly, this could be unavoidable.

Baby Movements: She has been very active. This time around I still had an anterior placenta, but it was off to one side, rather than directly in front like last time. I think the anterior placenta last time muffled a lot more movement than it is this time around so it's kind of an interesting sensation.

Cravings/Aversions: Same old story -too many sweets, too many carbs. I really need to get that under control. I'm loving citrus fruits, but not sour candy and I could eat my body weight in chocolate.

What do I miss: My clothes and the ability to walk briskly.

Other: Well, I'm feeling oddly calm about everything. I don't know if it's a serious case of denial or delusion, but even though this baby could make it's appearance in less than 2 months, I'm feeling that everything will be ok. Our friends just had their baby girl Rosie so baby girl G and Rosie can be best friends like Callan and Rosie's brother Ellis are.
I'm also about to take a trip to Boston to visit my nephew (finally!) and see some friends and family. The crazy thing is that I'm flying ALONE with Callan (Huge is travelling for work and will be meeting me in Boston). So I'm hoping everything goes smoothly and Callan behaves on the plane.

Here's the pictures from this week (with a good close up to really emphasize the belly).

This is what it looked like last time around... ya, the belly's definitely bigger.

Third trimester already?

So I logged into my pregnancy app the other day and it welcomed me to my third trimester. Um, excuse me? How'd that happen. Here we are at week 27/28 coming around to the home stretch and I have done zilch to get ready for this baby (other than buy a couple of cute outfits and read Callan a Big Brother book that he got for Christmas).

Anyway, here's the roundup. I've been pretty inconsistent with these -this child is already being neglected! haha.

Weight: I stepped on the scale and oops, I'm up a few (4ish) pounds since my last appt. I'll get an official weigh in at the doctors next week, but according to my scale it'll be about 24/5ish pounds total, which holy moly is a lot.
Maternity clothes: I'm definitely carrying higher this time around b/c I can get away with non-maternity bottoms that are low. Like I'm in non-maternity tights and leggings, weird.
Baby movements: About the same. Although I haven't felt hiccups with her. I remember with Callan he got the hiccups a lot.
Cravings/Aversions: No aversions, but I've been eating a lot off SUGAR. I need to do a serious detox. I'm on a huge gummy worm kick and can plow through an entire back by myself (which I discovered recently is about 600 calories... oops).
What do you miss: Nothing new. Although I do miss shopping. There are all these great after Christmas sales and I have Christmas money to spend, but I can't buy clothes.
Other: My tailbone is starting to hurt when I sit for long periods of time and I haven't been exercising, but if I walk too briskly or for too long I start to get weird cramps/aches. The funny thing is that I complained of my tailbone hurting during my last pregnancy right around this time too.

Here's the pic of the week -definitely got a baby in there!

Definitely starting to show

So I hit 25 weeks... Huh, that's weird. I feel like I just found out I was pregnant.. . Guess not. Definitely going by much faster than my last... guess I'm just busier! I'm almost done with my second trimester, which is insane to me.

I had a doctor's appointment this week and passed my glucose screening (yea), but I also gained a whole bunch of weight... oops. I had barely gained anything in my first trimester (I think I actually lost a few), but I've MORE than made up for it now. Shockingly, I've actually gained the same amount of weight (roughly) as I had the last time.... so I'm probably on track to gaining 50+ lbs again. Ugh. I was hoping to have a nice normal 25-35 lbs pregnancy, but I guess not. My doctor said, some people just gain a lot... guess I'm one of those "lucky" ones!

Here's the roundup
Weight: I'm up about 20 lbs since the beginning.
Maternity clothes: Definitely pants and some shirts. It's weird b/c I started this pregnancy a bit smaller than my last, so some of my non-pregnancy shirts still fit and my old mat pants are a little big, but I don't really want to buy more since this will (probably) be my last pregnancy.
Baby movements: Yes, this girl is a squirmy kicker. It's probably just retaliation since Callan inadvertently pokes her a lot (while trying to climb onto my lap), but she's got lots of movement.
Cravings/Aversions: Nope, pretty much everything is good... guess that's why I've gained 20 lbs. haha.
What do you miss: Nothing really. Beer and wine a bit (especially now that it's the season for revelry) and my clothes. I know part of it is because I'm being stubborn and not buying new stuff, but my clothes are *yawn* b-o-r-i-n-g!
Other: Nothing else really happening. Still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they'll be 2 little munchkins soon-ish. We moved into our new place last month and then we got all crazy with the holidays so there hasn't been a lot of time to think about this pregnancy.... but I'm definitely starting to feel (and look pregnant).

Here are some pics:

Yup, defiitely pregnant.

18 month well baby and other updates

Callan had his 18 month doctor appointment last week and the doctor validated everything we already knew. He's growing bigger and stronger every day. Although he didn't grow too much (only about an inch), he continues to be off the charts for height at 35.5 inches. He also gained another few pounds and is 27 pounds, 2 ounces, but that still keeps him in the 70th percentile. And his head at 19 inches, continues strong in the 60-70th percentile.

In other updates, my second pregnancy is chugging along at kind of an alarmingly fast rate. Obviously I've got Callan, Huge and the pending move keeping me busy, but I remember the last pregnancy going so.much.slower. This time, not so much... I'm already 20 weeks in (which means, um, hello, I'm halfway done!). This kid has already fallen victim to second kid syndrome and not nearly as many pictures have been taken to document their (short) existence. Anyway, for those of you asking, here's my 20 week picture (for reference, here's my picture from the last time). I'm feeling like I've popped, but now that I look at this picture, maybe not so much. Although, this is what you get for squeezing your 20 week pregnant self into your pre-pregnancy clothes. I'm starting off smaller than I did at my last pregnancy so my maternity clothes don't really fit me yet, but I should probably give this baby some room to breathe. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and buy a couple pairs of pants. I'm sure I can make do with the shirts I have until I fit into my maternity ones, but the pants are starting to be a struggle.

Anyway, I planned on doing lots more updates -like about the first trimester (cliffs notes edition: the first trimester was terrible... lots of nausea, puking and general feeling of blah but the second has been much better) -but at this point it seems moot. My energy (and appetite) are back, so I'm hoping the rest of this is smooth sailing. And for those of you keeping track, yes, the 20 week mark is when you get your big ultrasound. We will be finding out again so stay tuned. Our ultrasound is next week so we'll know by then (hopefully) whether this little nugget is a boy or girl!

Week 40-41: The end (and beginning)

Guess I don't have a pregnancy update for week 40-41 because I am no longer pregnant!

Callan Joseph Galdones made his entrance into the world on Friday, April 22, 2011 at 8:19 pm. He was a healthy 8 pounds, 2 ounces and 21 inches long.

We are all in love.

So no more pregnancy updates, but I'm sure there will be lots more pictures of this little guy.

Week 39-40: Still here

Well, it's week 39-40 and I'm still here or more accurately, baby G is still on the inside. I was pretty convinced that he'd be here by now, but sadly he's not.

Weight: According to the doctor's I've gained another pound.

Maternity clothes: Same as usual. The stomach is getting bigger, but I'm thinking the rest of me has stopped growing (thankfully).

Stretch marks/belly button: Still no stretch marks and the belly button is still in.

Baby movement: Same as before. I had a non-stress test today at the doctor's and the baby seems to be doing well.

What I miss: Not being so paranoid. Every ache/pain/cramp makes me convinced that I'm about to go into labor -which, clearly has not panned out yet.

Other: Nothing new to report.

Dr's update: I'm dilated a bit more, almost 3, and things seem to be progressing, but just not as fast as I want. At this point we're going to wait to see if I make it to my next appointment next Tuesday before we make any definite plans for our next step -so if you're paying attention baby G, you should try to make your appearance soon.

Here's this week's picture...

Week 38-39: Days are numbered

The countdown has begun. At this point I really could go any day now... Huge is hoping I go sooner rather than later and to be honest so do I. My mother would like him to wait until she gets here, but I'm ready to be done working and I'm ready to meet the little guy.

Weekly update:

Weight: According to the doctor's scale I stayed the same/lost a little. I'm hoping that means this is it until the end, but who knows.

Maternity clothes: Same as usual

Stretch marks/belly button: Still no stretch marks and the belly button still fluctuates.

Baby movement: Same as before. Same hiccups/rolls/jabs/pokes. He does seem to have a lot of quiet moments, so I hope that means he's a good sleeper!

What do I miss: My wardrobe, being able to roll over easily and sleeping through the night. I haven't been cursed with having to get up to pee 100 times a night, but I started getting really severe leg cramps that will wake me up from a deep sleep. I'm also getting weird aches and pains, which are totally normal being this far along (and this heavy), but it has made sleeping a little bit uncomfortable recently.

Other: Nothing really new to report. Just waiting for the little guy to arrive. I'm still working and my energy and enthusiasm for it has definitely diminished. I'm hoping to finish up everything on my desk and organize my projects enough so that I can go on maternity leave and not look back.

Dr's update: I'm still about 2 cm dilated, but I've thinned a bit more and am about 70% effaced. She still doesn't think I'll make it full term, but at this point with only 10 days left until my due date I wouldn't be too surprised if I did. I still don't have any real regular contractions and any cramps/contractions/pressure I do feel usually waxes and wanes throughout the day. Maybe it'll pick up soon and hopefully it means that labor will be easy.

Here's today's picture. I'm looking pretty huge. His head is down, but I don't think it's engaged yet b/c he still seems to kind of move up and down a bit (or at least his body does -maybe he's just stretching?). I'm definitely anxious to meet the little guy and maybe we will before my next update!

Bucket List

I figure my days as a pregnant lady are numbered and I've already gained a ridiculous amount of weight so why not go out with a bang? Not that I'm never going to eat junk food again (because that's not true), but I know that I won't be able to with the reckless abandon that I have been. So with that in mind I have come up with a bucket list of treats I plan on indulging in without guilt until baby G makes his appearance and a recap of those that have gotten me to this (heavy) place I am now:

1. Scones from Starbucks: I don't know how much sugar (or butter) these things have, but they are delicious. I recently acquired a hard to find (may actually be out of circulation) maple oat scone c/o Huge via Denver... and it was exquisite -just as good as I remembered. It had probably been years since I've had one.


2. Caramel sundaes from McDonald's: I've actually only had 2 during my pregnancy, partially because I don't go to McDonald's very often, but also because I mistakenly believed they were no longer in circulation. I discovered at the airport on my way to Florida that they did indeed exist and not only quite fantastic but also only a dollar! I forgot how good they were, and I don't think they are *that* bad for you so I'm sure I'll be eating quite a few of these during the summer (if I remember).


3. Blueberry muffin from Dunkin Donuts: I've been talking about this muffin for weeks (maybe even months) and I finally indulged in one yesterday. I don't know if they're different in Chicago than they are in Boston, but it was kind of disappointing. It was much smaller than I remembered and not quite as buttery. Maybe I'll have to try another Dunkins. :)


4. Jellybeans/Easter Candy: This is something I've been indulging in without abandon already. I'm trying to keep it down to 1 "serving" (i.e. pig out) a day and for the most part it's worked, but it's been tough going. The unfortunate part is that there is no nutritional value in this splurge -it's all sugar, but it's been fun.


5. French fries: This hasn't been quite as bad as the sweet stuff since I generally only get them with a meal (not as a snack), but I've definitely been opting for fries instead of salad or veggies as a side throughout this pregnancy.


6. Chips: This one was terrible for awhile, but gave way once my sweet tooth took over.


7. Cookies/Dessert: I was actually out of control for awhile -so much so that I needed to give up cookies for Lent in order to break free. This pregnancy has really exacerbated my sweet tooth.


8. ??

So there you have it, a list of my indulgences that have plagued me throughout this pregnancy and probably will continue to do so for at least a little while longer. The time will come soon enough where I'll have to get back to working out and eating like a normal person, but for now, I plan on having some fun! Just remind me that I consciously decided to do this when I'm moaning about all the extra weight I have to lose once this baby comes!

Week 37-38: Let the countdown begin

I'm officially full term and at this point baby G is just freeloading! I'm ok with having him stay put for a little while longer, but I'm not sure exactly how long until he overstays his welcome. I've decided to do the weekly updates on Tuesdays now because that is when I have my doctor's appointments and I'm *sure* that you're all dying to know how those go too (ha) and I'm much too lazy to do two posts in a row.

Weight: Still gaining. According to doctor's scale I'm up 2 lbs and I think it's about the same at the home scale. I've officially broken 45 lbs. yikes.

Maternity clothes: Same as usual

Stretch marks/belly button: No stretch marks and the belly button is still fluctuating. I have however discovered I have cellulite. I know that this shouldn't be so earth shattering especially since I've gained 45 lbs, but even for a kind of chubby girl I never had cellulite before (unless I squished my fat together), but now I think I'm starting to get it. Sigh. I'm hoping once I pop the baby out and lose the weight the cellulite will go away.

Baby Movement: Same as before. Lots of stretching and rolling. He's been getting the hiccups pretty regularly as well, which is always reassuring.

What do I miss: Still walking with a limp and although I don't think I'm quite waddling yet, it's definitely uncomfortable to stand or walk for long periods of time. I also miss being able to walk briskly. I have become a s-l-o-w walker due to the discomfort and I am not used to it at all. I enjoy walking with a purpose!

Other: The last few days have been the first where I'm feeling done with being pregnant. I have been lucky that since about week 16/17 I have been feeling pretty good and not too bogged down by pregnancy ailments. However, the last few days have brought on the fatigue, backaches, soreness and cramps almost full time and I could really do without all of it. I'm also still working, but my head is not in it 100%. I need to get cracking on a plan for when I'm on leave, but somehow the days keep getting busier and busier with less and less getting done on my to-do list!

Dr's update: So my doctor cracks me up. She told me today how I have a "beautiful cervix"! I love it. Only she could say it with a straight face and mean it. Anyway, I'm almost 2 cm dilated and about 50% effaced... Granted I could be like that for weeks, but we both have a feeling I'll go before my due date. She said for a first time mom that's a lot of progress and the cramps/contractions I've been feeling seem to be working.

Here's the picture of the week. I always am a little surprised when I see how big my belly is. I think it also looks a lot bigger this week because the little guy changed positions so his butt is more in front rather than to the side as it has been. The bump isn't as wide and is more long now. Still can't tell if I've "dropped", but his head is definitely down.

Week 36/37 -Almost full term

I am almost full term! And thankfully baby G is still holding tight. I need him to stay put for at least another week -especially since Huge is out of town this coming Sunday and Monday.

Today I had my doctor's appointment and growth ultrasound. Things are looking good and baby G is head down and growing. They estimate he is already 6lbs 8oz, so he'll be somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 lbs when he's born. If you remember from my last ultrasound in Feb, he had a large head that was measuring a few weeks ahead of his gestational age. Well. he has continued to grow that way and although his body is in the 40-50th percentile, his head is measuring a few weeks ahead and is in the whopping 95th percentile! I'm hoping some of it is hair, but this is going to be a big headed child. I better start doing tummy time on his first day so we can get those neck muscles working! Other than that the doctor's was easy. I had by Group B strep test, blood draw and the regular routine. At this point baby G is about fully cooked, but I'm hoping to keep him in there another couple of weeks.

Here's the weekly update:

Weight: Still gaining, but it does seem to be slowing down. I only gained 1 pound according to the doctor's, but my scale at home shows me up a couple. I am definitely heading to the 50 lb mark, but I'm just praying it doesn't go above that.

Maternity clothes: Pretty much exclusively, minus cardigans and things w/ elastic waists.

Stretch marks/belly button: Still no stretch marks and the belly button hasn't popped full time, but if I'm really full and baby is active then it does the half pop.

Baby Movement: Lots of limbs and rolls around. My doctor today commented that because I have an anterior placenta (the placenta is in the front) it acts like a cushion and absorbs a lot of the movement. I wonder what it would feel like if I didn't have that and maybe that's why I don't really have a lot of the painful movements people talk about.

What do I miss: Walking without limping. I have self diagnosed myself as having plantar fascilitis in my left foot and it's definitely getting worse and I think it's starting a little bit on the right too. I also miss being able to close my hand in a tight fist without pain. My joints are a bit painful and the swelling is starting up. It's still not too bad, but it's there.

Other: Huge's coworkers threw a shower for me last Friday, which was really lovely. I should do a whole post on it and show you pictures of all the amazing onesies that they decorated for baby G. I'm a little nervous to wash them because I'm afraid to ruin them, but they are super adorable and I know baby G will love them.

Here's this week's picture. I'm trying to decide if I've "dropped"... I know I'm big as my shirts are starting to not be so long!

Week 35-36: In the home stretch

So much has happened this past week!

• Huge and I finished our baby classes -we took our infant/child CPR and first aid class on Thursday night and Sunday was our breastfeeding class. The classes were definitely informative and I'm glad we took them. It's made me feel just a little bit more prepared.


• My girlfriends threw me a shower luncheon yesterday. It was such a fantastic day and just reinforces the fact that I have such amazing friends and baby G is so lucky to have all these people that already love and care for him. We got some adorable clothes, our high chair, our bath stuff, bottles and lots of other goodies. When I get pictures, I'll have to remember to post them. The food was amazing too! Yum, if only I could eat a brunch like that every week.

For the weekly update:

Weight: Still going up, but it seems to be slowing down/leveling off (hopefully).

Maternity clothes: Same as before.

Stretch marks/belly button: Still no stretch marks and the belly button hasn't officially popped full time. Sometimes it pops out halfway or will be really flat, but it goes back in after awhile when baby G moves or when I've digested the last meal.

Baby movement: We're getting a lot more limbs poking out. Huge was convinced he felt a foot including the toes the other night, but I didn't feel it. Baby G has been "playing" with Huge where he'll stick out something, Huge will push it a bit and then baby G will either push back or move and stick it out again. I'm sure we're annoying the crap out of baby G, but the poking and prodding is kind of fun!

What do I miss: Nothing new.

Other: Hm... nothing really exciting or new. Huge is going away for a couple of days in a couple of weeks (beginning of April), so I'm hoping baby stays put until after that date, but otherwise I'm feeling surprisingly calm about everything. I'm starting to get my "to to" list together, but I'm still not feeling a whole lot of urgency -do you think I'm still in denial? One thing I do need to do asap? Our taxes!

Here's the pic for the week -definitely growing!

35/35 and other updates

I have reached another pregnancy milestone 35/35 -I have completed 35 weeks of pregnancy and have 35 days left until my due date. Holy moly... that's just about a month at this point! I really should get cracking on my to do list. I would say I am generally a laid back person, but this is taking it to a whole new level! I guess part of the reason is that I know it'll be fine in the end and the actual taking care of the baby thing has never fazed me... the one thing that is stressing me out a bit? The visiting parents! haha. But, really, I should "prepare" myself and the house. I keep reading online all these April moms-to-be having their babies already, so the month I have remaining might not be that long at all.

In other updates, Huge and I attended our infant and child cpr and first aid class so now we can do cpr and help a chocking infant or child. Our next (and last) class is Saturday and my girlfriends here are throwing me a shower/luncheon on Sunday. Lots of baby things going on this weekend!

Week 34-35

Hey, guess what time it is... another pregnancy update. I have to say that these are pretty boring (although I have a feeling it's probably been like that for awhile).

So here goes:
Weight: Up, but I went to the doctor's and the scale claimed I didn't gain -which after last appointment's 8 lb gain, I better not have! It's still under 50 lbs (yes, that's my new barometer, so clearly my standards are low), but above the 35 average.

Maternity clothes: Pretty much, although the shirt and sweater below are not. So anything long and loose can still fit over the pooch.

Stretch marks/belly button: Nope, but the button is getting close.

Baby movement: Lots of rolling and poking still. Sometimes I swear I can feel actual limbs sticking out. He's been getting a lot of hiccups, which I read was good b/c it means he's practicing his breathing and swallowing, and there seems to be some sort of spasm-ing going on, but that's pretty infrequent.

What do I miss: Nothing new. Same old.

Other: I've really got nothing. I had a quick doctor's appointment today and everything looks good. No weird symptoms or problematic things to report. My next appointment is in 2 weeks and we'll get to take another look at the little bugger and then from then on I'll be full term and going to the doctor's weekly. Crazy times!

Lent

I know I'm a few days late with this post, but that seems to be the story of my life when it comes to this blog!

Wednesday marked the beginning of the Lenten season (for Catholics) and although I'm not super religious I do follow certain Lenten practices -Gorging myself on Fat Tuesday (what, that's not part of it?), ashes on Ash Wednesday, no meat on holy days and Fridays during Lent and of course giving something. I also usually fast, but decided that this year since I was pregnant I didn't have to -I didn't go to the official Catholic rule book to see if this was accurate, but I figured the big guy would understand. I usually try to give something up for Lent and I figured this year it would be the perfect time to kick some of this sugar habit I've developed while pregnant, but because I'm reasonable (and kind of a wimp), I didn't give up all sugar/dessert... just certain ones. Is that cheating? Probably, but I figure it's better than nothing and it IS a sacrifice...

Anyway, this year Lent has a little extra meaning for me because the end of Lent is Easter and for me that means my due date! Maybe baby G will wait to be delivered by the Easter bunny :)

Week 33-34

I feel like I just wrote one of these, which I guess technically I did since last week's was so late. We are back on schedule this week, so here's the updated on me and baby G.

Weight: Still up. I'm not sure what it is officially... but it's definitely still creeping upwards. On my scale at home it's not too bad. We'll have to wait and see what the doctor's says next week.


Maternity clothes: Yes

Stretch marks/Belly button: No stretch marks still and belly button is still in (except for when baby G decides to kick it out at night).


Baby Movement: Still the same. Lots of rolling and poking and sometimes rhythmic tapping. He's still really shy though and will move and bounce around, but once the video camera comes out he stops. And once the camera goes away he'll start back up. Little does he know, he better get used to having a camera around otherwise he's going to have one unhappy dad!


Cravings/Aversions: I keep reading about all these first trimester symptoms that are supposed to crop back up during the last and so far (knock on wood), I seem to be symptom free. I'm still eating a bunch of sweets (including inhaling the boxes of girl scout cookies that are lying around), but that's not so much a craving as an indulgence. The good news is that I am going to give up cookies for Lent -which is kind of a cop out since it doesn't include candy or other dessert substances, like cake and ice cream, but I think cookies right now are the biggest problem (and most accessible) so giving them up for Lent is a step in the right direction. Of course that means I have today and tomorrow to get my fill -fat Tuesday is going to be taking on a whole new meaning!



What do I miss: Hm... nothing new.

Other: Rings are still on, but the tightness in my hands is still there. I also think my feet are starting to swell a bit-nothing too major, but I think I can see it. By the end of the day my belly is sore from stretching and is visibly bigger than the morning. It's obviously not all baby as there's some food, liquid, bloat and gas in there and by morning it deflates a little bit. But it's still growing daily. We took our first class yesterday and it's reinforced the fact that we're in the home stretch!

I did this week's picture in a dress because I think the bump is more visible and defined. I also have ridiculous hair going on in this picture -definitely time for a haircut!

Great Expectations

Today Huge, baby G and I attended our first baby class at Northwestern. It was an all day affair that covered a wide array of topics including the different stages of labor, pain coping techniques and what to do on the big day. Our teacher was a labor and delivery nurse and she was really great -I'm kind of hoping she's on duty when the time comes!

Although we didn't go into it in too much details we did talk about different ways to cope with pain during labor including drugs that would be available. I'm not completely sold on going all natural, but I do think I want to try to go as long as possible before getting the epidural. If it happens that I think I can do it without than I will, but otherwise I'm ok with getting the drugs. I'm actually a little afraid that I either won't be able to get one because of my wonky lower back or that it won't work. Because of that, I think I need to step up my knowledge of alternative pain coping techniques. I hope Huge is prepared! :)

We also got a tour of labor and delivery, and the different rooms -triage, the labor room and then the post-partum room. I definitely feel a little bit more prepared for baby G and it makes it feel like the day is getting closer...