37 Weeks - Baby #2

37 Weeks, 5 days - Good morning! :)

How far along? 37 weeks, 6 days 

Total weight gain/loss: I'm officially at +30 pounds. I was +29 at my 36 week appointment and gained 1 more pound at my 37 week appointment. My doctor cancelled my 38 week appointment since it was scheduled (due to conflicts on her part) for only 5 days later. So I will be seen next at my 39 week appointment in 9 days, if I'm still pregnant! ;) 

Maternity clothes? Yes and I'm definitely getting sick of dressing up for work, haha! I would love to be in PJ's all day. However, work itself is not bothering me. I have enough energy and am able to sit a lot when I need to but I also get a lot of walking in. It helps that we are wrapping up the semester and my classes will all be online next marking period so I can just sit in a lab and not have to directly teach lessons. Perfect last week or two of a working pregnancy if you ask me. ;)

Stretch marks? Yes, two small symmetrical spots on the bottom of my belly. One is about an inch long and the other is more like a centimeter. I'm curious how they'll look postpartum.
Sleep: I am sleeping less. I still fall asleep in the afternoons when I am able to. 20 minute catnaps are just the best thing after work! However, I'm not sleeping as soundly at night. I am not uncomfortable, besides having to go to the bathroom a lot, I just don't seem to get as much sleep. It's been hard waking up with my alarm the last couple of days!

Best moments this week: 

1) A surprise baby shower! My co-workers surprised me on one of our half days (exam week) with a lunch and a few small gifts for baby. They also got Brandon and I a gift card for a night out. So thoughtful. :)

2) First wedding shower for my future sister-in-law! It's always so fun to gather and celebrate with someone. :)

3) We found daycare for BOTH kiddos next year! We had quite a lot of stress these past two weeks because we thought we had a daycare situation sort of figured out and then it ended up not working. (Unfortunately our current daycare will not have a spot for the baby next year....hence looking for a new daycare) But, through God's provision, I believe we have found a great fit for our family. Blake will not be attending preschool (3-school) next year which was our "back-up" plan if we couldn't find a daycare spot for both kids. It is like trying to get into an NYC prep school finding an infant daycare spot. This kid's not even born yet and people have waiting lists til next Spring! Crazy! So thankful we are set. 

4) I went through some serious nesting last weekend: finished the hospital bag, sanitized ALL pump parts/bottles/pacifiers, cleaned out every cupboard in the kitchen (with Brandon's help), and made 19 freezer meals. I was tired. But I just couldn't stop cleaning things. I was so on top of the dishes it was miraculous. Unfortunately, the weariness has settled back in this week. :)

Have you told family and friends: Yes!
Miss anything yet? I miss being able to carry Blake and play with him more actively. He seems to sense that the new baby is coming soon and is becoming a bit more clingy and even emotional (not in a bad way). It makes me feel some mom-guilt that we are changing his world in so many ways even though we are so happy to welcome a new life to our family. I know he'll adjust because every kid does; it just makes me a little sad to watch him struggle with coping. Don't get me wrong, sometimes he seems completely ambivalent and at other times excited...but overall, just a bit more attached to mom and dad.
Movement: There were two days last week that I swear baby was moving less. I even did an actual "kick count" and counted 9 movements in an hour (should be 10) but since then movement has resumed it's "normal" activity. :) The doctor did not seem worried. I mostly just feel squirms now and lots of hiccups!
Food cravings: Food. Haha! I'm hungry like a MAN during the day. However, I'm not very hungry before bed which is normally my prime snack time. I'm also still thirsty 24/7.
Anything making you queasy or sick? Heartburn.
Have you started to show yet: Definitely! I overheard a stranger at a restaurant yesterday say, "She's about to blow" as I walked by. I don't take offense; I know I'm huge, lol. A few have mentioned that they think I've dropped but I think I've just carried low this entire pregnancy. Brandon also says that my belly is wider than it was with Blake and I agree. I still carry all in my belly, but it is wider this time.
Gender prediction: Boy. My parents and their friends placed bets and they all think boy too. (They also guessed weight and birth date) Brandon thinks girl. Most of my co-workers and extended family think girl.
Labor signs: Doctor said I am 3 cm dilated already. I was dilated early with Blake too. Doesn't mean too much in terms of being any closer to labor and delivery. Baby is head down as far as I know. And I frequently have Braxton Hicks contractions so I know my body is preparing! I constantly have in the back of my mind that my original due date was Feb. 3 and it was changed to Feb. 10 so I have a feeling I may go in between (my guess is Feb. 7), however, I am okay with baby baking right up until Feb. 10.
Belly button in or out? It's pretty much become an outie and seems less sensitive than it was 2 weeks ago.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm pretty happy lately. :) A bit grumpy in the early morning and my students blame any irritation I have on the baby....but it's just normal irritation, trust me! They could have it much worse, hahaha!
Looking forward to: Wrapping up this semester at school so I can shift my attention to resting and preparing for baby's arrival (even though I will keep working up until labor starts!).

34-35 Weeks - Baby #2

34 weeks, 3 days (Please excuse how gross I look....I was SO sick!)

35 Weeks, 6 days

How far along? As I'm writing this I am 35 weeks, 6 days. In the top picture I was 34 weeks, 3 days.

Total weight gain/loss: +27 pounds. Wowzers. I just was looking back at my pregnancy with Blake and I had only gained 13 pounds which was abnormal because I hadn't gained in 10 weeks. I am completely within normal weight gain range this time around (and I feel fine) but that number just bugs me, ya know! ;)

Maternity clothes? Well, the ones that still fit! Hahaha! I put a dress shirt on for work yesterday that I wore just a week or two ago and it was too tight. Oh my! Also, my cutest pair of maternity skinny jeans cut into me right wear baby's head is so I don't wear those much if I'm going to be sitting a lot. I also have abandoned my work khakis because they don't have a "full" maternity panel and therefore are uncomfortable to wear because the small panel just rolls down. My wish right now is that my maternity yoga pants were acceptable work attire. Lol! However, most of my shirts still fit and I have enough to get by at work these last few weeks. 

Stretch marks? Just the two tiny ones I mentioned last time on the bottom of my belly.
Sleep: Sleep is the greatest thing, though my husband disagrees. I am pretty worn out most days. It takes a week's work-up of motivation to get me to go to the grocery store (and normally I don't mind). I grocery shopped last night and when I got home we noticed we needed more mayonnaise. I offered to order it from Target online....Brandon laughed because he knew I was dead serious. But anyways, I am sleeping pretty well, besides the 2+ times I get up to use the bathroom. On Christmas Break I averaged 9.5 hours every night plus an afternoon nap. Now that I'm back to work I am usually falling asleep on the couch around 9 and going to bed around 9:45. I don't nap after school but I do usually sit on the couch and relax until it's time to make dinner. Oh, and we still need mayonnaise. ;)

Best moments this week: 

1) Well a funny moment first. At my last doctor's appointment I met a doctor that I haven't seen before. He literally walked in rambling that if I went into labor now they wouldn't do anything to stop it and then was going on and on about how there's not really much of a difference between a 9 and 10 pound baby while he was checking me. I could hardly get a word in and really didn't even know why he was talking about weight because it wasn't something I inquired about. I can only assume my baby is measuring large! Then he walked out without asking if I had any questions. Blake was 9 pounds so I'm betting he saw that in my chart and thought we should discuss size in case I was nervous. I have no clue! I was in a fog; I literally hadn't left the house in 3 days because I was sick, so maybe my experience feels so funny because of that. 

2) We were productive over break! I got a pretty large load of baby laundry done, we purchased a bunch of things we need before baby's arrival, Brandon got the infant car seat installed (sorry Zoey, you lost your seat), my new pump arrived, and I started packing a hospital bag. I still have a lot of organizing to do in the nursery and kitchen. And I probably need to re-sanitize all of my pump parts, bottles, etc.
Have you told family and friends: Yes!
Miss anything yet? I love my pregnant belly (and will miss it when it's gone) but I find myself envying thin people right now. I am constantly having to move chairs out of my way at school to get around the classroom. Also, I always take too much food onto my plate! It's a normal amount but my stomach is so squished right now that I can never finish my food and I almost always get crazy bad heartburn afterwards. But, most of all, I miss being able to pick up and hold Blake. :(
Movement: Yes! Less kicks/punches and more squirms and adjustments. Baby is running out of room! I get random bumps on my belly when baby shoves out a knee, elbow, butt, etc. Of course, I never know what body part it might be; I am terrible at distinguishing that stuff! Sometimes the baby will stretch and it actually hurts (and sometimes tickles) my skin and I push back hoping to move the baby back. :) Also, this baby hiccups pretty frequently. I don't remember Blake hiccuping much in the womb.
Food cravings: Milk and sweets. I like ice cream again except my old favorite, triple peanut butter cup, STILL does not sound good. I hope I didn't ruin that forever!
Anything making you queasy or sick? Sometimes the heartburn is so intense I'm worried I might throw up. :(
Have you started to show yet: OH yeah. Even strangers make comments about when I'm due. Definitely in the home stretch (no pun intended!).
Gender prediction: For the last few weeks I have felt very strongly that it's a little boy. Like, I don't even glance towards the girl clothes in the store. Brandon thinks it's a girl. Blake says it's a "brother/sister" (oh and upon questioning he would like 10 sisters and 11 brothers, ha!). My mom thinks boy (I think).
Labor signs: I had one slightly painful contraction a couple of weeks ago that lasted until I laid down. Besides that I get Braxton Hicks pretty frequently.
Belly button in or out? Well, it's flat. If I eat a lot it's more flat; otherwise sometimes it's still slightly in. It's incredibly sensitive and very easily irritated. I have to keep my lanyard/keys at school off to the side of my belly or it drives my belly button nuts. Same with the hairdryer cord, haha!
Wedding rings on or off? On. I really haven't had any swelling. It might help that the windchill has been in the negatives lately. ;)
Happy or Moody most of the time: I'd like to say happy but I probably come off as a little moody, especially at home, because I am just so tired. But I feel happy inside!
Looking forward to: Meeting this baby and finding out the gender! Also, maternity leave. :)