37 Weeks = FULL TERM!

I had my 38 week appointment today and everything is looking good! Blood pressures still good, still gaining a pound a week, baby's head down and his/her heart rate is in the 130's!

• How far along? 37 Weeks!
  

• Total weight gain: I think I just hit the 25 pound marker
  

• Maternity clothes? Now that I'm getting bigger by the day, I'd really like to have some, but with less than 3 weeks to go (I HOPE!) I think I can manage.

• Stretch marks? So far so good!
  

• Sleep: It's hit or miss. For the most part it's pretty good. I get up once during the night to pee, and I'm not to uncomfortable when I'm sleeping.
  

• Best moment this week? I guess this is why I should do one every week...last weekend was my shower and totally awesome! (post and pictures to come) and this past weekend being told multiple times that I don't look like I am due in 3 weeks. In fact, I had one woman say it looks like I could still be a few months away.

• Movement? I'm trying to savor it since I've heard from numerous people how much I'm going to miss it. His/her new favorite thing is to stick their cute little tushie into my right rib.
  

• Food cravings? Super cold drinks. Not sure if it is considered a craving, or a preference, but I MUST have ice in my drink. At least I know I'll enjoy the ice chips at the hospital :-)
  

• Labor signs? I still don't think. Although I have been getting lots of head butts lately, which aren't the most pleasant feelings. I had to stop in my tracks a few times last night when we were out shopping because he would hit a nerve or something and send a shooting pain down my left leg.
  

• Belly button: Same. It's still hanging on for dear life.
  

• What I miss? A good Chai Tea Latte. Maybe I can bribe someone to bring me one in the hospital...
  

• What I'm looking forward to: Knowing who has been living inside me for the past 9 months. I'm ready to meet him/her and find out if it's a him/her. I've had strangers tell me their opinions, so I'm curious to see. Are they going to be tall like their daddy? Or short like me? Good chance they'll be bald, but you never know. Most likely they will be blonde and blue-eyed, but maybe well get a red head, you never know.

Pictures:
Bonus points to those who can find the part of one of the cats that snuck into one of the pictures :-)

35 Down, 35 To Go

• How far along? 35 Weeks!
  

• Total weight gain: 22 pounds. I was really hoping to only gain 25, but at least it looks like I'll be under 30, so that makes me happy.
  

• Maternity clothes? Wishing that I had some, but I feel like it's too late in the game to buy any.
  

• Stretch marks? So far so good!
  

• Sleep: I ache. I can sleep through the night except to wake up to roll, which most time I can fall right back asleep, or the occasional potty break, but I wake up hurting. I'm find during the day, but when I wake up my back aches. Weird? Yes.
  

• Best moment this week? Today my doctor told me she wishes she could clone me. It's nice to know that a doctor, who sees tons of preggo women, thinks that I'm a good example.
  

• Movement? All.the.time. And all over. I swear he/she was trying to burst out of my side yesterday. And my ribcage is permanently sore. I wonder how it feels to be a normal person who doesn't share her ribcage with someone who thinks it's a jungle gym.
  

• Food cravings? Nothing that I can think of. Even my bacon phase seems to have past. I've wanted ice cream for the past few weeks, but that's nothing to odd for me.

• Labor signs? The past day or so I think I've been having Braxton Hicks. My tummy has been getting tight. I've definitely been uncomfortable and I'm starting to get to the point where I'm ready for the real deal and to hold this child in my arms.
  

• Belly button: Same. It's still hanging on for dear life.
  

• What I miss? My body being sore because I worked out too hard, not because all I did was wake up in the morning.
  

• What I'm looking forward to: My shower! It's on Saturday and I'm super excited to see friends and family. And of course to be center of attention for a few hours. Might as well soak it in now since in a few weeks I'll be out shadowed by the baby. :-)
  

Pictures:

I had no idea I looked so tired! I need to start taking pictures early in the day...and maybe make sure my hair and make up are done :-)

It's Finally Here...

...the vet appointment I have been waiting for!

Sasha and Kobe are finally 6 months, and like most animals that age they are ready to make babies.

When they were about 4 months old I started to call around to different places in the area to schedule an appointment and to find out cost. Do you know how expense it is!?!?! And a girl is so much more than a boy. One place quoted me over $500 for both! That didn't include the visit fee or any of the shots. That's crazy! And all of them said they wouldn't take them until they were 6 months.

I happened to stumble across Banfield one day, which is actually located in PetSmart, which is extremely close and they had the best price all around. When I took them in for their first round of shots I was told that they recommend getting them fixed around 4 months (wish I had found them sooner!) and that they were booked until the end of February. This was the very beginning of January! I thought I was scheduled, but at my last appointment found out that in fact the front desk lady had made a bunch of mistakes (and was no longer there) and I in fact didn't have an appointment, that the next one available would be March 15th. Umm...that's like 4 days before baby day.

Luckily, they are a chain, and there are a few in the area. I was able to find an opening at the one in Pottstown for tomorrow! It was only a week and a half wait instead of a month and a half! Good thing because we have had to keep them separated until then.

Which breaks my heart. :-( One gets locked in the upstairs bathroom while the other gets free reign of the house. Since Kobe's the male and we don't want our whole house smelling like male cat (umm, does anyone?) he gets the bathroom. The first night was horrible! He's a talker to begin with, but he sat in there and cried his little head off. Sasha can't really meow, so she took to scratching/banging on our bedroom door in an effort to get our attention that she was alone. I really don't know how momma's teach their babies to cry themselves to sleep because I had such a hard time not getting up and letting the cats in. If it wasn't for the thought of having a litter of kitties to deal with around the same time as a new baby I probably would have given in. Of course all of this starts up again around 5 am when they are awake and ready to play. Oh, and in the middle of the night if I have to get up to use the potty, or just make too much noise rolling over.

I will be a very happy camper come tomorrow when I'll be able to rest again in my own house! We let them play together while we are home, but unless one is in eyesight I'm constantly chasing them around the house to make sure they don't do the do. I must say that I have been spending a lot more time in my bedroom since I close them in there with me and they have the bedroom and the bathroom, and since the bedroom is normally off limits they love it! And I love it because it's a small enough space for me to easily keep tabs on them.

And now time for some pics of the a babies...

Here they are the day we got them...with their other brother.
I can't believe how tiny they were! Only 5 weeks :-)

And now all grown up! My babies have gotten so big!!!

33 Weeks...Which Means 7 To Go!

• How far along? 33 Weeks!
  

• Total weight gain: about 21 pounds...eek! I broke the 20 pound marker! Although at the doctor they said I'm only up 1 pound from last time.

• Maternity clothes? Same as before. Although it would be nice to have some more, with less than 7 weeks left (hopefully) I'll make due with my hoodies and cardigans.
  

• Stretch marks? Nope. I had a scare, but there are none. I've heard that they can and often do pop up in the last week or two, so we'll see.

• Sleep: Good. Although it stinks that my body is on a schedule and I'm awake by 6 even on the weekends. Good time to get cleaning done though :-)
  

• Best moment this week? Being told that I don't even look pregnant from behind. Definitely a huge compliment for any preggo woman

• Movement? I'd be worried if there wasn't any. I can tell that baby is getting bigger by the change in movement. Some have actually been kinda painful. Baby fully enjoys wedging his/her little foot under my right rib cage. And I think there is currently a tao bo class going on in there right now, my whole belly shifted and I got a good 5 or 6 punches in a row.
  

• Food cravings? I'm a pretty boring preggo...I'm not really craving anything. Of course I still enjoy my sweets, but it isn't anything crazy and anyone who knows me, knows that sweets are my thing at any time.
  

• Labor signs? Still no sign of Braxon Hicks, I don't know if I should be happy or worried.

• Belly button: Still way in, but super tiny and the skin on the outside is kinda bumped out. Weird?
  

• What I miss? Being normal and doing what my old self could do. Kevin kinda laughed at me the other day when I whined about having to carry in both cats and a 16 lb bag of cat food. He said the old me would have been pressing them over my head as I ran into the house.
  

• What I'm looking forward to: Completing the nursery. It's getting close and making it seem more and more real!

Pictures: I am getting huge! I got out my tape measure the other day (bad idea!), and was depressed to find out that my waist is now bigger than what my hips have ever been. Crazy!



And as you can see the nursery is slowing coming together.

And I'm not sure why the pictures are kinda blurry.

31 Weeks

I had my 32 week doctor appointment today. It's crazy that I am now making appointments every 2 week. How did that happen? I love how quick they are though, I think I might spend more time in the waiting room some days. I'm not keeping a pregnancy journal or anything like that, I would just lose it or forget to write in it (kinda like I do on here sometimes...sorry). I realized that I haven't posted any stats, which I'll want to know next time around to compare. I am stricting doing this for me so I have written record of where I was at.
My blood pressure has so far stayed the same and is 110/60. I have been weighing in perfectly each time, gaining exactly 4 pounds with the exception of one time - which on their scale puts me at 138. Baby's heartbeat is in the 140's and I'm measuring right on track at 31.

• How far along? 31 Weeks and 4 days
  

• Total weight gain: 19 pounds - according to my scale since I know my starting weight with that scale, plus at the doctors I started with flip flops and summer clothes and am now completely bundled up and weighing in towards the end of the day. Although the doctor's is only off by about 4 pounds, I guess because I lost some weight in the very beginning.

• Maternity clothes? I still only own about 3 items. My normal pants still stay in place better than my maternity, and while some maternity tops are cute, I can't afford to pay for them when I still have clothes that fit. Now that I'm getting bigger it would be nice to have a few more items, but I feel like I'm so close to the end that it's not really worth it. It is nice that most day I wear jeans, a tee and hoodie. I'm so blessed to have a job that allows me to do so.
  

• Stretch marks? I don't think so...I thought I saw one the other day, but really couldn't tell, so I asked Kev and he just thinks that it's a scratch. I've been too scared to check since then to see if it's still there.

• Sleep: It's been rocking lately. I think I might have a bit of restless leg syndrome right before bed, but once I'm out, I'm out. At least until I roll, then I think baby gets restless leg syndrome. Either that or (s)he doesn't like me making them move.
  

• Best moment this week? Really starting to work on getting the nursery together. We finally found a dresser and end table we like and ordered it. And put away all the Christmas stuff that had been residing in the crib as well as organizing the closet (again). It's really starting to feel real. We had our child birthing class on Saturday so we took a tour of the maternity ward and saw the cute little babies in the nursery. It made me super excited to have our little one and I can't wait to hold them in my arms!

• Movement? My belly dances ALL.THE.TIME. It's so fun to look down and see the whole thing moving on it's own. That and feeling random body parts sticking out.
  

• Food cravings? Not much...still loving bacon which is still weird to me and sweets, which I wouldn't consider a craving since I've always loved sweets.
  

• Labor signs? I don't think I've had any BH, that would be something I would realize, right?
  

• Belly button: Still in but shrinking fast
  

• What I miss? Having my insides located where they are suppose to be. My stomach is so high right now I don't know how it's possible. And if baby doesn't like where something is located I think (s)he decides to move it to some place more comfortable for them.
  

• What I'm looking forward to: Holding my little one. Yeah that basically sums it up right now.
  

Pictures: These are super gross, non-showered, no make-up pics. But they show how much my belly has grown!

Yes, my belly is finally bigger than my boobs! Sorry for the TMI.
And weird looking frontal shot. As I lean my belly leans. And my belly itched halfway through so without thinking I scratched...hence all the red lines.

Oh, and we finally brought the glider up to the nursery. The living room looks a bit bare, but the nursery is looking more like a nursery :-) Plus now there's room for all the baby stuff that will take up residence in the living room.

Tidbits Thursday

Hi! Remember me? I have no excuse for my lack of post. None. Nada. Zilch.

So here's what's been going on...

1. I'm still car-less :-( Since it died on Christmas I've had it for exactly 2 days. That's when we put the new battery in. Guess it wasn't the battery. Luckily the first week it was dead Kev was off school, so he could either drop me off at work or I could just take his car. Then it worked for 2 days and died again on moving day for my office. That was an insane crazy day trying to find a ride and get everything squared away. Lucky for me, my new office is close to my home and easy for my nice friends/co-workers to pick me up and take me home. It's definately a humbling experience to rely on others. I've had my own car since I was 15 (even though I couldn't drive it yet) so I'm used to my freedom. I need the car after work tonight because I'm babysitting and need to pick 2 of the kids of from different after-school activities. That means I had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning to drop Kevin off at his carpool buddy's house (so thankful for her!) so I got into work almost an hour early! It's good because I still have so much to do with the month end and year end and the move and entering rush, but it'll be a long day. I really have an appreciation for families who only have one car. Seriosuly! More power to ya!

2. Sticking with the car...we pushed mine out of my spot last night. Growing up my dad always told me to back into spaces because you never knew when you might need to get under the hood. Plus it makes it easier to pull out. I try to follow that when I can, but my parking spot at our house in on a circle and it's a weird space to back into, it's just easier to pull in. Well when your car doesn't start where do you look? Under the hood. And what have we had a lot in the past 2 weeks? That icky, cold, wet white stuff. So when you want to look under the hood, what do you have to stand in? Yeah, not cool. Or too cool? Whatever. Since my car won't jump we need to have someone come over and look at her and try to get her started so we can take her to a shop to get fixed. Since Kevin's spot is almost directly behind mine, we thought it would be best to move my car into that spot so it would be facing the parking lot and easier (and drier) to access. It must have been a sight to watch a 7 month preggo woman try to push and steer her car! Once we got it to the middle of the lot Kev had enough room to pull his car in front of mine and 'bump' my car into the spot. That's what bumpers are for? Right?

3. I've been snoring. I guess that's what the third trimester does to you. Kevin's a very light sleeper. I'm sure you can see where the probably lies. Last night my snoring was keeping him up so he decided to roll around a little to see if he couldn't wake me up enough to make the snoring stop. I guess it worked because he said the I rolled over and pulled my knees up, right into his side and proceeded to tell him that 'this has got to move'. I have a very vague recollection of this, so I was still basically out. Apparently we had a few minute conversation with him telling me that he was already on the edge of the bed and couldn't move, but I kept telling him that it's gotta move. Needless to say we had a pretty good laugh about it! I guess pregnancy takes you back, because I used to sleepwalk/talk all the time as a kid. Only 2 more months and I'm be normal again, right? Please tell me I'll be normal again.

4. I've been living with a foot or something permanently wedge under my right rib cage. I can get him to move it, but it's not long before it's back under there. It's not really painful, just uncomfortable. It's a weird reality that MY insides are not longer MINE. They belong to the baby and if the baby wants to move something, it will be moved.

5. I finally look pregnant. No doubt about it. It's funny to walk around the mall and have Kev tell me that this girl, or that girl is checking my out. It's funny how when girls see baby bellies they are drawn to them. I guess gone are the days where I'm out with my girls and telling each other which guys are checking them out.

6. We have our child birthing class this Saturday. I was thinking we wouldn't get into one, because they fill up really quick and I'm not one to think so far ahead and the next open one wasn't until the first week of March, which I would technically be full term. But, because of the snowstorm this past weekend they added a new one for this Saturday. I'm not thrilled at spending my entire Saturday there, but at least I'll know what to expect.

7. I'll have to post pics of our new office. I snapped these with my phone right quick just to give you an idea. We are obviously still getting settled in, but check out the black ceiling, lime green walls and preschool style carpet. Not pictured are the orange and blue walls.


I think that basically sums up what's been going on in my life. :-)

29 weeks and this week

I am so seriously slacking on posting! I completely missed my 27th week post (didn't help that I left our camera at my aunts, so I couldn't upload the picture). Now that we're in the new year my personal life has calmed down, but work has been crazy. We moved our office today, so I've been trying to wrap up everything I can and pack. Let me tell you, coming from a girl who is used to doing things herself, especially when it comes to carrying things, it's difficult to ask for help and to say that something is 'too heavy' to carry. Talk about humbling.

On top of that my car wouldn't start again this morning. So not cool! We thought that it was the battery, so we put in a new one on Sunday, and it was doing alright, but of all the mornings she decided not to start at all. I hate having to rely on other people, especially when I'm used to going in early and the one guy who was close and could pick me up always shows up late. We arrived at the time I was planning on leaving to go to my doctor appointment and then to the new office. Not to mention that I was planning on packing up the last of my items including my computer first thing in the morning. Everything worked out thought, and I *think* I have all my boxes. I'll have to post some pictures of the new place when I get the chance to take some and it looks a bit more put together. It's very, um, modern. Although the *desk* (and I use that term VERY lightly) and all furniture are from Ikea. Which isn't a bad thing, but my desk already has a scratch in it! So we'll see how long everything stays nice and new looking.

Anyway, back to the baby post...

• How far along? 29 Weeks. Seriously!?!?! I'm almost in the 30's! Getting so close to the end
  

• Total weight gain: I"m thinking about 17-18lbs

• Maternity clothes? I'm now the proud owner of a pair of jeans and a sweater. Although the jeans are still a bit big and I'm constantly pulling them up. The sweater's cute though and makes my bump look more prominent.

• Stretch marks? Not any that I know of
  

• Sleep: After I kicked the cold(s) to the curb it was great, but this week has been super sucky. I've been waking up and being wide awake. Prolly doesn't help that Kev's been sick so his breathing has been loud and he's been totally cramping my side of the bed.
  

• Best moment this week? Christmas! And ringing in the new year :-)

• Movement? All the time. I swear that there is a kickboxing class going on in my belly. I had my glucose test on Monday and after drinking that sugar-y drink this kid was rolling all around for hours afterwords! I was cracking up watching my tummy dance.
  

• Food cravings? Anything sweet. Don't know if that's a real craving, or just me, or this time of year. I've always had a sweet tooth, so it doesn't surprise me, although now chocolate give me heartburn, so I have to stick to my gummy candy. (Which is why it surprises me how this kid reacted to the sugar-y drink for the test.)

• Labor signs? Thank goodness nada.
  

• Belly button: Still in.
  

• What I miss? Being normal. Not having to think about what I'm doing, or if it could hurt the baby. Let me tell you, it gets super boring just walking on a treadmill when you can't get your heart rate about 140!
  

• What I'm looking forward to: Having only single digits in the weeks left. Lame, I know, but I can't think of anything to exciting left in pregnancy to look forward to other than actually having the baby, and everything else would be after the babe is born. I just love getting closer and closer to meeting him/her :-)
  

Pictures: These are from hubby's family Christmas party on Sunday. So no bare belly pic, so I'll start off with mine from 27 weeks since I didn't post it when I should have.I think this might be my first shot in the 'typical' pregnant mommy pose.


Straight on...finally looking preggo from the front and not just chunky.

Cousins pic...Emmy'll be 9 months older than her cousin and she can't wait to be consider the 'big girl'. Actually, knowing her she can.