37-38 Week Update

Somehow things at our house have been very busy!  We have gotten a lot of stuff ordered and assembled, and other than the artwork for his walls, the nursery really is done.  We feel ready for this kiddo to arrive, so we're just kind of twirling our thumbs.

Excited about our portable swing!

Won't be needing this for awhile, but we wanted to
make sure we liked it.

The past two doctor appointments that I've had have been great, just not much in the way of progress.   She has started checking to see if I'm dilated, and as of today, there is nothing happening.  I am not due until March 11th, so the doc is not surprised --- but it sure feels like things should be moving along.  I am really struggling at night to sleep because it is so uncomfortable.  He moves around a lot at all hours, and it is not just kicks --- a lot of pressure (but no Braxton Hicks).  I really thought the doc would say today that he has dropped and we are progressing in the right direction.  No such luck (although, I'm not necessarily hoping for him to be early).

37 Weeks

I do have some updated pictures, but they all look about the same.   At 37-38 weeks, he is considered full term and the size of a watermelon/pumpkin.  He is between 18 and 20 inches long and weighs in between 6 and 9 pounds.  His hair could be up to an inch long and the coating that protects his skin from amniotic fluid is starting to shed away.

38 Weeks

In other news, we finally got some snow here.  I wasn't really hoping for it, but it has just been such a bizarre winter without it.  I've had a few fears that we would be in an awful blizzard warning and I would go into labor.  Z's "baby watch" flying status hasn't really happened (he has had three flights since he got home, which was more than expected), which is fine, but not if we get a bunch of snow and they aren't able to land here. 

From our kitchen window

On February 24th we celebrated the 7th birthday of our dog, Mia.  We didn't do candles this year, but she did get some toys, a birthday serenade, decorations around the house, and another belated gift just today --- a trip to the vet for a teeth cleaning.  We know how to have fun around here.  :)      Z and I also attended an auction for the Officers Spouses' Club.  It was a nice evening out and an excuse to get dressed up.   We didn't win anything, but we were okay with that.  We have diapers to buy!

MOSC Auction

Birthday girl catching some birthday rays!

"Future Mother"
My spot at the grocery stores around town

"Mother to Be"
My spot at the commissary on base

 We'll see what happens this week.  If he arrives, then HOORAY!!  If he doesn't, then I am right on schedule --- and I won't have to give up all of my special parking spots quite yet.  :) 

Have a good week! 

36 Weeks

I missed the 35 week update, but for good reason.  Look who is back....

After my mom left, I spent some time getting things ready around the house --- there was a rumor that he would be coming home sometime during the weekend of Feb. 4-5.  I usually never believe too much until he is in the air (and there was a small situation that came up that was going to possibly delay his arrival by a few days)  but I really had high hopes that this plan would work out.  Lucky for me, it did.   He made it home February 5th.  :)   He took some leave time during this past week so that he could adjust to the time difference and also get a few things done around the house.  The nursery is almost finished now --- we are waiting on some artwork to arrive, and that will be it!  We feel pretty confident with a name, but we've decided not to share it until after he is born.  I'm sure we'll have finished nursery pictures soon, but we'll have to be careful about his name above the crib.  

I am at the 36 week mark, which is hard to believe.  I would like to say that I'm ready, but we have yet to attend the childbirth class.  It is this coming weekend, so I feel pretty confident that we'll make it to that and THEN I will feel more prepared.  Everyone says that even if I didn't take the class, I would do just fine, but I'll feel better going into this experience with a little bit of knowledge.  We went to a breastfeeding class just a few days after Z returned, and that was sure interesting.  He was the only husband there (out of 12 women), which kind of surprised me.  He was a good sport though, and it was nice to have a second set of ears listening to all of the information.  In a frustrating moment, it will be helpful that he will be able to recall the info for me.

I am feeling pretty good for 36 weeks, I think!  I have plenty of energy, the heartburn issue isn't quite as constant, and I'm not starving all of the time (a nice change).   I am starting to feel pretty uncomfortable because he has definitely run out of space....he is shoving elbows and feet where they'll fit!  Z has gotten a kick out of watching my stomach move so much.  Before he left for the deployment there was definitely movement, but it was more just random kicks.  Now it is visible from across the room!  Z is a pretty good dancer, so I'm convinced that this little guy inherited those skills and it trying them out.

36 Weeks

We're getting pretty close!  After this weekend, we'll both be ready any time.  Z will start "baby watch," which basically means that he won't fly for awhile.  How sad would that be to have gotten him home but then have him still miss the birth because he was completing a 10 hour training flight?  They do their best to avoid that situation, and I am quite grateful.  :)    

We're feeling pretty lucky!