38, 39, and 40 Weeks

***This blog post was written on Tuesday, August 18 and set to post Wednesday. Peyton had other plans for me however. I know the pregnancy is over now, but I couldn't stand to just delete the post. My due date was this past Sunday, meaning I made it 39 weeks and 3 days into the pregnancy before Peyton was evicted. Enjoy my last weekly bumpdate!***

How far along? 39 weeks... my due date is 5 days away!! 

Gender: Girl

Baby is the size of a(n)...: Elephant.. just kidding... I think? She's still the size of a watermelon weighing in somewhere between 6-9 lbs. 

Maternity clothes? Pretty much rotating between the same four sundresses to try to beat the heat and keep tighter clothes off my big ole belly. 

Best moment this week: The doctor's appointments are always pretty exciting these days. Though we had some issues at our appointment this past week....see "Worst Moment this week," we did get some more good news from the doctor. As of LAST Wednesday, I am 4 cm dilated, almost fully effaced, and ready to go. So ready in fact, the the doctor wanted to perform a membrane strip to move labor along. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to do much more than cause me to lose my mucous plug. Contractions have been constant throughout the day, but not strong enough or regular enough for us to even think about heading to the hospital. I'm praying things are continuing to progress and we get more good news tomorrow at our next doctors appointment! Good news meaning.... "let's go ahead and admit you to the labor and delivery ward!" 

Worst Moment this week: As I mentioned, we had some difficulties at our 38 week doctors appointment, which were pretty annoying. Our doctor's appointment was scheduled for 10:45 in the morning. Ryan and I like to park across the street and walk to the hospital to avoid paying the parking fee every week. So around 10:30, we parked and walked up to campus only to find that a policeman was turning everyone away in cars. We tried to get in through our normal door but noticed it was locked. So we walked to the next door. Locked. Walked to the next door. Locked. (But a nurse did open the door for me to check if I was in labor or not.) Turns out, the entire hospital shut down because someone called in anonymously to report a bomb on the campus. We sat around waiting for the search to finish for an hour or so before calling it quits, changing our appointment time to 2, and deciding to walk back to the car to get some lunch. Unfortunately, the same cop that was turning cars away earlier, was also instructed to not let anyone leave the property. SO...we can't go inside the hospital AND we can't leave the property until they finish the search around 1:15, giving us enough time to find our way to the cafeteria for lunch before our appointment. While sitting around was bad.. the worst part for this preggo was the lack of a bathroom! I chug water before each appointment because they always collect a urine sample at the start. Which meant I had to pee from the moment we got to the hospital at 10:30 until they let us in the building at 1:15. BRUTAL! I joked that I was just going to pee myself by the front door and claim that my water broke so they would just let us in! 

Miss Anything?: I miss being able to roll over in bed easily, sit up easily, stand up easily...basically do anything easily. I have loved being able to grow a human inside of me, but man am I ready to hold her on the outside and have my body to myself again! 

Cravings: Yogurt, onion bagels, cheese, pasta, all fruit. 

Symptoms: Oh, the heartburn. Also, pelvic pressure, contractions, frequent urination, and a lost mucous plug. So...any day now?! 

Looking forward to: Finally meeting my child face to face! And spending time with Bergpot this weekend! 

Just for fun.... here's a little due date picture of our nugget!

37 Weeks

How far along? 37 weeks (and 5 days to be exact) 

Gender: Girl

Baby is the size of a(n)...: Small Watermelon! She is supposed to gain about 1/2 ounce a  day for the rest of her time inside me! 

Maternity clothes? I wear literally anything that fits over the belly these days. 

Best moment this week: Our last doctors appointment on Wednesday was pretty great. We got to hear a strong heartbeat again and learn that I am 85% effaced and 2cm dilated. Bring on the baby! 

Worst Moment this week: My heartburn has been off the charts this past week. Tums no longer provide any relief, especially when I'm laying down at night, so sleep has been pretty pathetic lately making for some long nights. I really only sleep solidly starting around 4-5 am until 8-9. 

Miss Anything?: Just sleep really... Part of me misses spicy foods, but I know they only cause heartache (or burn) so I can't miss them too badly! 

Cravings: Onion bagels. For some strange reason, not one grocery store I've been to in Georgia sells onion bagels. Any New England friends volunteer to ship me a bag or two?! 

Symptoms: Heartburn tops the charts again this week as most uncomfortable pregnancy symptom. Other than that, I've had some numbness in my hands when I sleep on my right side, tightness across my belly a few times a day, and sharp pains down there that go away after 20-30 seconds or so. 

Looking forward to:  the day when I get to hold Itty Bitty outside of my body. AND Rachel F. booked her flight to come visit us in October so I'm definitely looking forward to that!!!  

33 + 34 Weeks

Guys...summer has made me lazy. I write these pregnancy updates each week...but I'm rarely presentable enough for Ryan to take a picture worthy of being plastered on the internet these days! So please excuse the lack of a post last week! Less than 6 weeks to go! 

How far along? 34 weeks 

Gender: Girl

Baby is the size of a(n)...: Cantaloupe! She is about 18 inches long and weighs about 4.75 pounds. Keep growing, baby girl! 

Maternity clothes? With the high temps these past few weeks, I've been living in maternity shorts, old navy tanks, and sundresses. Less is more, my friends! 

Best moment this week: A couple of days ago, Ryan, my dad, my mom, and I rented a U-Haul trailer and drove it all over town collected items we had purchased for our new house! Driving all over town wasn't the best moment of the week, but getting to drop everything off at the new house and being handed the keys and garage door openers was pretty exciting. I am sooo looking forward to getting our stuff out of storage and into a house and going back through all of itty bitty Smitty's things to organize a nursery before her debut. 

Worst Moment this week: I don't really have much to complain about this week. I'm not sleeping great but that's kind of becoming the new normal so it's getting easier to deal with. 

Miss Anything?: A nice medium- medium rare steak would be phenomenal right about now. 

Cravings: peaches, plums, blueberries, oatmeal with raisins, and Chipotle. 

Symptoms: Heartburn, hip pain, slight period-like cramping throughout the day. 

Looking forward to:  Tonight, we have a breastfeeding class at the hospital, which I'm excited to learn about. Saturday, I am going to a Newborn Care class with my Mom at the hospital while Ryan picks up the big U-Haul and gets to work on moving everything from all over the world into our home! We have stuff at my parents, his parents, Brandon and Rachel's, and in the storage unit. Boston friends, the house should be ready for some visitors SOOOOON!! 

Have a great weekend, ya'll!  

  

32 Weeks

How far along? 32 weeks 

Gender: Girl

Baby is the size of a(n)...: Squash. She is over 16 inches long and 3 lbs.! The doctor said I'm measuring right at 32 weeks also, which shows that she is continuing to grow (despite the fact that I shrunk this past week due to the stomach bug.) 

Maternity clothes? Yes...but with this heat, I'm still mostly just in lounge clothes! 

Best moment this week: Definitely our baby shower last Saturday! The whole day was great. I got to celebrate itty bitty Smitty with some of our closest friends and family members at a beautiful shower, show our family our new house, AND eat Chick-Fil-A for dinner! Can you ask for much more from a Saturday?!? 

Worst Moment this week: the lack of sleep I'm getting each night. I definitely find that I sleep better during the day and in our recliner...so I may have to make the move downstairs at night as well. I can't sleep on my back or stomach (not allowed), which only leaves my sides. When I lay on my left side for too long, my hip starts to throb, but when I lay on my right side I get terrible heart burn. Can you see my dilemma?!? 

Miss Anything?: sleeping through the night. Food wise, my appetite is still kind of limited so I'm not missing much there. 

Cravings: Ice cold water, yogurt, and jello 

Symptoms: Heartburn, hip pain, mild Braxton Hicks contractions that come and go throughout the week 

Looking forward to:  Some fireworks this Friday and Saturday night...and possibly blueberry picking/baking on the fourth!! 

  

31 Weeks

How far along? 31 weeks 

Gender: Girl

Baby is the size of a(n)...: Pineapple! 

Maternity clothes? Yes...although so far this week, I have not been out of my lounge clothes which are still a mix between maternity and larger regular sizes. 

Best moment this week: I'm really starting to feel like things are coming together for us down in Georgia and that we may actually be ready for itty bitty Smitty when she decides to join us! We found a great house to rent temporarily and we got a crib, changing table, glider, car seat, and stroller all over the weekend! Nesting is no joke and I'm more than excited to finally know that our baby girl will have a nursery to come home to! 

Worst Moment this week: Unfortunately this week, my mom and I came down with a pretty nasty stomach bug. I've lost 7 pounds, haven't eaten anything more than a little applesauce in three days, and had to reschedule my doctor's appointment for later this week. Hopefully this thing is on it's way out so I can get healthy again for myself and for itty bitty. 

Miss Anything?: my appetite, I guess. Although I definitely don't have any desire to eat anything right now. 

Cravings: uhhhh.....no. Not at the moment anyways. 

Symptoms: No real symptoms this week. I've had very little heartburn, which I attribute to my lack of eating this week. There hasn't been any swelling. Baby girl is moving around like crazy, which is reassuring during this illness. 

Looking forward to:  My baby shower is on Saturday! I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of our friends and family and celebrating the upcoming birth of itty bitty! 

  

The Big 3-0 (In Weeks, That Is...)

Well... it's official. I now find myself counting down the weeks left rather than counting up! At the gym this week, a nice older man came up to me and asked me how far along I was and "9 weeks left" was the answer that came out of my mouth!

How far along? 30 weeks 

Gender: Girl

Baby is the size of a(n)...: cucumber? These fruit and vegetable comparisons are getting weirder and weirder! Itty Bitty Smitty is 15.2-16.7 inches long and weighs 2.5-3.8 pounds. Baby girl is getting big! 

Maternity clothes? Pretty much all day, every day. I never bought maternity workout clothes though, so I've been rocking some larger yoga pants and workout tops that I got from Marshalls. 

Best moment this week: Feeling her move around. It never gets old. Even at 1 in the morning, when she kicks me so hard it wakes me up! 

Worst Moment this week: Flying to and from Maine this past weekend for one of the most special weddings I've ever been to (more on that later) did a number on my feet and ankles. My ankles had been swelling before, but they would always go back to normal after a good night's sleep. After the flight to Maine, my feet and ankles stayed swollen for the entire weekend, which was kind of uncomfortable...and they just got worse after the return flight. Luckily, after two days of healthy eating, watching my sodium intake, and exercising again, my feet and ankles are totally back to normal and are not retaining any fluid! It's the little things in life! 

Miss Anything?: Nothing new here... although a cold beer would be nice on these 94-96 degree evenings! 

Cravings: crab cakes, cherries, and chicken salad. The letter "c" definitely is prevailing this week! I could not get enough crab cakes this weekend in Maine and have been missing them ever since I got home! Anyone know where this girl can get some fresh crab cakes in Atlanta?!?! 

Symptoms: Since all the fluid left my legs this week, my only symptom has really just been that ever-present heartburn! 

Looking forward to:  Picking up some parenthood essentials this weekend (a stroller, car seat, crib, changing table, and a glider are all items we're planning on looking at/picking up this weekend) AND finally getting a second vehicle! Fun times, ahead!