39 weeks

This was my last post last pregnancy. Anyone think it might be this time as well? We have a week to find that out... I delivered Neil 2 days before his due date although that doesn't predict by any means what will happen this time. I think I'm feeling contractions but nothing consistent and honestly I'm having a hard time determining what's baby movement vs. contractions. This baby is a mover! I had Dave feel my stomach himself and he confirmed some of it was my stomach hardening so I think it's a combination but it's so hard to tell. And last time I was in somewhat of denial, even when it was obvious I needed to get to the Midwife Center.

Anyway, at most it should be within the next 3 weeks, since they generally only let you get to 42 weeks. The midwife group here doesn't do the Pitocin induction automatically at 42 weeks but here's hoping I don't even have to cross that bridge.

Green in honor of St. Patrick's Day

How many weeks: 39

Size of baby: A watermelon and measures 37-38 cm or 14.5-15 inches, crown to rump length. Head to toe is 20 inches. The baby also weighs 3400-3450 grams or 7.5-7.6 pounds. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I gained 1 pound so I am up 18 pounds overall. 

Maternity Clothes: Well I'm not swelling as much as I did when I was pregnant with Neil but my clothes still feel short and tight. I'm just wearing what's comfortable at this point. At least I don't feel like a sausage in my maternity jeans like I did last time.

Gender: Boy. 

Movement: As I said above, I'm having trouble telling movement vs. contractions. He seems to lodge his foot somewhere and just press and then I can't tell necessarily if it's him or things compressing/squeezing/tightening. He also loves to kick me in the ribs and it hurts. I can even hear my ribs crack at times which just makes me feel so squeamish. He's not doing any damage; my bones are settling and popping/cracking as it is. But still.

Sleep: I am exhausted at this point. BTW this is one thing I wanted to say last week and couldn't find where I wrote down things I wanted to say. I'm sorry for any pregnant woman I've told at the end of the pregnancy, "Enjoy sleep now because you won't get any when the baby is here." While that's true, it's annoying advice for a pregnant woman. Because it's still hard to sleep this pregnant! And that's something you forget with time until you have to live it again. I have three issues right now. One is my bladder (and thank you baby for kicking it to make sure I go empty it every TEN MINUTES). That wakes me up at night, having to pee. The second is my achy back and body; it's hard to get comfortable and now flipping back and forth from side to side takes some effort. The third is new this time and that's a toddler who decided he's going to be super clingy and get up in the middle of the night multiple times claiming he's scared of who knows what. We don't think he's scared btw, we think he just wants attention. So no, I'm not sleeping well and tired. As I write this, I'm going to finish this post, hit post, and go to sleep. I'm behind on this blog and reading other blogs but I'll catch up hopefully soon.

What I miss: Having my body to myself. LOL. I know I'm going to miss having this baby with me 24/7 but I still am not one of those women who likes being pregnant. It will be nice to be me again and just me.

Cravings: I am not craving anything; sometimes I'm feeling nausea or heartburn or something along that line.

Aversions: Nothing.

Symptoms: Ah all the fun ones. Backache. I can't walk around too well anymore, I'm waddling, especially when I need to use the bathroom. Speaking of which, seriously, at work I am going to the bathroom at least once an hour. Fun times. ;) One of my coworkers laughed and said that I'm wearing a path to the bathroom in the carpet. (He was nice about it but he's right.)  I just feel pressure/weight in my stomach area all the time now that he dropped. For example in my car it always feels like my seat belt is tight down there but then I check and realize that's the baby; the seat belt is nowhere close (although yes I'm wearing it). My gums are pretty swollen and bleeding easily. I feel super emotional and am working hard to keep that in check especially at work. I'm start to feel very big and blah even though I know I'm a lot better off than I was last time and that I don't look as bad as I feel. Also while I'm not swelling as much as I did with Neil, I'm still swelling up a little and I am starting to feel that.

Best moment this week: I used the excuse of inducing labor (haha so there) and got a pedicure. AHHH I loved it. Loved it. And I got one of those spa ones where they massage your legs with hot stones. While my nails were drying, too, the lady gave me an upper back massage, which I was in desperate need of. It made me want to get an entire back massage at a good massage place because my lower back is even worse and I really could have used a lot longer massage on my upper back and shoulders as well. 

Looking forward to: Holding this baby in my arms. I'm really nervous about labor itself. You do forget a lot. I know it hurt a lot. And I hated, hated, hated pushing. Hated it. So I'm scared of that.

Same this time: Being ready to be done being pregnant. I may be feeling overall better this time but I'm still just ready to hold this baby in my arms. I'm nervous about having two kids and how Neil is going to react but I'm also so looking forward to another newborn. Have I ever said how much I love babies in general? Oh and both times it's been a bit surreal. I mean, I'm feeling movement and there is definitely a baby in there but it's hard to imagine holding that baby even though I'm looking forward to it. I thought this time it would be less surreal but for me it's still pretty hard to believe.

Different from last time: I think in general just how I'm looking/feeling. Last time I gained a LOT more weight. As far as weight difference, this was my last weigh in and I had gained 30.5 pounds where this time I have gained 18 pounds so far. That last week I gained a ton in particular, between 38 and 39 weeks. (Also in real pounds even though I started out lighter last time I weighed 8.5 pounds heavier than I do right now. I look at that number and kind of blanch, I can't believe how much I weighed.) I do think part of the weight gain was swelling/water retention. I'm not sure why this time that isn't so bad but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth either. :)

We had a hard time getting a picture this week because SOMEONE kept photo bombing.
It's hard to tell but he's waving Spider Man slippers here.

Ir's spirit week at daycare and today was mis-matched clothes. So please don't judge this toddler outfit!
The best part was his socks, which were striped and didn't match the pants or shirt, and were two different socks.
Mommy is having fun dressing him up for spirit week haha.

He's trying to pose like I did!
Almost there, buddy!