38 weeks!

Two weeks until our due date! I have had many people tell me that at this time, I should be miserable and ready to have my baby. I am still not sure I am ready to have her! I know it could be anytime now, which means when I wake up in the middle of the night with a stomachache, which has happened nearly every night this week, and I think this could be the time we have our baby. I wasn't sure I would make it into the New Year, but with one day left, it is looking like I will!

This last week I have been a little nauseas. Not all day, but on and off. I have also been really tired this week. Luckily, there isn't too much to do, in regards to being having our home ready for the baby. This week I had a really good run of about 45 minutes on the treadmill, thanks to having a person talking to me the whole time, I only walked once or twice for a few seconds, but I barely noticed having to go pee the whole time because we were talking. That was definitely the highlight of my workouts for the week. I have worked out everyday and done about 45 minutes of stairmaster, or stairs/ellip/run combo. And lifted a few times this week too.

My days and weeks are going through the motions until we actually have our girl! My bag is "kind of packed", as in I have her clothes in it, a blanket for her in it, and socks for me and some shorts. I still have more to put in it, but again, I feel like it could be a long time still.

My doctors appointment this week had some different things. First of all I lost about 3 pounds this week. Maybe it is being nauseas, or something, but I have still been eating the same and doing the same workouts. My scale at home had me down 5 pounds, then I ate breakfast and drank some water and was down the 3 at the office. The doctor said that it could just be fluid differences, or just losing some weight before I have her. This week I was also 80% effaced, with no dilation. Apparently, generally with your first baby you efface first, then dilate (opposite usually happens with second child). However, I am still convinced that doing those types of checkups really serve no purpose as I could be 100% effaced for weeks and have no progression or just the opposite could happen. I guess time will only tell. However, with the nausea, weight loss and tiredness, maybe it is a sign that labor is right around the corner. I also think I have had a few braxton hicks contractions. I am not sure. I haven't had any this whole time, but this week I have had a few times where my whole stomach has gotten hard, it doesn't hurt and I wouldn't have noticed it, except I bent over and was very uncomfortable. But it also feels like the baby could have just been moving and sticking up at that moment too. She has definitely been moving quite a bit this week. Last night she was up and moving so much that I was dreaming about her moving and in my dream I thought I could see her feet through my stomach!

That's about it for week 38. Onward to week 39 and a New Year!

Belly Pictures:



Random info:
Days till due date: 14!!!!
Days pregnant: 266!!!
Scary: Uterus pre-pregnancy weighs 2 ounces, now weighs 2.5 pounds!
Development: Baby is still growing and is now between 7-8 pounds and 20 inches long. More surfactant is being made and she is also putting on fat.

37 Weeks...!

We are now officially full term. If we were to have our baby now, most likely everything would be developed well and our baby would no longer be considered a "pre-term" baby. Thursday I had my weekly visit. Everything is still looking pretty good. I gained more weight, again. And my doctor told me that at this point in pregnancy she doesn't usually measure my stomach because the baby has changed position and it can affect the measurement, she did measure anyway and I measured 35/36 weeks. The baby's head is down, this time she didn't mention if it was "far" down or not, but I don't think it is much further down then where it was last week. The one improvement was that I have effaced (thinned out) to some extent. More than last week, not a lot. I am not dilated at all. She said if she was to guess, I would be going a few more weeks.

Our house is now officially clean. Very clean. Now, all we need is the baby!

Things I have learned in pregnancy, so far:

1. People make weird/rude comments: From early in pregnancy "Are you fat or pregnant?" And now asking "Are you only having one baby?"

2. Who knew that your thighs got bigger?? I mean hips are supposed to get wider...but your thighs? No, it is not because I am sitting down eating a jar of nutella (although, that does sound good!). Maybe some of it is muscle since it is like I am working out with a weight vest on, while I do stairmaster, run and lunges (still holding the same weight) lol, I can only hope!

3. I never thought I would "outgrow" my "big" clothes/tops. I for sure thought that some of my bigger t-shirts, longsleeves and workouts shirts would last me through everything. I have for sure outgrown almost all of my clothes and have had to turn to some of Pedro's workout shirts.

4. I thought running 20 miles was difficult. Running pregnant is way more difficult. Feeling like I need to go pee for almost the entire run, is definitely not pleasant. As I have gone along and gained weight, my feet also get tired and want to cramp some. Not enough to stop, maybe that is because the pee problem has made me have to stop a few times already.

5. Early pregnancy, when I assume my gait had changed some because I wasn't "using" my abs as much, I was getting a sharp pain in my butt. Now that I am later in pregnancy, after I run (and sometimes just because), my "tail" hurts. I know this is loosening of the ligaments, but my tail can really catch me off guard!

6. No matter how much you workout, you will gain whatever you are going to gain. I do not eat that much. For instance a usual day is this: Oatmeal for breakfast with milk to drink. An egg sandwich for lunch, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And for dinner whatever I make (which is usually pretty decent), usually gets eaten mostly by Pedro. Today was broccoli cheese and potato soup (not a full fat version). Some days I only get two meals in because I am out and about doing stuff.

7. I have many (or better yet, most) days that I do not even know that I am pregnant. I would have definitely thought that I would "feel" pregnant, especially at 37 weeks. I only notice how pregnant I am, when my "tail" hurts or I have to get off the sofa (or out of the car)! I also have a hard time tying my shoes and putting pants on, it reminds me of having a back injury where you can't bend over. I am not sure when I made this change over to having these problems, but I think it has been more recent.

8. I don't have problems sleeping at night, however, I do have a problem sleeping because I wake up feeling like I have to go pee. So, it's not because I am uncomfortable (since I don't notice being very large), but because I have to go to the bathroom (one night last week I got up 6 times!).

9. I worried about having a lot of symptoms. I haven't really had any (knock on wood). I haven't had any real cravings or aversions. I have had some heartburn, but not long lasting. I haven't had braxton hicks (yet), I have had some cramping. I am not a moody person in general, so that hasn't been a problem. Tired? Well, that is a difficult one because I am tired, but I am generally tired (in the past because of the hours spent working out). I have had some mid back pain (is this a pregnancy symptom? I assume since I have never had it before).

10. I still have a hard time believing there is a baby in there. Yes, she kicks me and tells me, but it kind of reminds me of when you have a muscle twitching. I mean I know there is a baby in there, but I really do have a hard time believing it!

11. Everyone said that time would go so slowly near the end. I swear it has been going faster and faster!

12. I thought I would be ready to have a baby. But as it get's closer, I am not sure that this is the case! Am I ready to have someone else control my schedule? Lack of sleep? No more long showers? No more scheduling my work whenever I feel like it? I know, I know. Everyone says that once you have her that they wouldn't trade having her for anything else. But until I have her, I am trying to be as selfish as possible and take advantage of all my "me" time (plus Stella, Polar time and Pedro too)!

13. I am usually a night person. I generally really enjoy evening workouts and doing stuff then. However, at this point, when I have waited that long to go to the gym, I am tired and wish I would have gone earlier in the day. So, this is a big change for me, I don't want to go real early, but mid morning would be a much better idea. I still go, but motivation is a bit less.

14. I never knew people would really think it is weird that I am working out everyday while pregnant. I never really thought about it before, but when I see a pregnant person working out, I didn't think that they should be "resting". But apparently that is a very common thought process. Working out does take a different mental attitude, since you are working out everyday and things get harder, slower and you get heavier. Which is probably the only time in your life that you will feel like this, but I can't imagine not doing it. I think it will make working out and seeing benefits that much more fun! Although, I workout because I enjoy working out and I miss it if I miss a day, but I have probably worked out in some form or another since I was in 3rd or 4th grade.

Belly pictures:


Ok, so I wasn't thinking I was looking that much bigger until I saw THIS!


Random facts:
Days till due date: 22!!
Days pregnant: 258!
Development: Full term, all functions should be working now, although she is still growing and gaining weight
Size: 20 inches and about 6.5lbs (still gaining about .5 lbs a week)
Movement: Should slow down some because there is less room, however she is moving A LOT it seems, maybe more wiggles and stretching.

36 weeks...

My weekly doctors appointments started this last Thursday. Everything is looking good. This week I measured 35, so still normal. I was up a couple more pounds from the two weeks before. The baby's head is down, but not "far" down. And I have not dilated. I know that it can go from this to having a baby tomorrow, or I could be dilated and it take weeks. But as of now, I am not dilated and hoping she stays put for a bit. At this point, my thought is, until at least AFTER Christmas. I am coaching and have games Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week, plus a few lessons and then it is Christmas.

It is funny, because our main countdown is to having the baby, I keep forgetting that Christmas is right around the corner! We just can't believe that we will be having a baby VERY soon. Again, listening to people and other blogs of people just having babies, makes you WORRY way more! His co-worker just had a baby and said that HE was so EXHAUSTED, that his wife couldn't wake him up. Mind you, they were still in the hospital, after having delivered the baby! Imagine, when they go home! Actually, he won't be as tired because he will go back to work, so depends on what he has to do with the baby when he gets home. Another person posted about a day in a life of a 7 week old, and that didn't sound any better. Note to self: STOP reading or having people TELL me how horrible it is.

Workouts have still been going well. The only problem has been with running. I ran 3 or 4 days this week and all but 1 of those days was pretty horrible. Horrible meaning that it was causing some "pain" down there, like a nerve was getting pinched. It wasn't severe, but enough to make running miserable, on the one day that I had to run (with run club), at least it was on the treadmill so I could walk some. The other days I switched to stairmaster because that is still fine.

Yesterday, we went to the Bronco's vs. Patriots game. The Patriots killed the Bronco's, so it wasn't as much fun for me, but the seats were pretty good and they were on the aisle so it was nice to be able to get in and out. Plus the weather was excellent! It was about 56 degrees! Here is a picture from the game:




Belly Pictures from week 36:




Random facts:
Day's till due date: 25!!!
Day's pregnant: 255!
Baby size: 6lbs and 20 inches
Gross/Strange Baby Development: Baby is swallowing the downy and waxy covering on her body, which will make up her first poop (meconium).
Development: At the end of this week the baby will be considered FULL TERM! Almost all of the baby's systems have been developed and ready to go!

35 weeks...

Only 5 weeks left until my due date. 2 more weeks until I would be considered full term. This last week went pretty fast, but I didn't get to do my usual sleeping in routine. Which is sad, because I am trying to take advantage of all the days I can, before our little girl comes and steals my sleep for 18 years. I had to get up early this week because we finally got our new windows put in! We are hoping this saves us on our energy bills, especially since we will actually have to turn on the heat when she is here (not keep our house at 57 degrees, 56 at night with a fan on and windows open).

With our windows put in and our house more organized, I am really trying to "deep clean" everything else. My mom helped early in the week to organize a few things and help me get rid of some things that I really didn't want to. Then she cleaned out our "cat room" so that now it is super clean. If our girl were to show up soon, we would be pretty ready, but hopefully she stays put for another year or so, I mean 5 weeks or so.

This week I have had some cramping. Nothing severe, but I haven't had any cramping since the incident back at 25 weeks or so. That and some mid back pain have been my only issues this week. My tailbone area has been a little more sore after running, but I think my gait has changed more this week. I think I might be officially starting to waddle a little bit more, or at least I feel like I am. My running pace on the treadmill has slowed down a bit more, but I have been doing more combo of cardio. 10 minutes on treadmill, followed by 10 on stairs, then maybe 5 on elliptical, or some sort of combo then repeating it for about 45-60 minutes. Staying on one is getting really boring.

This upcoming week will be a crazy busy week. Starting on Sunday I have lessons and shopping with the team for the family we adopted. Then Pedro has an interview on Monday. Then we have a restaurant review I want to get done, just in case we have our girl soon. I have 2 practices (plus lessons I need to schedule), a doctors appointment, Pedro's work Christmas party, a race at the gym, Collin's bday dinner and finishing with the Bronco/Patriot game next Sunday. Plus the normal stuff that needs to get done. Hopefully, all of our events won't make her want to come out and join us.

35 week belly picture:




Random info:
Days till due date: 34!!!!
Days pregnant: 246!
Baby's length: 20 inches
Baby's weight: about 5.5lbs, has gone from about 2% body fat at 20 weeks to 15% body fat now (hoping to get to about 30%)
Development: Brain is developing a lot during this time.
Scary: All of the websites about 35 weeks pregnant talk about "birth plans" and freezing food etc. so you have stuff to eat after you have the baby...makes it seem even closer!
Days till doctors appt: 5 (then every week)

A day in the life of my children...

I am pretty sure that their lives will change just about as much as mine when the baby arrives. So, I figured I should give them a post, so we can all remember their controlling schedule!

Stella and Polar are very needy babies, who love to sleep, when they are not being needy. I assume our baby will be even more needy, but hopefully just as sleepy!

Our day begins with Stella in the bed, with her legs on top of me, snoring away. Yes, she is snoring, because just like me, she has put on some sympathy pregnancy weight. I get up and tell her to wake up. She looks at me, then quickly goes back to sleep. I uncover her, so that she knows that I am serious, we are getting up. Then I go and wake Polar up. Polar sleeps on the sofa in another room. He is baby gated in his room, because unlike Stella and I, he is an early riser and he will come and wake us up! He gets up from the sofa, super excited and wants to run and jump. Meanwhile, Stella is slowly staggering out of bed, because she knows if she isn't out of bed before Polar makes his way to the room, he will jump on her. Stella definitely takes after me. Stella stretches and I hear her jump out of bed and Polar RUNS to go and get her. She gives him a little growl, but he doesn't care and keeps jumping and playing.

At this time I am brushing my teeth and after both dogs RUN downstairs and outside, then RUN back upstairs, Stella goes back and lays on Polar's sofa to lay in the sun and Polar comes and sits in the bathroom with me. He needs morning love. After this I check my emails and they both lay on the sofa, or if it is the summer, they may go downstairs and lay outside in the sun. After I finish emails I ask if they would like breakfast. If my emails take me awhile, Stella will start barking at me and running around, which means, HURRY UP! They both get up and go downstairs with me. Now that Stella is a little chunky I have to feed them separately and not leave the bowl full of food. I feed Stella first, while Polar walks around the table by the bowl, going in circles, like a shark. Stella eats and then I put food in the bowl for Polar. While Polar eats I baby gate Stella in the kitchen with me so that he can eat all of his own food. Stella just stares at him.

While I eat breakfast both dogs usually lay on the sofa while I eat. If it is really cold downstairs, Polar will go to his room and lay in the sun, while Stella stays with me. If it is hot out, this is when they usually lay outside. After this, it usually depends on what we do for the day. If we don't have a lot to do, the dogs will sleep and lay around. If I am going somewhere and I put on sneakers or something, the dogs will start running around the house full speed. They know the signs of leaving the house and are ready to go.

When we go someplace, depending on the time I will be gone, I have to get their leashes, water and make sure their blankets are laying in the back of the car. The dogs go out to the car with the garage closed and Stella will jump into the car on her "side." Polar has recently decided he is too scared to jump in with the tight fit of the trunk and the garage door. So he will sit with me by the passenger door of the car while I open the garage. He waits and then once I see there is nobody outside he will go with me and jump in his "side" of the car. Both dogs go with me most places, unless it is REALLY cold or hot.

In the evening, we follow a similar dinner routine except this time Stella will nudge the food container until I allow her to eat. It is non-stop nudging and crying until I feed her. Polar will just stand by the bowl with his ears down and stare at me. Apparently, if I am in the kitchen making my own food, it means that it is their time to eat, so this routine happens if I am making lunch too. Then we separate and eat again. When we watch tv downstairs, Stella likes to lay between my legs and Polar likes to lay ON me, whether that be on my legs, stomach (even while pregnant), or any other part of me that he can lay on. They frequently try to trick each other by getting up and chasing the cat, then they will run back and try to get the spot they really want to lay. At about 10:30pm, Stella decides that it is time for their "fun". She will cry, run around or sit on the stairs and stare at me. This means that she knows it is time for us to go upstairs and the dogs each get their own bone. I baby gate Polar in his room and Stella goes to our room. They get their bones while I shower. After I am done showering I take their bones and they get a drink then go to the place where the other one had their bone, where they check for anything left on the floor, which frequently means they lick the floor for about 15 minutes. Then I hear Polar RUN down the stairs and outside to go to the bathroom. Stella waits upstairs. If I am still in the bathroom, they will lay outside the door, waiting for the next great part of their day. They get a treat when they go to bed. Polar runs to his room and Stella sits right outside his door. I do a few tricks with Stella while Polar waits patiently. I give them each a treat and then make Polar's "cove". I take the blankets and make a cove for him to sleep, since it is pretty cold in our house (if you see in the picture above he has kicked the blankets onto the floor). He jumps up in the cove and lays down, I cover him up and tell him goodnight and then baby gate him in the room. Stella has gone downstairs at this point, to make sure there is no food crumbs left and to go outside. I get into bed and then I will hear Stella SPRINTING through the doggy door and up the stairs to bed. She usually jumps on the bed, checks that I am there, then jumps off and gets a drink then returns and gets back under my blankets with me and snuggles up. If Pedro is working she gets his WHOLE side of the bed, which is great for both of us, she loves to have her own pillow and stretch out room and still be covered up.

The next morning the routine starts again....

Here is another picture for you:

34 weeks...

I know, I keep saying it. Time is FLYING by! I can't believe that our due date is now 41 days away! I had my two week checkup this week and everything is looking good. I only gained 1 lb during these two weeks, which is one of the first times since the second trimester that I haven't gained a pound in a week. Trust me, I am not complaining! Funny thing is that I still don't think that I have gotten any bigger! This week that was a little true, because I measured 33 weeks instead of 34 weeks. Still normal, but as I keep saying, sometimes you are ahead and sometimes you are behind. However, when I look at my picture it reminds me of the one I took in Florida, where I look extra big. I think I look wider this week, which again makes sense since she seems to either lay sideways or diagonal, with one foot on my hip and the other in the opposite rib.

This week I have been tired. More tired than usual. By the time the evening comes I want nothing more than to take a nap. However, that is about the time that I have lessons, practice or my workouts. I really need to get the workouts done earlier in the day when my energy levels are higher and so is motivation! I decided to take a class at the gym this week. It was pretty funny. I choose a class that has a lot of unstable movements. One of our first things in the class was to do medicine ball tosses between the legs to a partner that then passed the ball over their head. Super easy if you are not pregnant. But, I had to do all squats when I passed the ball, instead of a combo bend/squat. Then we did a lot of stuff on a bosu and I even did chest press on a ball, where you have to hold your core up. It wasn't difficult at all! I was also using weights heavier than everyone in the class, they probably thought I was crazy! My doctor told me that I should just wear a note that says "Yes, my doctor has said this is fine for me to do." I probably look the most crazy when I am running on the treadmill! Or when I am spotting Pedro, which apparently freaks people out.

Today we took some maternity photos. My mom was appalled and claimed that they were "naked" photos. I was fully clothed minus showing the stomach. Not sure how that makes me naked? She asked if I would be showing people my "naked stomach"...totally hilarious! Here is one of our pictures of just me, so if you are worried, you might want to close your eyes now!





We have many more photos, so I will post a few more later!


Here is this weeks belly:




Random info:
Days till due date: 41!!
Days pregnant: 239
Weight gained: 31 lbs!
Baby size: about 5 lbs and 20 inches long
Strange fact: Waxy coating on baby is getting thicker this week
Baby development: fingernails have reached the tips of her fingers
Days till next doctors appointment: 12