This past week has been a busy one! We moved houses on Wednesday and have been doing house things and baby things at the same time to get ready. I feel like a ticking time bomb and we don’t know when something will happen. Our house looks great and we had so many speedy helpers to help us get moved in and settled before baby! And I’m not much myself help with moving or unpacking carrying around a 30 pound medicine ball on my stomach.

On Thursday, I hit 39 weeks and had another doctor’s appointment with an ultrasound. I ended up with two ultrasounds to check the baby’s weight. The tech couldn’t get an accurate weight the first time because the baby’s head was too low. While I thought that’s good and a sign it’s on its way out, it really isn’t making progress. A second ultrasound after I saw the doctor revealed an 8.5 pound baby (estimated, sometimes they are very wrong).

So anyway, just in case you’re wondering what is going on and if you’re on baby watch like my family, it will probably be soon!

And since I have no pictures of myself to show you, how about the crib that I finally got to put in the room with its bedding? Come on baby, you’re room and bed are waiting! It’s way prettier than the inside of my stomach!

I am approaching Week 39, and tomorrow we move houses! Baby is still happy inside and growing and rolling around. When we planned our move in January and found out the timeline, we were all skeptical that it would work out. My doctor included! Really, most people thought we were crazy and doubted it would work out in order. I did too. But now it’s March 6, packing day, and we move tomorrow and we’re still hanging on!

I have a long list of to-dos and things that need to be done for me to relax and just wait for baby, but hopefully most should be complete by Friday.

I will be really happy when the baby’s furniture arrives and is assembled, and even more relaxed when the bedding is put on the bed and all of the necessary items we need for the very beginning are unpacked. Waiting until the very last minute isn’t usually something I do, but you wouldn’t imagine the planning lists I have going! We also have “things” spread between about four houses and furniture in warehouses waiting to be delivered from three different places.

Cooking is pretty much on hold for a while, and the focus is going to be house and baby and settling into a lot of new things!

Because of that, I’m not expecting regular blog posts until we get settled, but I will pick it back up soon and plan to share more of the same about food, fitness after baby, pictures of Lily, and life with a newborn. I hope you’ll continue to check back, subscribe to my blog so you get updates via email (right sidebar), or follow me on Facebook so you see new posts automatically when they go up.

Check back soon!

Wow for making it to March and Week 38! It’s a relief to make it to March, since all along we’ve been planning for a baby in March. February would have thrown us a curve ball. Next goal is to make it to the move! Then the baby is welcome and encouraged to arrive on its own.

This week, BabyCenter says the baby is the size of a leek and weighs 6.8 pounds and is almost 20 inches long. Again, these don’t mean much to me anymore! Baby is basically cooked and just adding some weight.

I feel about as uncomfortable as I look in this picture. And why is it so hot and humid in this city?!

Highlights of the week included our final date night last Saturday. We went to a new-to-us restaurant, Philippe, to have one last date before the baby arrives. We hope the next date night won’t be too far off. And I have a feeling it will involve sushi and/or wine when that date comes! Either that or a turkey sandwich.

We also cooked dinner at home for Oscar Sunday, and I made another batch of homemade granola for nibbling and breakfasts.

This is my last week of work for the school year, so that is exciting too. No more packed lunches! Those do get old every day. I reverted back to a first trimester favorite this week–PB&J on a bagel and an apple for lunch. I did compensate by having a colorful Whole Foods salad with tofu for dinner!

Over the weekend, I also had two walks on the treadmill at the gym. They are still getting more uncomfortable and slow, but at least I’m going! It does feel good to just get dressed and be there.

We are getting a bit more ready for baby and moving. We washed the clothes, sheets and blankets we have, and are trying to stay organized.

My sleeping has been alright. Not as bad as last week’s report. My doctor actually said Tylenol PM is ok to take, so I did take that a few nights and it was so wonderful.

Baby is constantly rolling, kicking, punching, etc. All day long. All night long. It’s like a party all the time. Not saying I don’t like feeling the movements, but I won’t be so nostalgic for it (or anything pregnancy related)! It makes me nervous and they are starting to hurt.

Today I have another doctor’s appointment. Hoping I have made some progress in the right direction, but it’s looking to be doubtful. I will update later if anything changes!

Lily and Jeffrey wanted to say hi. They like having their picture taken too. Jeffrey is practicing the baby cradle hold.

I am almost 38 weeks pregnant (!), and hopefully that means the end is near! Our weekends have been very quiet and relaxed, and my weekday afternoons are the same. I have lists going for the house and baby, and all that’s left are some odds and ends.

Here are some things we’ve accomplished that were looming and some left on the list:

• We have finally installed the car seat in one car.
• We washed the two outfits we have and all the blankets and swaddles and sheets. And packed them in a zipper bag so they can stay clean during the move.
• We have been reading our books. I started The Happiest Baby on the Block and Jeffrey has been reading a few chapters from Babywise and The Expectant Father.
• I have somewhat gotten a hospital bag together. I am still wearing the few clothes that fit and that I would pack, so I made a list and printed it. I am also still using toiletries and makeup and can’t pack it yet. That’s good enough for now. I am also hopeful that we would have time to get this together.
• I did my breastfeeding research and bought all I need to last the very beginning except the pump.
• The baby has a hospital packing list too! I have gotten those things together–clothes, hat, Boppy pillow.
• I’ve completed an email announcement list that Jeffrey will use to email our friends and family.
• We’ve also started our mailing list and organized that so we don’t have to do it later.
• I have scheduled a newborn photo session.

 What’s left on the list:

• We need more clothes for the beginning, but I don’t want to buy them in green and yellow anymore.
• I would like to finish a photo book of the weekly pregnancy photos and include my shower and some of our trips throughout pregnancy.
• Before arriving home from the hospital, I have requested the stroller, video monitor and pack and play be assembled!
• Do as much for the new house as we can before the baby arrives!
• Make more lists of new house things so I don’t have to think about them after.

Just a few days to go!

It’s Week 37, we are so close!

First, let’s start with the positive…I made it to full term! That deserves a high five. 37 weeks is considered full term, if you go into labor, your baby is cooked and it’s safe for arrival. I think that’s an accomplishment!

According to BabyCenter, the baby is the size of a stalk of swiss chard and about 19 inches long. However, last week at my doctor’s appointment, I had an ultrasound to find out exactly what’s going on and get a better idea of the baby’s size. This baby weight 6.5 lbs at 36 weeks, which means it’s about 7 lbs this week. That’s the 70th percentile of weight for this gestational age! This is gonna be a big bambino. Babies gain about 1/2 pound each week near the end. They are just bulking up for their entrance into the world.

Now for the not so great…This has probably been the hardest week of my whole pregnancy so far. I’ve been very uncomfortable, have barely slept one good night, and have little energy because of no sleep. My shirts are getting shorter, the waistbands of even my maternity pants are digging into me, I just can’t get comfy. The kicks are getting very sharp and almost painful because there’s less fluid to absorb the kicks and less room to roll. The baby still moves 24 hours a day and it sure feels like it’s never sleeping! You can definitely feel feet or elbows or a butt or other sharp points sometimes.

Over the weekend, I had two good workouts at the gym of treadmill walks and felt pretty good. A nice older woman even told me “way to go” for still being active this late in pregnancy! I think exercise is really important, and am glad I’m still staying somewhat active.

Since last week’s post, I have been to the doctor twice. Yesterday was more of the same–no progress on my own, and my doctor thinks a scheduled induction in Week 40 will be necessary. We are planning an induction date for March 12 if nothing happens before. Baby seems to be happy and growing and in no hurry to leave, but momma isn’t so comfortable or rested!

I still hope the baby will make some progress in a few weeks, maybe during the move. That would be a best situation! It could happen.

This weekend, we are going on a little dinner date night on Saturday as one last night out just the two of us!

Any questions now that the end is near and I don’t have so much to write about?

I am tired and cranky and have nothing else pregnancy related to write about except complaints and whines. So how about some cute pictures of Lily for this week?

Above is Lily wearing her new ThunderShirt. It’s like the infomercial, supposed to calm dogs in thunderstorms and act like a hug for them. It’s cute on her, but the thunder still wins. We’ve had a lot of rain recently which has meant a lot of sleepless nights.

On sunny days, she loves to sit on the balcony or look out the door. It’s so cute and she gets so calm!

She is just so cute. Even when she is scruffy in need of a bath.

And cute when she’s tired and tucked into bed.

And cute basking in the sun watching the birds and trees and cars and people.

Well around now, you may be coming here on Thursdays to see if I’m still here! I am, but my belly sure feels like it doesn’t have too much longer to go.

This week, BabyCenter says the baby is the size of a crenshaw melon (I have no idea what that is) and about 6 pounds pounds and over 18 inches. I actually go to the doctor weekly now, and today I have an ultrasound to see exactly how much the baby weighs and how long it is, and other important things like making sure it’s in the right position. I’ll try to update the post later today.

The theme of this week has been being uncomfortable! My belly is so big, it is hard to sit in a chair and eat meals or sit at my desk. It’s more uncomfortable than hard. But it feels like I’m squishing the baby, when it is more comfortable to lay on a couch or on the bed reclining. It is also less comfortable to sleep, harder to get out of bed, and I’m a slower walker. My few shirts that fit are getting shorter too. Doesn’t this sound like fun? I sound like I’m 90.

Luckily, there is an end in site, and I really can’t wait to have normal energy again and my body back soon.

This week we also finished our classes at the hospital. We ended up signing up for four and attending three. Not bad when one of us was dragging our feet at all of them! We ended up going to Infant CPR, Prepared Childbirth and Infant Care. We skipped Breastfeeding, but I spent that day doing research and asking friends far too personal questions!

Here are some doctor stats and other random facts:

• Weight gained at 35 weeks: 23.5 pounds
• Weeks until full term: ONE
• Number of weeks until we move: THREE
• Odds we will move before baby arrives: I say unlikely
• Blood pressure: Still really good averaging below 120/80
• Baby’s heart rate: Always between 140-160
• Fundal length at 35 weeks: 35 centimeters (these should match to show you’re growing on schedule)
• Random food interests: oranges, Pop Chips, homemade banana bread (I made it twice) and a strawberry bread once
• Number of failed trips to find a Dairy Queen for a blizzard: 1 (we ended up at Amy’s Ice Creams instead)
• Number of “workouts” in the last week: two at the gym plus one full lap of the mall and countless walks around the block and laps up and down three flights of stairs chasing Lily

That is it for this week. I have also been trying to finish up as much as I can of things I want to get before the baby arrives, and start packing a hospital bag or at least deciding what I’ll need. It would have been nice to spend this time on the baby’s room, but those things will come together quickly when we move in.

See you next week!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Not a holiday we really do much acknowledging around here, we will probably pick up dinner and have a normal Tuesday! I might get some chocolate covered strawberries from Central Market. Did you know their roses are $3/stem?! That seems not worth it to me.

Today’s pregnancy related post is about slowing down. Usually, I have a to-do list and like checking it off, my day gets started with exercise, and I am pretty scheduled all day. But in late pregnancy, I’ve just been not doing those things.

Some mornings, I wake up around 7 a.m., eat breakfast, and get back in bed. That used to be unheard of, but not anymore. I feel part guilty for being lazy, and part ok with it for savoring the quiet time with my puppy and taking it easy. I used to be out the door at 5:40 a.m. for exercise! That seems so long ago.

I have actually completed most of my “before baby comes” list the best we can without actually being in our new house yet. While it would have been nice to have a nursery ready, have the furniture delivered, and put clothes away in the dresser, it’s probably not going to happen. We are scheduled to move on March 7…when I’m 39 weeks pregnant. I am confident that the baby will have a place to sleep and clothes to wear no matter what house it goes home to. We’re just trusting that it will all work out.

I have also almost stopped exercising. While not a big deal to most probably, exercise is a big part of my daily life. Before pregnancy, I would work out 6-7 times a week and I enjoyed it. I am telling myself that this is temporary and I’m doing what feels right. This past weekend, I walked twice on the treadmill for 35 minutes, and did light stretching. Everyday activities are more of an exercise than they used to, like walking the mall, running errands and climbing the stairs.

My days are quite different than before–Besides going to work, I try to accomplish one errand a day, take time to rest in the afternoons, and am falling asleep by 9:30 each night. It’s nice to take the end of pregnancy to slow down and remember it will never be like this again, and it is still very strange that we know our lives will be changing so soon.

Week 35 is big time! That means this baby is about 95% cooked! Can you believe it? 37 weeks is considered full term, and safe for arrival. We are still hoping for baby to make its debut sometime on schedule because we scheduled our move on Week 39. Can someone relay that message to baby? It really is hard to believe that it’s almost safe for the baby to come anytime now.

Backing up a bit, BabyCenter says the baby is the size of a honeydew this week. It is over 18 inches long and 5.25 pounds. Also around now, BabyCenter starts to become inaccurate in its size guesses since full term babies range in weight from 6-8ish pounds and varying lengths. But it’s still nice to know what it looks like inside.

This past weekend we had a lot of family in town for my baby shower. I got some cute gifts, along with many practical and necessary ones that we’ll need for the first days at home and beyond. It’s nice to feel a little more equipped. My mom and I also did a Babies R’ Us run and got some other necessary items like newborn pacifiers, wipes, diapers, and velcro swaddle wraps.

I have a few odds and ends I’d like to get before the baby arrives, and I try to tackle a few things a week but not all at once.

Sleep–This has been very touch and go lately. If I have a bad night of a few hours where I can’t sleep one night, I’ll be tired all day and then sleep great the next night. It’s not ideal, but I appreciate the good nights more, and know most of my future sleep will be broken up into few hour stretches.

Exercise–Last weekend was probably the first weekend in all of my pregnancy where I didn’t have any real gym exercise. We had family here and my shower and I wanted to be rested, and also, I just didn’t feel much like it. I’ve gotten much slower and more tired, and I took the time to rest. I think exercise may be on hiatus besides everyday things like walking the dog and chasing her up and down the stairs.

Eating–I am still baking and taking my breakfast and lunch to work, and trying to cook something at home each week. Hoping to keep that up a little. Having Jeffrey as the sous chef on the weekends helps too! However, it’s hard to know when I’m full because I always look gigantic. It is true that you eat less but more often.

Kicks–This baby is definitely an active one. Especially at night or after a meal, I feel the baby moving all over. We can see it kicking and moving around, and new this week is a lot of movement on my left side. I hope it’s still head down! I think it is elbows or feet or something on the sides.

I have lots of to-do lists going all week long, have computer spreadsheets and long reminders ready of things I need to do before the baby arrives and right after, and still doing various research on things that come up.

That’s about it for this week. Starting today, I go to the doctor every week!