38 weeks!

*38 weeks, holding my two boys!*

How Far Along?  38 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Yep!

Sleep? Good, but feeling more tired than before.

Best Moment of the Week? Swimming two days in a row!

Movement? Yes! Trying to remember to do kick counts!

What I miss? Nothing, but I am trying to enjoy these last days of having a little life growing inside of me instead of looking to the future. This is (likely) my last pregnancy so I have to remind myself that even though I am more uncomfortable, I have to delight in these little wiggles and kicks!

Symptoms: Still puffy feet, and limbs falling asleep at night :-) More Charley Horses at night, which is NOT so fun!

What I’m looking forward to? A four day weekend with Julian, a date night, and just enjoying these last peaceful days as a family of 3. 

Milestones: Baby has a nice and firm grasp. Also, we are GBS negative! Praise God that I won't have to have an antibiotic IV during labor!

Emotions: Excited and a little nervous, but trying to be focused on the NOW, and on the joy of pregnancy and our little family. 

37 weeks

37 weeks!

Some of our DIY maternity shots: 

How Far Along?  37 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Of course

Sleep? Really good, although I wake up tired!

Best Moment of the Week? We had our home visit from Claudia, our birth assistant. It was great to see her, and go over the details for the birth! It also was a little crazy to think that it will happen very soon. Praying for a smooth and quick birth!!! We also had a check at our (now weekly) midwife appointment and I am already 1 cm dilated. Yay!

Movement? Yes, little wiggles - our little guy is running out of room! 

What I miss? I am starting to miss moving around comfortably, and thinking about how it will feel to be more active again!

Symptoms: My feet are nice and puffy, and my back often is sore. I have to remember to do back stretches and to relax a little more often.

What I’m looking forward to? Taking some more maternity pictures - we took a few, but I want to get some professional (JC Penney) pics taken so we have really nice shots!

Milestones: Baby is finishing up some more brain and lung development to be ready for delivery!

Emotions: Excited and anxious about the delivery! 

36 weeks!

*36 week bump after a nice lunch in Shirlington!*

*Sammy loved the fountain*

*Happy Father's Day, Papi!*

*Baby is the size of romaine lettuce*

How Far Along?  36 weeks. We have entered the 9th month!

Maternity Clothes? Definitely!

Sleep? Pretty good - I am trying to enjoy it and stock up while I can!

Best Moment of the Week? Celebrating Father's Day with the best Papi to my two boys!

Movement? Yes, lots of wiggles!

What I miss? Moving around easily!

Symptoms: Feeling about the same, but more pressure when I stand up, and more discomfort. My hips are often sore, as is my back, and today Baby is kicking my ribs a lot!

What I’m looking forward to? Our next midwife appointment, at the end of the week. 

Milestones: Baby is shedding his fuzzy layer, and making meconium (first poops!).

Emotions: Happy, and very much in the nesting stage. I want to clean and organize everything!!!!

35 weeks!

*35 weeks at a baby shower for friend, Carolina, who is 33 weeks here. We were all of the pregnant ladies attending!*

*Baby is the size of a honeydew!*

How Far Along?  35 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Yes!

Sleep? Pretty good - I've been having really entertaining dreams, like Julian and I being astronauts to Mars! 

Best Moment of the Week? Well, it wasn't the best, but it was a memorable moment in that we had to take Sammy to the ER for the first time. :-( He cut his forehead after falling off of his bed while trying to put his water cup on his shelf. Scary and crazy, and we had to go back 5 days after when he fell down a couple of stairs! No me gusta.

Movement? Yes! Getting a little more uncomfortable to sit with Sammy in my lap. 

What I miss? Nothing!

Symptoms: Same as before! I feel a little pressure when I stand up with baby, which means he is dropping, which is normal.

What I’m looking forward to? Getting everything ready. I feel like there is a lot to do, but that I have plenty of time. But I just realized we are exactly a month away from the due date! Yikes!

Milestones: Baby's liver is working! And kidneys!

Emotions: I'm feeling the need to clean, bake, and organize! Hello, nesting! :-)

34 weeks!

Sammy has been into making sad faces for the camera. He thinks it's so funny!

Baby is the size of a honeydew melon!

How Far Along?  34 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Yes!

Sleep? Actually, not bad! 

Best Moment of the Week? At the end of 33 weeks we had a nice midwife appointment. It reminded me that we needed to get everything together! They told me to order my birth kit ASAP. So, I did, and also went out and got everything (or nearly everything) on the list to have at home.

Movement? Yes! Wiggly little guy more than kicks, though.

What I miss? Nothing!

Symptoms: Same as before!

What I’m looking forward to? Getting things together for the home birth. I've got a tub and have been cleaning/organizing our house, little by little. It is hard to do with a toddler, though! :-)

Milestones: Baby is adding fat under his skin layers.

Emotions: Happy, and getting nervous about the birth!

33 weeks!

Sammy feeding a strawberry to Baby. Julian got me the shirt for my birthday, and Sammy loved it!

Happy family, strawberry picking! Sammy is helping Baby say "cheese!" :-)

Baby is the size of a pineapple!

How Far Along?  33 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Yes!

Sleep? Still getting up to pee 2 times a night, and Sammy has been waking up at least once the last several nights. So, not great, but not awful either.

Best Moment of the Week? We had a great long weekend! It was so awesome to have Papi home for 4 days in a row. We went strawberry picking, to the beach (Lake Anna), to church and a BBQ, and then had a lazy day at home.

Movement? A lot of wiggles, especially when I am sitting down. Although when I go for walks in the evening, he likes to move a lot, too! It gives my Braxton-Hicks contractions!

What I miss? Really, nothing!

Symptoms: Still less heartburn and more back pain. It often hurts to get up, so I am trying to do more back stretches to help.

What I’m looking forward to? Getting ready - we did a lot of little things over the long weekend. I found some more cloth diapers that I had forgotten about (although I forget if they fit well...), and got a wrap from ebay that I have been wanting! Yay! We also talked a lot about a second car... Praying that we will get the car we need, when we need it!

Also looking forward to a midwife appointment later this week!

Milestones: Baby is chunking up and his bones are getting ready - hardening for the outside world!

Emotions: Happy, and definitely trying to get my nest on. I have to get going on our "to-do" list of buying/preparing things for the home birth!

32 weeks!

32 weeks!

At the park on my birthday!

My lovely family. Sammy did not take his eyes off of the birthday cake! 

Baby is the size of a jicama!

How Far Along?  32 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? Yes!

Sleep? Not quite as good - I have been needing to pee in the middle of the night more than usual, and just feel so thirsty! Plus Sammy has been waking up in the middle of the night asking for Mami. Since I'm getting up to pee, it's not the end of the world, but it does take more time to get back to sleep!

Best Moment of the Week? My birthday! I felt very loved by my boys, friends, and family.

Movement? Yes! We have a pretty wiggly little guy.

What I miss? My back is getting sore more often, so I miss moving around quickly and easily.

Symptoms: A little less heartburn, but more back pain. I have to be extra careful moving around and picking up Sammy so that I don't hurt it too much.

What I’m looking forward to? Getting more things ready, and the long Memorial Day weekend coming up!

Milestones: Baby is gaining a lot of weight, has fingernails, toenails, and hair!

Emotions: Happy!