39 weeks.

I’m still running off adrenaline from my last few hours of work today but hopefully I’ll calm down soon enough because WOAH, today was my last day of work. It’s very surreal to me. I’ve never passed on my classes before; when the school year is over, my classes are done and it’s summer but now, those classes that I’ve put so {SO} much effort into since August are just someone else’s. Even though it’s weird, though, I’m beyond grateful for many things; for the ability to take off this time from work, for the substitute who is coming in to take my classes, for my supportive husband at home…and many other things. On a very basic level, I really hope that this baby of ours comes on or very near her due date so that I can get at least two or three weekdays to sleep in next week!

Let’s update!

I hate these horrible shadows but we have two lights out in our apartment that are hard to replace because we have recessed lighting and we need to scrounge up a ladder to change them. Plus only Mikey can do this, he doesn't think I should be climbing things at this point.

How far along: 39 weeks

Symptoms:

·      Horrible pain {carpal tunnel?} in my right thumb. I mentioned this last week too and it feels worse this week. I can’t grip things very well and it is so stiff when I get up in the morning.

·      A bit of feet swelling this week. Or more than a bit? Well, my shoes are tight. My tootsies don’t look huge so it could just be widening. I seriously hope I don’t go up too much in actual foot size because I really don’t want to get mostly new shoes.

·      I’ve still been ravenous, dinner sometimes isn’t enough.

·      I get some restless legs when I sit on the couch; laying down seems ok and sitting in a chair is fine but the couch seems to aggravate them.

·      I’ve felt some pushing on something internal {my cervix?} and it is not the most enjoyable sensation.

·      I hadn’t known it at all but I think I’ve been having some Braxtin Hicks contractions. I only “found out” as I was laying down for the midwife to measure my belly she said “Oh, you’re having a contraction!”; I think it’s only when/if I lay down on my back and it felt like nothing except that my tummy got very firm/tight. The midwife told me that many women assume their actual contractions/labor won’t be that bad if/when they have these painless B-H contractions, which she thinks is hilarious because it’s not true. I thanked her kindly for her assurance.

·      I’m also very thirsty; water water water please!

·      My back and hips get sore when I’m laying down for too long.

·      The midwife gave me a weight estimate of about 7.5 pounds; these are very pretty subjective guesses but I’m hoping that little girl is around there – though actually birthing the child will be a challenge, I’m very happy with a bigger baby {I can’t wait for those chunky-monkey roly-poly thighs!}.

Wait gain: 167 to 171…what a range; it was about 170 the night before my appointment, then 171 at the midwife yesterday, then about 168 late last night.

Size of baby: a mini-watermelon or a watermelon; one website said one and the other said the other.

Exercise: walking at work; not very good.

Milestones: I wrapped up work. This is huge for me. As I mentioned earlier in the post, I’m having a hard time realizing that I won’t go into work on Monday; I’m officially on maternity leave – eek!

Our daughter is now at “full-term”, 37 to 38 weeks is “early term” I think. If I were to have needed a scheduled C-section for whatever reason, now’s when it could happen.

What I miss: sleeping for more than two to three hours and not having back/hip pain. And not having this weird hand/thumb pain!

Sex: daughter.

Movement: good moves, lots of “rolling” around, though she isn’t rolling anymore, I think it’s more like arching her back and moving her arms and legs.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: now I get to have a baby!!! I want to have some days to mentally wrap my mind around labor and birth. I’ve been so focused on work that those two big events have been swept aside a bit and I’m really excited to get myself into a mentally prepared {or as prepared as I can be} state of mind.

And, yes, I’m nervous. But I’ve heard that nerves are a good thing in this process.

Sleep: I said it earlier; I’m up every two to three hours and I get sore/achy, but those few hours are good sleep.

Goals: make it to 40 weeks!

Random: Like last week, I thought of a few more things I’d like to get before I feel totally ready for this child of ours; some more newborn diapers {to use before we jump over to cloth [yikes!]}, a dishwasher container for her bottle accouterments, some lanolin, and hair bows {totally necessary}.

I’d also like to get our apartment un-cluttered; there’s baby stuff stashed in boxes in our living room and I want to get it organized/put away. My biggest challenge right now is baby clothes. There’s only so much space I can find. Even if I only put her current size in the drawers I have dedicated to our daughter, then I still need to find a place to put those extra clothes and because our apartment’s lack of storage, that’s a challenge. At the same time, I don’t want to shove all of her things into her few drawers because then it’s hard to see what she has. These are definitely “first world” problems and honestly I’m just so grateful for this impending arrival and we’ll figure out where to put her clothes soon enough. 

All in all, I’m just SO excited for this next phase of our lives; is it really time?!?!

38 weeks.

This is my second to last Friday at work {at least I hope it is!} and I am not fully convinced that I’m truly having a baby in the next few weeks. It’s been a good week, a day short thanks to Presidents’ Day, and I’m trying to mentally gear up for my last five days at work…so let’s get an update!

Pardon the shadowy right side; our apartment has a couple of big boxes and not the best lighting currently. And this is how I look after 14 hours. Pardon the shadowy right side; our apartment has a couple of big boxes and not the best lighting currently. And this is how I look after 14 hours. Also, I wanted to wear a dark colored top to contrast more with our light walls but this white t-shirt is one of the things that still fits well/in an embarrassing way.

How far along: 38 weeks

Symptoms:

·      I had some of this in my right hand several months ago but it has flared up big time and into my thumb…I think it’s carpal tunnel syndrome. My thumb joint gets SO stiff and painful overnight and during the day it’s just in pain. My hand is weak because of it and I’m worried I’ll pick up something break-able and drop it. I’ve heard this can happen in pregnancy so I truly hope it goes away when our child has made her appearance.

·      Related to the carpal tunnel, I think, I’ve had a very tingly right arm. Sometimes it feels like it’s asleep but without any pressure on it. I’ve heard that baby can rest oddly on various nerves which explains this sensation and the midwives agree. I think it’s also what’s been making the top of my belly feel tingly. Lots of people say a tingly arm is a heart attack warning but this is definitely not that, it's baby-nerve contact.

·      I’ve been HUNGRY this week. Like, so hungry. I’ve been eating sandwiches at night after dinner.

·      A bit of the old back pain has been lingering but it’s not too bad.

·      My feet are bigger than they were nine months ago, though that’s not new…what is new is that last night when we got back from the midwife I noticed that my right leg was a bit bigger than my left and that it had a bit of pain. It got better after a night’s sleep but I noticed the pain and swelling again this evening. After initially telling me to lay down, the midwife, when she called back to check in, said to rest and call again tomorrow if things get worse/don’t get better.

Wait gain: 167. Though the midwives’ scale said 170 but that was wearing a ton of clothes and boots.

Size of baby: a pumpkin or a bunch of leeks.

Exercise: just walking at work.

Milestones: we had our last baby shower – with friends; it was so much fun and we are so grateful for the beautiful shower our fabulous friends threw for us…and for the dear, dear friends who came into town to visit with us and celebrate the baby.

I met and trained my substitute teacher…so tiring but so worthwhile to be able to spend two days at work with her.

What I miss: for the first time in my pregnancy, this week I felt a twinge of “it’s no longer my body…it’s her body. I’m so glad to give our daughter all she needs from what I have, and I will continue to do so when breastfeeding, but it sure will be exciting to wear normal clothes again!

Sex: little girl.

Movement: strong and frequent, though she had a couple of “quieter” days. The midwife said that she’s in a “perfect” position.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: I’m not thrilled with this swelling/pain combination so hopefully a weekend off my feel things will feel better.   

I’d like to finish this upcoming last week at work so hopefully everything stays healthy and in position. It would also be nice to have a few days to myself at home after stopping work so hopefully baby stays put for a couple more weeks.

Gratuitous puppy shot.

Sleep: I’m up every two to three hours and I need to flip over to the other side each time I get up otherwise I get sore arms/backs/hips. I'm attached to my snoogle while in bed.

Goals: be/stay healthy through my last week at work.

Random: I’d like to order a few more things for baby before she gets here; changing table pad {to go on tope of our dresser}, some baby hand mittens, and a few other things. We also got a Moby wrap which I’m really excited to try out with an actual baby in the wrap rather than a big belly in the way of tying it around me.

37 weeks.

MY FRIENDS ARE HERE!!!!!!!! I’m coming off of two snow days in a row, with the prospect of a three day weekend that includes a baby shower full of pals and a tour of the White House; I am one happy girl. So let’s get updated.

Pajama day #2.

How far along: 37 weeks; we’re considered “early term” though people used to call it “full term” at 37 weeks.

Symptoms:

·      It was a light week at work, considering there were only three days, so my back and feet weren’t too bad; it’s actually driving that makes my back hurt the most so less time in the car is a great thing.

·      I’m HUNGRY.

·      I’m also hormonal; crying and agitated at the slightest thing.

·      I’m feeling so anxious about getting every possible thing done; I’m not doing any heavy cleaning because Mikey said he’d take care of that for me but I’ve been cooking up a storm {I’m at nine or ten meals frozen with one more on the docket}, getting our bag ready for when we need to go, finishing a project for the babe, and trying to get things ready around our place. It’s nesting, right? Whatever it is it’s a strong urge that’s hard to fight and I’m worried I’ll never feel settled but I know that I’ll need to just give it up at a certain point; baby will come and everything will be OK.

Wait gain: 165. Down another pound; my midwife appointment got cancelled this week due to snow so I’ll have to wait until it’s rescheduled to ask about this weight loss. I don’t want to be concerned and my belly certainly feels larger than last week so I’m thinking maybe I’m not gaining weight and that the baby might just be taking a bit of mine.

Size of baby: a winterfruit or a bunch of chard.

Exercise: lots of work around the apartment and cooking and we got in a good walk Wednesday night as well as some bowling last Sunday night {that’s totally exercise}.

Milestones: I made a quilt for our daughter. It’s a funky size and there are uneven hems here and there but I love it and hopefully she does too. 

I have some high fallutin’ ideas that maybe for our next baby he or she will also get his or her own quilt.

I also cooked three meals to freeze today; I had meant to get four done but I got tired…in the process I got the freezer cleaned out and organized and it felt really good to do so.

I also made it to 36 weeks and six days pregnant, which means that I can officially give birth at the birthing center; woo hoo!

We were also very generously gifted a stroller for this little one which is so very exciting to me {& her daddy too}; it’s still in the box but it will be so nice and fun to put it together!

What I miss: tummy sleeping; it came up in conversation one day this week and I sure do enjoy a good belly flop onto the bed.

Sex: a baby girl will be joining us soon.

Movement: good squirming and lots of hiccups this week. I can feel her feeties on my side sometimes but I do think {& hope!} she’s still in a good head-down position.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: same as last week – let’s get even more ready for baby. There are a few things I’d like to get ordered for her for before she gets here and I think I may get that done on Sunday or Monday.  

Sleep: up every few hours for the bathroom and the whale flop over to my other side; my back and hips hurt after too much time on one side.

Goals: get my substitute plans all in order {I’m getting there}

Random: I’m SO excited for my friends’ visit and wish other pals were here to hang out too. 

36 weeks.

We just got back from a fun dinner with soon-to-be-great-aunt-Tricia; it was so nice to see her here in DC but I wish she had brought some Arizona warmth with her ;) It’s been a good week around here that included a day off {thanks to an icy storm} and several freezer meals prepped and ready for us when times are busier.  And onto an update!

How far along: 36 weeks

Symptoms:

·      I’ve been pretty hungry this week.

·      I think that first trimester hormones have returned; my skin is wrecked and I’ve been super annoyed/angry/upset for no good reason.

·      My upper back is still hurting and my hips and lower back hurt too, but only in the middle of the night – when I get up every two to three hours to use the bathroom I need to flip over to my other side to even out the pressure.

·      Baby girl definitely spends some time pushing down hard every day, which, if I’m walking, makes me move a bit slowly.

·      I hadn’t articulated this before because I kind of just realized this today when swapping pregnancy highlights with a coworker today – I’ve been getting bad cramping/twisting/knotting in my calves {charlie horses}. But it’s only in the middle of the night and if I stretch out/flex my legs…they kind of hurt!

Wait gain: 166. So I’ve lost a pound in the past week? I’m wondering if this is OK? I think I read somewhere that some women actually lose weight at the very end but I thought it was at the VERY end and I still have four more weeks…I’ll ask about it next week.

Size of baby: a honeydew melon or a head of romaine lettuce.

Exercise: I walked a mile on the track while Mikey played soccer last weekend and we had a good two mile walk this evening…around the track I was feeling a bit crampy and tonight I felt the same way after rushing to make a light so the walking is great as long as I don’t go too fast.

Milestones: my very sweet and generous coworkers threw me a sweet baby shower today! And this past week I got about six meals made and frozen for when the babe is here. I also got all of our newborn clothes washed and folded.

My hospital/birth center bag is partially packed and we have all of our consent paperwork signed and ready to go.

My substitute at work was hired this week {yea!} and I’ve put a good dent in the preparation for her so I’m feeling OK about that.

I also triple checked with our HR person about my days and dates so to be sure about when I can go out on leave; it’s not like I’m tied to staying at work until a certain date, rather, I get my 12 weeks FMLA, I’d like to take off the remainder of the school year, when summer vacation starts I’m no longer “on leave”, so I need to count back 12 weeks from the end of summer – that gets me to about the week before my due date. If I can make it to that week, I’d like to stay until my due date to try and maximize my salary. That also means I’ve got to hustle on the home front to get things ready because it could be that when I wrap it up at work, I might not have much if any time before we become parents.

What I miss: no back pain and sleeping in any position I’d like.

Sex: girl girl girl girl girl girl girl girl GIRL!

Movement: our daughter has been squirming around still and I love it. There have been a fair amount of hiccups this week too. I love feeling her move and I know that I’ll miss this part of pregnancy the most.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: let’s get ready!! I know that parents never really feel better but I’d like to get as much done as possible; laundry, a crafty thing I have planned for her, the car seat, get her baby carrier washed, make more meals, etc.

Sleep: every two to three hours for bathroom and to flip over to the other side. But it really is good sleep while I’m getting it!

Goals: more nesting and getting stuff ready at work…

Random: it’s the weekend!!! And we have some more bowling on the agenda!

35 weeks.

Happy Lunar New Year to those who are celebrating! How exciting that my daughter will be a Horse!

And oh my goodness, today has that really good Friday feeling that sticks around until Saturday morning {logically}; the one where it is so amazing to think about how there are two full mornings with no alarm clocks ahead of use {I realize that our own un-turn-off-able alarm clock will be making her appearance before long but let me relish in this for now please!} and I can do whatever I want tonight and not rush to get stuff done and be in bed at a reasonable hour. Not that we stay up or go out ever…but still.

It was frigid here again this week and we even got some good snow over one night {and a delayed start the next morning – thank you weather gods for those extra two hours!!!!}. Today warmed up a bit and even though it’s slated to get cool again and maybe even snow some here, it’s nothing like the teens and single digits we’ve had several times in January.

Aaaaaaand…we made it to end of blah-u-ary. Yea. Even though my birthday is in this month and it’s a great time to reflect on the past year/look ahead to the next, it’s my least favorite month. I try not to grump too much about it but…it’s still dark and cold and I can’t even say that “next month” brings the good tidings of spring because next month is still winter. But February! In a matter hours, next month will bring a new season both literally and figuratively. Wow. Tonight I’m feeling so excited and happy about things to come.

In other news, be glad I’m not in dingy house clothes for the picture; my photographer came home earlier than I had thought he would and I was already out of my jeans {we had a glorious dress-down day at work today} but it was early enough that I felt some oomph to squeeze back into them. The legs fit fine, actually, but it’s the darned “belly panel”, this stretchy spandexy area attached to the waistline {if you can call it that} that no longer fits over my belly.

So let’s move on to the update.

How far along: 35 weeks

Symptoms:

·      Trying to stay alive at work? I’m still working a ton. Even though I’ve been teaching since 2006, this is a new school and textbook so for some of my classes I’m really creating a lot as we go along. Plus even if I’m using material from co-workers {THANK YOU SO MUCH COWORKERS!}, I’m making new plans because the pacing is different from what I had done for so long.

·      Also not really a symptom but I’m trying to get those substitute plans in order. Slowly but surely, though that surely needs to come quickly the later it gets.

·      Baby is pressing on my bladder…it’s such a weird feeling. It’s as though I need to go to the bathroom but different.

·      Upper back pain is still here and it’s aggravated by the seats in our car; I possibly mentioned this last week but don’t feel like looking at the last post I made to figure it out.

·      It’s hard to stand up? Like, after I’ve been sitting or lying down for a while, getting up just hurts. It must be the muscle strain and those relaxed muscles I’ve mentioned.

·      As has been the case throughout this pregnancy, I’m hungry! And thirsty. I’ve been eating lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches {on toasted bread, natch} and downing tons of water.

Wait gain: 167; I’ve gained a pound in two weeks. The midwife didn’t seem concerned and actually even told me that the baby is measuring big {a week ahead} so I think this is OK.

Size of baby: a coconut or a honeydew melon.

Exercise: not much walking at all; it was so cold! But I did have a fleeting desire this week to swim; I think the idea of being weightless sounds wonderful actually so maybe it was a not-so-fleeting yen. I might look into any indoor pools open. But the problem is that I’m a horrible swimmer {too much coordination}…I might give it a try anyway though because it just seems like it would feel so good.

Milestones: I don’t think there’s anything…little Miss Melamed is apparently head down and that makes me one happy mama but it ain’t a milestone so…

What I miss: lying on my tummy. I just wanted to flop on my bed and read junky stuff online this afternoon and had to make-do with laying on my side and alternating when my arm would get tired.

Sex: one girl, coming up soon!

Movement: she’s going at it still. There have been some big rolling movements and I love it.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: car sear car seat car seat! And we need to get our birth center consent forms filled out. Even though the midwife told me that our daughter is a bit big, I'm more happy than worried; I'm just glad to know that she's on her way to being big and healthy. I may change my mind when go-time gets here but for now, I'm at peace with it.

Sleep: I’m up every two to three hours for the bathroom and to drink water because I’m thirsty. It’s a vicious cycle. I also need to flip over because my hips start to hurt.

Goals: wash clothes, get cars eat in, build bassinet.

Random: I have some work to do this weekend, beyond just baby stuff, and I’m so excited to get it done and then laze around watching the superbowl…I’m pretty easy to please!!!

34 weeks.

We’re in the middle of another polar vortex. Yippee skipee. And I’m now a 30 year-old woman; whoa! It’s been a great week of being at home and enjoying our apartment’s heater. I also caught Michael’s cold in the past two days And to give an update…

How far along: 34 weeks

Symptoms:

·      The nesting urge is still there but I’m working hard to funnel that energy into getting substitute plans ready which counts as nesting {right?}. But it was real hard to sit and work all during my two snow days this week instead of washing cute newborn outfits and putting together our pack n’ play.

·      A few cramps here and there but only if I don’t drink enough water.

·      I feel really uncomfortable anytime I get up off of the couch or out of a chair I’ve been sitting in for a while…I’m not quite sure if this is pregnancy related? But if my “condition” causes muscles and ligaments to relax, maybe it does.

·      Our daughter has been pressing on my bladder a lot; it could be that she’s getting bigger and there’s less space in there. Whatever the reason, it’s almost unbearable if I’ve been drinking a lot {of water!}, which I almost always am!

·      My upper back/shoulders hurt sooooooo bad. Laying down on my sides {is there any other way now?!} is the only thing that seems to help. Driving really exacerbates it. I was wondering maybe if it is le bébé pressing on a nerve but I think it’s the extra weight I’ve been lugging around for almost eight months.

·      That funny tingly feeling at the top of my rib cage has never gone away; though it’s been less frequent this week than before.

·      I have an outie belly button! I’ve had this situation going on for quite a while, I just never mentioned it!

Wait gain: 166…same as last week

Size of baby: a cantaloupe or a butternut squash.

Exercise: a bit of walking here and there; I ventured out several times during my snow days and also puttered around the mall for a while today…which I’m counting {my how times have changed}.

Milestones: I’m now the age I’ll be when we have our little one…that’s pretty cool to me. I

What I miss: nothing =)

Sex: there is one girl inside of me.

Movement: baby’s going around and around in there. I’m still feeling here in a sideways position, though not too often. I don’t think she dropped like I mentioned last week but she certainly is going at my bladder; when said organ is full it makes walking really uncomfortable!

Thoughts/questions/concerns: we did not get the car seat set up last week and we actually might wait a few more weeks since we drive people around here and there and the car seat takes up prime backseat real estate. I also want to make sure I feel like I have enough newborn clothing around. And the pack n’ play! Since that will be her bed, I feel an urge to get it going.

Sleep: though my pillow is still great, I’m waking up every two hours to use the bathroom and to flip over. And all that relaxin {hormone that causes muscles/ligaments to relax hence relaxin} makes for some gross mouth breathing. Boo.

Goals: get a couple of pieces of furniture at Ikea, continue working on my substitute plans for work, maybe start washing the newborn clothes, and perhaps get the pack n’ play started.

Random: I’m looking forward to this cold setting sail and the temperatures outside to creep up a bit higher than what they’re at. 

Also, I got a bit freaked out today when a coworker mentioned that in three weeks I'll be full term. Obviously we want our daughter to cook for the whole six weeks we've got left, but it's kind of intimidating to think that in half that time she'd be OK...it's true that she'd likely be very OK if she were to come now even but I also calculated how early I can go out at work and be able to stretch my leave through to the end of the school year and it's only two weeks prior to my due date {& even that's a stretch!} so she reallllllly needs to stay put!!

33 weeks.

January is half gone and our due date is, for all intents and purposes, the end of February...it's actually March 7th but I keep thinking about how all I have to do is get to the end of February. This means that we’re getting close {but not too close} to meeting this child of ours. In other news this week, we both stayed pretty really {think tuna melt and sandwich dinners} busy at work and I had another appointment with the midwife. And now, without further adieu, a bit of an update.

How far along: 33 weeks

Symptoms:

·      Nesting has set in but it’s at battle with some third trimester exhaustion that’s rearing its ugly head. I was never as bone-tired as I read I would be in my first trimester but I think I’m getting some of it now. It was actually worse last week and I forgot to write it down, and it could also have been from a really busy week right after getting back from break, but I’ve gotten some good sleep this week and these eyes still try to close when they need to be open.

·      Baby’s hiccupping which I can feel low down in my tummy, though they’re not too frequent.

·      I’m hungry hungry hungry!!!! And still craving protein.

·      The soles of my feet still hurt, as does my upper back/shoulder. It’s the worst when I’m driving, which I do almost two hours a day, so I end up doing some funny {but safe!} arm, shoulder, and neck stretches while I’m commuting.

·      I’m smelling things really strongly. This has been one that has come and gone, or maybe I’ve noticed it at times and then not at others. I could smell tuna that had been eaten hours earlier in our apartment.

·      I’ve been HOT this week. I read somewhere that my metabolic rate is raging this week, hence the heat.

·      The baby might have dropped a bit; I thought I had felt it and then someone at work remarked on it but in looking at pictures and thinking about it, I think it’s just her position of the day that maybe makes me look like I’m carrying slightly higher or slightly lower. 

Wait gain: 166

Size of baby: a durian fruit {they’re the stinky ones, I’m pretty sure} or a pineapple.

Exercise: some walking and I got in a great trek around the mall last weekend.

Milestones: hitting 33 weeks and also getting some drawers filled with clothes for little girl. They all need to be washed still but I got them out of the suitcase and box {from travel since our showers [thank you SO MUCH friends and families]} and into drawers according to size.

What I miss: nothing =)

Sex: it’s a girl.

Movement: she’s still at it. I think she’s been in a good head-down position though I still feel her creeping over to my sides. Some days are a bit slower and others she’s more active, which is how she’s always been.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: getting everything washed/set up for her which means we need to haul out a bunch of our crud in our apartment. By “haul out” I mean clean and clear. There is very little storage in our spacious one bedroom {I’m not being facetious; it really does feel spacious because of an open floor plan and lots of windows}. There’s such little time during the work week, if any, so it’s down to weekends for us to get our act together. The pack n’ play should be set up too, and we need to get her cars eat put in…I think we might get the car cleaned and try to do that last task this weekend.

Sleep: not too shabby. I’ve really come to love my pregnancy pillow.

Goals: same as last week – drink water, walk more, keep working. And get some stuff in order at work for when I leave, or at least start to, and get that car seat ready.

Random: I have a birthday coming up; I get to turn the age I’ll be when I have my first child. And there’s a three-day weekend ahead of me, how lovely!

 xoxo, natty ♥