37 Week Bumpdate - We're Full Term, Baby!

Photo taken at 36 weeks, but I'm actually 37 weeks tomorrow!

So here we are at 37 weeks, folks. It's pretty surreal to be sitting here on the sofa typing this post on a lazy Saturday afternoon, knowing Mr. T is in the nursery putting a surprise finishing touch on the nursery, feeling yet another Braxton-Hicks contraction, then looking down and see this little lump move across my big, bodacious belly, knowing we are three weeks and counting from meeting our little girl. Who as you can tell from the picture, is very clearly running out of room in the womb. I can now tell which lumps are her feet (always kicking me on my right side), and which one is her cute little bottom (just to the left of my belly button). At my doctor's appointment last Friday, the doctor confirmed she is still head down, my cervix has softened, and I'm about 70% effaced. WHOA. That means it's almost showtime. And whereas a week ago I was freaking out about that, all of a sudden in the past week I have become so, so ready. I'll let the bumpdate below explain why:

Symptoms: Hmmm, which one to choose? Sadly, the pregnancy insomnia is back with a bang. Four times this past week I've woken up around 3 a.m. to use the bathroom, all to come back to bed and toss and turn for two hours straight. Sometimes it's because I can't get comfortable, sometimes it's because she's keeping me company with an acrobatic act, and sometimes it's because I'm thinking of all of the things I still need to take care of before that fateful moment when I say, "it's time." I'll think of things I need to pack, wash, organize or do, and then I have to fight the urge to get up and do them right then so I won't forget. Because that's the other big thing I've noticed lately - I'm forgetting LOTS these days. I actually read today that your brain cells do actually decrease in the third trimester, and lemme just tell you, I am living proof. I literally panicked the other day and couldn't remember if I had written a thank you note to a dear friend. Turns out I hadn't...for a gift she had gotten us two months ago. Awesome. Thankfully, she totally understood my forgetfulness, but now I have learned my lesson and am tracking those thank you's more than ever!


Weight Gain: So they say there are early gainers and late gainers in pregnancy. Clearly, I am the latter. I was feeling semi-proud of myself for keeping things in check up until about 34 weeks and then WHAM! I started packing the pounds on like nobody's business. According to my trusty books, the baby went through a growth spurt a few weeks ago and gained a 1/2 pound per week, which also seemed to showed up on me! I went from being able to still wear some of my more forgiving regular clothes and bottoms with my belly band to literally wearing nothing but maxi dresses and maternity jeans or pants. Thank goodness it is summertime and sundresses and flip flops are expected. Because that is about all I can rock these days. I'm up to about 20 pounds, with three more weeks to go. We were able to get an ultrasond and see that Baby T is measuring almost 6 pounds a week ago, so we have both gone through a growth spurt. Within the last week, I've had some pretty significant swelling in my hands and feet, so much so that I'm down to about two pairs of shoes I can comfortably wear. Bye bye, fun high heels, hello flats. Which becomes barefoot the minute I get home from work. Poor tootsies.


What's different: Um, everything. I have truly loved every minute of being pregnant up until about two weeks ago. Long story short, we had a little scare that sent us on an unexpected trip to the hospital. We went on a little "last time for just the two of us trip" over the weekend and I started feeling pretty crummy pretty much the minute we left. (Sidenote: we have decided we are cursed on trips - I was sick the first three days of our honeymoon, sick the entire week of our one year anniversary because I was six weeks pregnant, and sick on our babymoon. What gives?) After calling the doctor on call after things kept getting worse, she thought we should get up early on Sunday and come into the hospital. I could really tell the baby had been less aftive when we were driving back, and once we were admitted, I asked them to check her on the fetal monitor. Five minutes and several alarmed looks later, they rushed me to Labor and Delivery, finally telling me that the baby's heart rate was 205 - scary high. Turns out that I was dehydrated and had an infection, and she was simply mimicing my symptoms, bless her heart. Talk about scary - we went from the doctor telling us we might need to do a c-section that night to getting her moving and her heart rate back in the normal range in about two hours flat. The positive that came from all of that was that we got a trial run of what to expect at the hospital (the staff was amazing, which was such a comfort) and also a lesson in how we are so not in control of any of this. It made us realize how lucky we've been throughout this whole pregnancy, and how her health, and mine, has been such a blessing. I think we needed that reminder.


Cravings: The other night while getting ready to watch the way-overrated Bachelorette finale, I absolutely, positively had to have a brownie. Brownie a la mode, actually. But I didn't want to bake a full pan for fear I would be tempted to devour the whole thing, so on an impulse, I ordered a Chocolate Thunder From Down Under from Outback. Mr. T picked it up and when he showed up with it, I devoured it in about five minutes flat. It wasn't pretty, but it was sooooooo worth it. And the baby kicked in delight for a good thirty minutes afterward. I think she likes sweets too.


Aversions: None!

Sleep: Not the greatest. But trying to enjoy it as much as I can, while I can!

I am loving: Sitting in the nursery and rocking in my chair. Listening to her dad read Dr. Seuss books to her at bedtime. Having the hospital bags packed and knowing we're ready when it's time to go. Sterilizing her sweet little pacis and washing her tiny little clothes. The smell of Dreft. Looking in my rearview mirror and seeing her carseat. Opening her closet and staring at her adorable clothes for the 100th time. And more than anything, knowing I will meet her soon.

I really miss: Sleeping on my stomach. Like, for real. That is going to feel like heaven in a few weeks. When I do get to actually sleep...


I am looking forward to: Meeting her, seeing her face for the first time, and telling her in person how much I love her, rather than having her hear it through the gurgle of my stomach. Plain and simple.

I'm spazzing about: The crazy, unbelievable, amazing thing my body is about to do. In one way, I'm totally in awe of all that is happening even now to prepare me for birthing this baby. And in another, I keep thinking "how in the world am I going to do this?" Is that normal?


Movement: Every day! We confirmed she is head down, and like I mentioned earlier, I can tell where all her little limbs are now. Sometime when I touch her foot, she moves it in response. I think she's ticklish. :)

Milestone: Baby T is now 19-22 inches long and weighs about 6.5 pounds. She's busy making last-minute preparations for life in the real world by simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on her thumb, blinking and pivoting from side to side (though I can tell she has a favorite position). We are officially full term, and would gladly welcome her any day now, but my doctor seems to think I'm tracking right on time for my 8/28 due date. Wow, next time I post, I could be a mom!!!