Week 37 ~ Baby Cantaloupe!

How far along? 37 weeks! Baby is technically full-term and it blows my mind that he's due in just 3 short weeks! It's wild to think he could arrive any day now. I've read a lot of brain development happens in the last few weeks, though so we definitely want him to bake bit longer. (Sidetone: I got several compliments on my "shirt" when I wore this outfit and I used to get compliments on my dress- haha guess I'm getting bigger so it looks smaller :-P)

Weight-gain: Up 1.5 pounds in 1 week- it seems we are keeping a consistent pattern of .5 pound for baby and 1 pound for mommy each week :-P It's funny how normal it feels to gain weight every week... I think I might miss this feeling! I'm up 28 pounds total, so unless something crazy happens I think I should be able to stay under 35 pounds by the end and I feel pretty good about that :-)

Stretch marks? Yuppers, the 7 little squiggles are still there, but I'm thrilled that they haven't gotten any bigger! I was just sure it was going to be like that chip in the windshield that doesn't seem so bad and then a spider web stretches across the whole window in every direction!

Sleep: I had another busy week, but I managed to head to bed early because I was so tired. I'm still sleeping really well! I've had a little bit of hip pain on the right side that has prompted me to sleep on my left side, but I think that's the side you're "supposed" to sleep on anyway.

Best moment this week: 

1) Hubbs and I celebrated our 3-year anniversary! My how the time has flown and what fun we have had together :-)

2) I have had such long busy days at the office this week and Hubbs could see that I've been dragging, so he has taken extra good care of me by making dinner and cleaning the kitchen.... and he even baked peach cobbler for dessert one night! I was literally so tired I fell asleep before it was done baking, but it's the thought that counts -and I certainly enjoyed it the following day. Bonus - it also seems Hubbs might have caught the nesting bug- he suddenly wants to organize the garage!

3) The doc said that she's confident baby will be an average 7-8 pounds, and not giant! This is good news because I was 9 pounds 5 oz so I was expecting a big bay-bay.... if he is big that's okay too, it's just nice that I can be less intimidated imagining a smaller baby ;-)

4) I was an extra in a commercial that was filmed at the hospital this week- that was kinda fun :-)

5) My friend and her husband left for China this week to pickup their baby boy! They'll be back September 5th- it's so funny that we may have our baby boys at about the same time! Her journey has been so different from my own - equally beautiful, but it makes me even more appreciative of the miracle that my body can create.


Food cravings: I haven't had any cravings, but I've started eating a few dates every day... I've read that they help with an easier labor! Perhaps there isn't much truth to it, but I've actually noticed it has pretty much eliminated my sweet tooth and that alone is great!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Labor signs: Not yet!

Symptoms: This belly is getting so big! It's actually hard to lean over it to eat sometimes. Also, I've started picking things up with my toes so that I don't have to bend over :-P The temperatures have cooled down quite a bit, it has rained a lot and been in the 50-60's, but I still get hot very easily. Yesterday the facilities guy came over to my office and commented on the colder weather and said he'd be happy to get the big AC unit out of my way... I told him that was very thoughtful..... but I still need it :-P Thank goodness I wasn't 9 months pregnant in July AND I don't live in the south- I don't know how people do it!

Belly button in or out? In, but I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes flat in the next few weeks!

Wedding ring on or off? Off, but I can still wear it sometimes.

Happy or moody most of the time: I accomplished a lot at work last week and feel like I could be at a good stopping point if I had to be, so that has been a huge load off. I've been tired, but happy!

Looking forward to: Next week at work I don't have a lot of meetings or orientations, so I'll be able to work on things at a nice relaxing pace. Plus, I'm taking Friday off, just for the heck of it! I don't want to burn myself out, so I'm going to take a little break while I can. The following week I'll have another 3-day weekend with the Labor Day holiday, so maybe I'll be nice and well-rested but the time baby arrives. My doctor will be checking to see if I'm dilated or effaced at all next week and I can't decide if I want to know or not... it may or may not be an indication of when baby will arrive, but I almost think it would be more stressful to think he's coming sooner and then be disappointed if he doesn't. Ignorance is bliss maybe?