Week 40

How far along? 40 weeks 5 days....

How big is baby? The size of a jackfruit (whatever that is!)

Sorry for the questionable quality - thebump.com has been down for a while so I'm forced to
resort to Google images for my weekly fruit comparison. 

Total weight gain/loss: I haven't gained anything at my last 2 appointments! HOLLA!

Maternity clothes? Meh. I'm living in the same three work outfits (one of which probably shouldn't be worn to work...) My work pants don't fit (because of how low she's dropped) and my maternity shorts are also questionable. 

Sleep: Sleeping well, but in a fair amount of pain when I wake up (in my hands).  Sometimes it's so bad that I can't bend my fingers (or even wiggle them) since they're so stiff. 

Best moment this week: I finally (!) found the Leap Frog Learn and Groove play toy I've wanted for Em! I am SO excited! They stopped making them for quite some time, and they were selling on ebay for over $100. No. As much as I wanted it, I'm not about to shell out that kind of money for a toy for my 6 month old. Sorry. No. I found one a few weeks ago at a consignment sale and it was in terrible shape (and was $20 bucks!) so we passed. It was sad. So I was browsing the Liberty Swap Shop on Facebook and saw it! For $7! I was so excited!! I contacted the seller and we met up in Liberty. It's kind of dirty, but I'm so thankful I didn't have to purchase it brand new, or pay a million dollars for it on ebay. 

I also got a prenatal massage and a mani/pedi. Parts of the massage were REALLY rough and made me super nauseous. I think I was just hot - once I asked her to uncover my feet I was fine again. That's what I get for having an August baby. 

Movement: SUPER active again. :)

Food cravings: Nothing in particular. Milk is always a winner in my book. 

Food aversions: Still loving pretty much everything. 

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: Irregular contractions. Last night they were roughly every 15 minutes and lasted a minute for a few hours. Then they stopped. Again. Oh life. :) 

Pregnancy symptoms: Too many to list at this point! Pretty much everything I've listed in every post before!!

Belly button in or out? IN! 

What I miss: Being skinny. Not gonna lie. 

What I am looking forward to: Hopefully my daughters birthday this week!!

Upcoming appointments/events: 5 appointments this week! Yep, 5. Now that we're officially past my due date, I'm going to be monitored like crazy. I can't complain though since it's for Em's best interest. Anything to keep her safe. 

Milestones: So much has happened in the past week. Not only have I surpassed my due date, but I have a fun new diagnosis - gestational thrombocytopenia. Essentially this means that I have low blood platelets. I am SO thankful that Kyle and I attended the Bradley Method classes to help us prepare for a natural birth, because it looks like that's what I'm in for - no matter what. I feel like without those classes, Kyle and I would be on two completely different pages, which would be absolutely horrible while in labor. So with an epidural off the table and induction being discussed (I'm not really interested in that at this point, but I may not have an option depending on how low my platelets get) I'm starting to get really nervous. In the case of a c-section we're looking at being completely put under as opposed to just a spinal block, and possibly a transfusion. Scary? Absolutely. I realize that nothing will ever go 100% completely by what we have 'planned,' but I certainly wasn't expecting this big of a bump in the road. I have complete faith in my support system and in my midwife. I also feel like Kyle and I have prepared ourselves with knowledge of our legal options and my rights as a patient. We won't be announcing when I go into labor on Facebook (I don't want that kind of pressure!) but send a little prayer our way for a safe delivery of Emerson Kate if you notice that we've gone radio silent ;) we will certainly need all of the love and support we can get!

Week 39

How far along? 39 weeks and 6 days

How big is baby? The size of a watermelon (which actually sounds delicious right now!!)

Total weight gain/loss: I'm almost positive I'm nearing the 50lb gain total mark! That sounds like a LOT! It feels like a lot, but I guess for my original size, I'm right on track. Scary to think about losing all of that though! I'm sure I'll get there :)

Maternity clothes? Even those are getting super snug these days. Only three (of my 9 million) dresses fit right now and my work pants are super snug. Lame. BUT my tanks and non-maternity work shirts still fit like a charm. Riddle me that! Kyle and I went out to lunch on Sunday and it was rainy and a little chilly. I didn't want to wear my normal lounge wear (you know, because sometimes I like to feel human too!) so I tugged on my one pair of maternity jeans that I hadn't touched since week 18 (and they looked AMAZING at that point.) They fit great everywhere except right where the stretchy band meets the jean material - the exact same spot where my work pants are snug. Sheesh! But they worked! And I wasn't miserable! And I felt like a person. Win, win, win! Hopefully that will be the last time I wear those (unless we decide to have another baby) - and I say that not thinking "oh I'll be able to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans right away! but more of a 'I don't plan on wearing anything other than dresses and sweats until I'm forced to go back to work! 

Sleep: I feel like this is non existent these days - and even when I do sleep enough and I feel rested, it doesn't matter because I'm so exhausted an hour later that I don't even remember that feeling. I know, just wait. I don't even know what TRUE exhaustion is yet ;) 

Best moment this week: Definitely at my doctors appointment when my nurse asked if I was getting checked today and I said "no thank you." and she responded with "good for you! We do so many unnecessary checks and they're for no good reason." :) It made me feel good, like I'm totally justified in my decision to hold off on those as long as possible. I mean, not that I need any sort of validation, but it still felt nice to be supported and not looked at like I was crazy (like I get from some of my friends :) )  

Movement: Still not as much! Well, I say that and the past two days she's been a little wiggle worm in there! I was thinking that maybe she was getting into position for labor, but remembered she's been in position for like, ever. And Google says babies are typically LESS active right before labor, which pretty much sets in the theory that I'm confident I'm not going to have her on time. I'm okay with that!

Food cravings: Not really craving anything anymore. But I certainly am still enjoying food!

Food aversions: Nada!

Gender: Female

Labor Signs: NOPE! NADA! ZILCH! NOTHING! And I'm okay with that. Even the Braxton Hicks have pretty much stopped. During dinner last night I was getting them fairly regularly, to the point Kyle mentioned that we should probably start timing them, but as soon we he said it, they stopped. Oh well. I'm okay with her baking in there a while longer!

Pregnancy symptoms: My hands hurt. Oh goodness they hurt. I mean, not like the worst pain ever, but as soon as I try to move them - ouchies! I'm fine with normal things like typing or texting, but washing my hands and opening doors - I remember very quickly that I have carpal tunnel. Oh, I suppose I should mention my last appointment! I officially have carpal tunnel (fun!) and my midwife has NO idea what my rash is. She said it looked like shingles, but I told her that it couldn't be because it wasn't painful enough. Trust me, you don't forget that pain!! So it's just kind of hanging out. 

Belly button in or out? In!

What I miss: Being able to comfortably roll out of bed and my hands not being all hurty. 

What I am looking forward to: Her due date (which is on THURSDAY!) I'm excited to see that I was right and she was going to go past her due date! Although, I must say I've felt kind of funny, or off, for the past several days - so who really knows what's going on in there :)

Upcoming appointments/events: I scheduled a prenatal massage, mani, and pedi (thanks baby daddy!) for Thursday, so I'm excited to enjoy that little treat! And then we have our 40 week appointment on Friday! I'm not sure if I want to be checked or not to see if I'm dilated at all - we know she's in the right position and she's definitely been dropping - sooooo we'll see. I'm sure I'll be updating this at 40 weeks still!

Milestones: I'm alive! :)

Week 38

How far along? 38 weeks 6 days (holy crap)

How big is baby? The size of a small pumpkin!

Total weight gain/loss: Still in the 30ish lb range

Maternity clothes? Still getting a pretty good mix of both. Rocking non maternity dresses for work and tanks at home. I've still been trying to find a bra that fits. Fail. This just isn't happening. Ever. So frustrating. I know they're just going to keep getting bigger too! If they fit in the cup area, I'm busting out of the back (back fat is so hot right now - literally.) If the back fits, the cups don't. Can't I just get one that fits!?

Sleep: Rocky this week. I've been soaking up the snuggles I can get from Kyle and Macy, but still getting up at LEAST 10 times a night to go to the bathroom. I'm excited for that to end, but I'll still be up every 2ish hours. YAY! At least now I get to go back to sleep as soon as I go to the bathroom. Those days are close to an end. 

Best moment this week: Finishing the nursery! 100% done! And it is glorious and exactly what I had envisioned.

Movement: Not so much. But it makes my heart happy when she does wiggle around in there :)

Food cravings: Back to loving spaghetti every morning! And definitely Fazoli's. I would eat there every day if we had one close to use. It's probably up there with Popeyes right now (which no one saw coming!)

Food aversions: As of right now, Mexican food. No thank you.

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Surprisingly no, not this week. There's not a whole lot going on!! 

Pregnancy symptoms: So dang tired and sore 90% of the time! And every time I wake up at night (every. single. time) my fingers are tingly - like they're swollen - but they don't look swollen. SO random. And now they hurt ALL of t the time. Joint pain is fun. I also have a pretty wicked rash on the top of my left thigh. Random, right? Both things will be brought up at my next appointment! And I have pretty severe nerve sensitivity in my legs. 

Belly button in or out? A little piece of the corner is sticking out. Gross.

What I miss: Energy. Not having tingly hands. On the rare occasions my hands have swollen a little bit, I always get a little claustrophobic. That feeling makes me so nervous. I have no idea why! 

What I am looking forward to: Massage, manicure, and pedicure coming up this weekend to get me nice and relaxed for Emerson's debut! Hopefully my nails and toes don't chip before then! Because clearly that's what is important ;)

Upcoming appointments/events: Friday.

Milestones: I haven't gone into labor yet! That's a big step ;) And definitely the nursery! I couldn't be happier with it.

Week 37

How far along? 37 weeks 6 days

How big is baby? The size of a winter melon? I've never heard of such vegetable. I stand corrected. It's actually a fruit until it's mature, but then it is eaten as a vegetable. Um, what!? I don't even know what that means. 

Total weight gain/loss: 38lbs ish I believe. 

Maternity clothes? Same as last week! I still fit into some of my pre-pregnancy shirts and dresses, but I pretty much live in tank tops and shorts. 

Sleep: Meh. Could be better, could be worse. I'm certainly getting tired more easily these days. That's no surprise though!! I wish I could sleep through the night (but I hear that that'll never happen again as long as I'm alive. YAY)

Best moment this week: Getting SUPER close to being finished with her nursery which is an awesome feeling. YES PLEASE! I also spent several hours at labor and delivery this week being monitored and knowing that she's okay is pretty awesome! And spending some time with my sister making pom poms. My amniotic fluid going up!

Movement: Not as crazy as it has been in the past. Kind of a bummer, but I know she's just getting too big in there to move like before. We know she's okay and that's what matters. 

Food cravings: Grapes and club crackers! This has been my dinner of choice for several evenings. I shall take it. 

Food aversions: Not really anti-anything. 

Gender: Still a girl (as my 3 ultrasounds in the past 2 weeks have confirmed). Now watch her turn out to be a he. That would be hilarious, and by hilarious I mean not funny at all. Don't do that Emerson. Not cool.

Labor Signs: YEP! I thought my water was leaking over the weekend (picture walking around Hobby Lobby and all of a sudden thinking you peed your pants). Hilarious. My sister thought the same thing and kept saying "you will NOT go into labor here. Okay?! Not here. HOLD IT IN." Okay. Got it. Apparently her words of wisdom worked because we still aren't holding a baby. Typical.

Pregnancy symptoms: I'm getting rather large, I have stretch marks (although honestly, they could be much worse), my arms have gotten bigger, I get exhausted trying to do pretty much anything, and I'm always ready for a nap!

Belly button in or out? Still in, but a corner is kind of protruding - but it doesn't show through my clothes. Weird, eh? 

What I miss: Sleeping through the night. Not wanting to die of thirst at 10pm. Having the energy to clean (nesting is so not a thing in this household apparently. I went through this freak out phase for the nursery, but now that it's mostly done I'm pretty mellow about everything which means NOTHING gets done.)

What I am looking forward to: Delivering this child! 

Upcoming appointments/events: I've had two appointments this week and a trip to L&D so I'm covered until week 39's appointment. I can't believe it's going so quickly!! I swear EVERYONE said that it would creep by - and it's NOT! Liars!

Milestones: I survived week 37! And Kyle still loves me. I'll consider that as a win!

Week 36

How far along? 36 weeks 6 days

How big is baby? The size of a honey dew!

Total weight gain/loss: up 2lbs from my last appointment - but I think I already included that in last weeks post... Soo roughly 30 some odd pounds. 

Maternity clothes? Since I'm living in my non maternity tank tops, I get this band of skin that hangs out when my tank rides up and my shorts ride down. It's an interesting look for sure! Keeping it classy. I have also extended this look for when I go outside of the house - like to Target or to the grocery store. I am confident that Kyle finds this super annoying, but he's a gentleman and doesn't complain about it. :) 

Sleep: Kind of iffy. I'm getting much better at falling asleep, but my back and hips get so uncomfortable at night. I have this method of every time I get up to pee, I'll lay back down on the opposite side I woke up on. That seems to have a good effect on efficient sleeping. I was looking at the "recommended" breastfeeding schedule and holy hell, I have no idea how I'm going to make it through that. Literally every 2 hours for a feeding. I would definitely say I've been more stressed about breastfeeding than labor. My logic is that she's going to enter the world one way or another but I want to be able to feed her what's best! Thankfully I Kyle who is SO supportive and is constantly reminding me that he will be there to help and he will be just as sleep deprived as I am. I think I'll keep him. 

Last night was the worst sleep night EVER! I was having intense Braxton Hicks contractions (which I was told were not a thing because BH's are NOT supposed to hurt) so I laid in bed all night mostly whimpering in pain. Not cool. That means I am SUPER tired today.

Best moment this week: My good friend Meredith had her baby!! I couldn't be happier for her (and her family!) She's been my pregnancy buddy through this entire thing - I couldn't have done it without her!! We've spend countless hours emailing/texting/facebooking "uh, do you think this is normal?" or "has this happened to you yet...?" and it's been fun! I can't wait to meet her little one.

The other 'best moment' of the week has definitely been spending some more quality time with Kyle. I'm relishing in the time we have left together in the house with just the two of us (plus our fur babies). I am so excited for this journey that we are embarking on and I want to make sure that our relationship is as solid as it can be before Emerson gets here. I hear that sometimes babies 'rock the boat' so to speak.

Movement: She's pretty active, but again, during very specific times of the day. I still get nervous occasionally when it's been a while since she's had a kick, but

Food cravings: Grapes. I've been cooking meals on specific days so I have 3-4 options for lunch/dinner on any given day. Best decision ever! I used to do this on the regular, but got too lazy. I need to get my butt in gear! Kyle and I went on a lunch date on Sunday to Margaritas (in Liberty - because that matters) and I LOVE LOVE LOVED my enchilada. It was SO good. I even splurged and had a Dr. Pepper. Naughty, I know. Worth every calorie. 

Food aversions: Meh. Nothing really. 

Gender: She's a she!

Labor Signs: UH MY GUUUUUUU! Yes! BH'ing all over the place! It's so annoying and unproductive. 

Pregnancy symptoms: I am SO tired. Like, physically exhausted all of the time now. ALL. Of. the. TIME!

Belly button in or out? Still in! My best friend Danielle came over last night and looked at it - she doesn't think it's going to pop out! There's a reason I keep her around and it's totally for comments like that! :)

What I miss: Not having Braxton Hicks every two seconds.

What I am looking forward to: Thursday, Thursday, Thursday! and also leaving early on Friday. 

Upcoming appointments/events: Thursday for a fluid check ultrasound. 

Milestones: I have come to the realization that I only have 16 more work days until I go on maternity leave (I'm going on the 7th, even if she doesn't get here by then!) Well, maybe. I'm not sure. If she's not here, I might as well finish out the week, right? That will give me an extra two days to stay at home with her in October!! 

Week 35

How far along? 35 weeks 6 days

Yikes!! Maybe it's just the dress? (Probably not...) 

How big is baby? Coconut sized!! (but she's actually 6lb 1oz!! and in the 50% percentile)

Total weight gain/loss: 2lbs at my last appointment! (not bad since it had been two weeks!)

Maternity clothes? YEP! Although when I'm home, I live in non maternity tank tops (Old Navy is my preferred tank because the arm pits are lower and Targets rub me the wrong way) and maternity shorts - which is kind of funny (and gross?) because I own one pair. And the ONE day I have to live without them because they're in the washer is miserable for all parties involved. 

Sleep: Meh. Still up 7-8 times a night to pee.

Best moment this week: I got to see little miss on an ultrasound! I'm not a huge fan of these things since there's been research that they aren't good for little ears, BUT we discovered that this kid has HAIR! WHAT!? This is foreign to me since I spent the first solid 4 years of my life without hair, but Kyle had hair so I guess she's taking after him. She is also "weighing" in at 6lbs 1oz! That's crazy to me since we still have a month to go. I was 6.5 and Ky was 6.14. When I told my midwife how big Kyle was (and that he was a twin) she was amazed! Apparently that doesn't happen very often! Big guy! :) The weight estimates can be off by about 2lbs, so we're looking at a 6-10lb baby if she goes until her due date. I secretly hope she's 10 lbs just so I can say she's I gave birth to a 10lb baby, BUT I also hope she's on the littler side since she has so many newborn clothing (thank you baby showers and mom!) 

Movement: Extremely predictable. She moves at the same time every day for the most part. Occasionally she'll throw me for a loop, but for the most part, she's consistent. She was NOT a fan of the fireworks on the 4th of July. She jumped (literally was startled) at every big boom. HILARIOUS! But I'm sure she was terrified in there. Just wait until next year my love - we'll have you lighting them off! (at 11ish months). Go ahead and judge us on our parenting ;) 

Food cravings: Not really craving anything this week, but I've eaten my weight in rice. It's always been a favorite of mine, but I've been off it for about 8 months. Now I remember how much I love it! DELICIOUS!! 

Food aversions: Nada surprisingly enough!

Gender: It was confirmed that she's still a girl!! 

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks like CRAZY for the past two weeks. I had Kyle feel my stomach for the first time during one and he was surprised at how hard it got. He said "it was already hard because there's no more room left in there! I didn't know it could get harder!" Surprise! It's getting real!! 

Pregnancy symptoms: Paranoia that I'm going to die during labor! And I'm having hardcore, intense dreams. I've woken up in sheer panic three nights in a row, and then I don't want to go back to sleep. Thankfully I get up to pee and then snuggle up next to Kyle, tell him I had a bad dream, and welcome the snuggles as I fall back asleep. I've also had this wonderful symptom of lightning crotch! She is giving my sciatic nerve a noogie and it makes my legs SUPER sensitive. Macy will bring me a toy to play with her and she'll put it on my leg and I'll scream. I do NOT like it. Obviously. Other than that, that's my only complaint about pregnancy this week! I've been beyond blessed with an amazing pregnancy, but I'm sure labor will be a shit show. (Ha, ha, ha?)

Belly button in or out? IN! I'm not sure it's going to stay in though (but we only have 4 weeksish left!). Hopefully the residual shingles pain isn't as bad as the nerve sensitivity I'm having in my legs. If it is... then... well, ouch. There's nothing I can do either way

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach. Having energy to do things around the house. Not needing to snack every 30 seconds! 

Upcoming appointments/events: I have another ultrasound appointment next Thursday (so the results from said appointment will show up in week 37's post) because my fluid was measuring low (which is scary, but I'm sure it's fine because it's constantly changing.) Soo I have that to obsess over for the next week. My midwife told me to take it easy and rest more. She clearly is not aware of the condition of my baseboards. ;)

What I am looking forward to: Having my fluid checked again. I'm ready to not be such a worry wart about it. 

Milestones: We officially have 4 weeks to go! That's insane. And even if we go past our due date, she will absolutely be here in less than 6 weeks. 

Week 34

Let me preface this by saying that I clearly am not on my A game since this is coming 4 days late. MY BAD! What's even worse is that I didn't update it periodically throughout the week, so my memories might be a tad hazy... My apologies. Emmy, I still love you even though this weeks post will be questionable. You have been warned!

How far along? 34 weeks and 5 days! 

How big is baby? The size of a butternut squash.

Total weight gain/loss: 1lb since my last visit! You bet your bottom I celebrated with Popeyes and it was GLORIOUS!!

Maternity clothes? Duh.

Sleep: ROUGH! I miss sleep. I miss being comfortable. I just want to be able to sleep on my stomach! MY nights are so rough that I end up passing out for a nap almost the minute I get home EVERY SINGLE DAY! And I wake up when Kyle walks through the door, which is okay when he gets home around 430 - not okay when he gets home at 6. Huge night time sleep issues! It's a vicious cycle. 

Best moment this week: My baby shower!! 

Movement: Still not as frequent as before, but she's still in there (I would remember if she came out already... right!?) Sometimes I'll get a little nervous because I haven't felt her in a while, but then she'll start swinging in full force to let me know she's okay in there. 

Food cravings: Popeyes. Bananas and grapes. Pretty much it!

Food aversions: Nada. 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Nothing this week!

Pregnancy symptoms: I need EVERYTHING to be clean. EVERYTHING

Belly button in or out? Still in :)

What I miss: Sleeping at night, being able to be a passenger in a car without hating the driver, having energy, not being so tired all of the time, my to do list not being so long... 

What I am looking forward to: Ultrasound appointment this week! They say it's to check to make sure everything is on track yada, yada, yada, but I think it's just a good excuse to get a good peak at Miss Emmy Kate. We didn't do the 4D ultrasound because that's just creepy to us. We can wait until she gets here to bask in the glory of her (eventual) adorableness. :) Newborns are weird looking. Even though I love her more than anything (Sorry Coop and Blankey) she's proooobably going to look weird. Just saying. 

Upcoming appointments/events: the 8th! Ultrasound. Please see above comments.

Milestones: Kyle survived another week, and I completed two seasons of Desperate Housewives. Ain't no thang. :) And I've officially started on Emerson's nursery - like the decorating pieces. I'm in LOVE!

Week 33

How far along? 33 weeks and 3 days

How big is baby? The size of a durian - I find this funny because I actually know what this is!! You don't find them in North America, but I was watching a show on Netflix (one of my faves) with Andrew Zimmerman, and oddly enough, this is the ONE food he won't eat. He is all about trying new things from different cultures and enjoys the most random things, but won't touch this guy. Hilarious? Yes. What's even more funny is that I remember it from 3+ years ago from an episode I watched once. 

Total weight gain/loss: 32 lbs. Yikes. 

Maternity clothes? Mmhm. With the exception of the tank tops I sleep in (which are the only thing I can tolerate while I sleep. Sleeves - get outta here!)

Sleep: I no longer sleep through the night. I get up to pee regularly. I think this is caused by the fact that I am all of a sudden dying of thirst at 930 at night. Seriously? Yes. And it's not something that sips of water can quench. It's more of a "if you don't drink a million ounces of water right this second I'm going to keel over and die" type of thing. It's fun. And by fun I mean it's ridiculous. Every. Single. Night. So up I pee!

Best moment this week: Well... I had a situation earlier in the week. I was having regular painful contractions. I thought they might be just Braxton Hicks, but these were legitimately painful, and not just uncomfortable. The back pain though was AWFUL! Nothing I did could make it feel better. I was writing the whole scenario off until I googled (why do I do this to myself!) it and since I was having more than 6 of these an hour, and they were coming regularly, I went ahead and called my midwife. I had changed positions, walked, sat, stood, bounced, pelvic rocked, and laid down, but nothing was making them stop. I called and left a message with the nurse expecting her to completely blow me off and tell me I was fine and to rest and drink some water (which I was doing) but my midwife said I needed to come in right away. Oh. Okay. Sure. Let me put pants back on and head that way. My cervix wasn't dilated (good thing!) but we did a protein test to see if there was a need for steroids to help develop Emerson's lungs in case of an early delivery. 

So I guess I wouldn't say that this was the highlight as in the BEST part of my week, but it was nice to be reassured that Em was okay in there for now :)

Movement: Yep! She was really moving on contraction day (as I oh so affectionately refer to it now - something I just decided). And she certainly has a witching hour - around 8-9pm every night (consistently) she's moving like crazy. It's fun since I can see/feel from the outside what I'm feeling on the inside. 

Food cravings: Grapes and bananas. LIKE nobody's business. I bought a pound and a half of grapes at the City Market on Saturday - and I had about 1/4 of a pound left on Saturday night. Whoops. I was hungry!

Food aversions: Still liking pretty much everything. Icecream isn't my cup of tea right now I suppose - same with gelatto (which has been a staple in my diet lately).

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Please see 'best moment of the week'

Pregnancy symptoms: Tired, I pee all of the time, my stretch marks are making friends with other stretch marks, I'm grumpy, can't get comfortable anywhere at any time, hardcore motion sickness. Same thing different day :)

Belly button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: Hot dogs, sushi, and turkey. And being able to get on a roller coaster! I REALLY miss that!

What I am looking forward to: Roller coasters next year :)

Upcoming appointments/events: Friday!! And my baby shower is on Sunday! A super heartfelt THANK YOU to Stephanie for hosting it for me. :) I am so thankful to have you in my life.

Milestones: I only got up to pee once last night. It's a miracle! 

YES! So true! I am constantly hot and uncomfortable and my go to coping method is trying to figure out where Emerson is laying in there :) 

Week 32

How far along? 32 weeks and 4 days

How big is baby? a squash baby! Which is fitting because I constantly feel squashed!!

Total weight gain/loss: an official total of 28 lbs. That's a hard number for me to take in actually. I weigh 7 lbs less than Kyle does. 7 pounds. That's not much. I'm going to be beating him any day now. Not like it's a competition, but still. Kind of depressing. Especially since I still have a few weeks to go. 

Maternity clothes? Yep! I can no longer wear my pre-pregnancy shorts (which is SUPER depressing because I've been living in them after work (so hot outside) and as of this week, I can no longer wear my pre-pregnancy shirts to work. I have no idea how I managed to make them fit for 31 weeks of pregnancy - especially since they were a size small. BUT I did. And it's not even my belly that's keeping me from those shirts. It's my boobs! THEY'RE HUGE! And they're going to keep getting bigger. 

Sleep: Since the baby is gaining weight, she's constantly pressing on my bladder which causes me to need to get up several times a night to pee. Sleep was nice while it lasted!! 

Best moment this week: Talking to my midwife about my concerns from the tour. I feel SO much better knowing that we're still on the same page. Thank goodness. 

Movement: Yes, and it's so cool! I can feel her from the outside now - so she's moving and grooving in there and I can feel her different anatomy. Now I can tell what's a foot, a hand, and a butt. Loving every second of it!

Food cravings: Shrimp and sandwiches - but oddly enough, not together ;)

Food aversions: Nada. I like pretty much everything still (besides the usual offenders). 

Gender: Girl

Labor Signs: Nothing so far really - just those Braxton Hicks. I've decided that I'm not going to have cervical checks done, so I won't be able to keep you up to date on how effaced/dilated I am until the big day! Unless she decides to come late, and at that point (40 weeks) I'll have to be checked to make sure she's moving into the proper position. 

Pregnancy symptoms: I'm achy, motion sickness to the extreme, I'm tired all of the time, I'm grumpy, I hate everything 80% of the time, my feet are hot constantly (such an odd change for me since they're usually cold) and holy stretch marks! Oh, and I forget pretty much anything that's not written on a post-it. 

Belly button in or out? In but stretching. 

What I miss: Being able to roll out of bed comfortably. Not having hot feet. Having a clean shirt at the end of the day. (This does not happen anymore - there's always some form of food on it)

What I am looking forward to: Knocking out my to do list! 

Upcoming appointments/events: Phone consult with the maternity care coordinator on Monday :) I think it's weird that we don't meet with them in person, especially since I still haven't signed a consent/HIPAA yet, and I am 100% I will NOT be in the mood to sign those once I get to the hospital. NO THANK YOU. I'll definitely ask about that. Thanks for the reminder. 

Milestones: I can see this kid moving from the outside on a regular basis. 

Our Announcement

I just realized that I had never posted how we announced our exciting news to the world!! We told a select few and then several family members, but overall, I'm AMAZED at how long we were able to keep that a secret from a majority of people we knew!

I had this vision (I'm sure you're all surprised) for how to announce it on Facebook - because as well all know, nothing is official until it's Facebook official. I had bought the most adorable onsie in the universe that I knew we would incorporate, and I wanted to take it at the beach - because it was February and everyone back home was stuck in 10 inches of snow. We're that hateful :)

This is what we came up with:

Kyle worked his editing magic and I think it turned out great! The water really was that blue! It was stunning. We had originally planned on waiting until we actually landed in KC to post it, but we got really anxious at the airport, and luckily the editing had been completed when we were on board! Smart thinking! So of course Kyle and I turned it into a competition. Classic Kristin and Kyle magic. What's even better is that he totally kicked my ass. In my defense, a TON of my friends ended up liking his picture instead of mine. Rude.  We wanted to see who could get the most likes if we posted it at the same time. Winner, winner chicken dinner. I swallowed my defeat and basked in the glory of all of the happy comments!

We knew that everyone would have questions (and a majority of them would be the same questions) so we did our best to answer them with our post. I am so excited to be on this journey with this man and we couldn't be happier!

Week 31

How far along? 31 weeks 6 days!

Yikes! Ignore my messy vanity!! 

How big is baby? The size of a pineapple!

Total weight gain/loss: 25ish lbs (I'll have the most up to date number next week)

Maternity clothes? YEP! Thankfully our washer is fixed, so I have maternity clothes to wear again! And let me tell you, it's glorious! What isn't glorious is washing/drying/carrying up stairs/folding/putting away 6 weeks worth of clothes. That is a task I am NOT enjoying.

Sleep: The pee fairy has officially hit me. I got up on Friday night 16 (yes, I counted) times to pee - I don't even understand how it's possible - I didn't drink that much water!

Best moment this week: My washer being fixed! Duh!

Movement: She has been particularly active at night when I go to lay down - or even laying on the couch, but like most babies in utero, as soon as someone goes to feel her move, she instantly stops moving. Her kicks and movements have also been a lot more intense lately - probably because she's out of room in there!! Sorry sweetness, it's only going to get less comfortable - for both of us I'm sure. 

Food cravings: Popeyes and sweet tea. Thankfully Popeyes has AMAZING sweet tea, so it's a two-for :) I try to limit my consumption, but thankfully the tea is within my safe caffeine limit.

Food aversions: Popcorn - but again, that's been a thing for like, ever. 

Gender: Little Miss

Labor Signs: Holy back pain!

Pregnancy symptoms: Hormones are a bitch- anyone who says differently is lying. And I'm totally nesting so I'm constantly feeling tired and overwhelmed. Braxton Hicks contractions, vagina kicking from my fetus, constant fatigue, I'm always hungry, EXTREME thirst around 8pm, zero memory (I would be completely lost without my planner.) And holy sciatic nerve pain!! OMG! It usually happens at night or early in the morning and my body is hyper sensitive to EVERYTHING! If a sheet brushes my leg and I'm not prepared for it, it's agonizing. Same goes for an adorable little puppy who loves to snuggle in the morning - I've scared her  quite a few times when she accidentally steps on me. And also stretch marks! They showed up a few weeks ago, decided they were comfortable and decided to stay. Thoughtful, right? I'm handling them much better than I thought I would. I'm sure more are coming, and I shall embrace them as they come - I earned those stripes!

Belly button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: Sleep. Definitely sleep. Motivation to do things. Energy to do things. The ability to climb onto a chair to paint without having killer pain the next day. I also really miss being patient and understanding. I feel like lately anything and EVERYTHING is a trigger for me - the dogs, Kyle, the washer, work... you name it, it's put me in tears. So frustrating!

What I am looking forward to: Not being a hormonal mess (I'm in denial that it gets worse before it gets better)

Upcoming appointments/events: I have a total of 7 appointments left! Kind of crazy to think about. I'm almost down to 8 weeks before the due date and each week I have an appointment! (with the exception of week 33.)

Milestones: I finally have experienced lightning crotch - this is an actual term!! Where the baby kicks you in your lady parts - I mean, obviously she's not quite that low, but holy moly it's uncomfortable! I've also been able to distinguish when she is head down vs head sideways. :) That's always fun. I was telling Kyle that it felt like she was pushing on both sides of my stomach and he said that she probably was (which he followed with a demonstration). Makes total sense!

We also went on our hospital tour - I enjoyed seeing the facility, but I did not enjoy hearing that some people are stuck on the "traditional" way of doing things. Thankfully I have talked through all of my concerns with my midwife and I will definitely make sure she puts those in my chart. The RN giving us our tour mentioned that "some people include things in their birth plans that they don't understand why they're doing it! Like, not using the ointment in the babies eyes, or delayed cord clamping - no valid medical reason." So I look at Kyle and say "we're still doing delayed cord clamping" and he says "oh absolutely, and we know the reasoning behind it." Thank God for this man!! 

Week 30

How far along? 30 weeks, 4 days

How big is baby? CUCUMBER sized! Basically a mini giant.  

Total weight gain/loss: 24 lb gain so far. Kind of annoying since I haven't changed of my eating habits (with the exception of having Gelato once a weekish). And I know I have some more to gain! I think I've come to terms with it - this is what my body has decided it needs to grow a happy and healthy baby - so be it. 

Maternity clothes? Obviously. We are almost at exactly one month of the washing machine being broken - I have lot all sense of patience and understanding with the situation. Thankfully the part has been ordered and is being shipped to my house instead of the other company fixing it. So. Annoyed.

Sleep: This one has been tough. Kyle was gone for a few days and it was hard to sleep without him. Thankfully Macy Mae is a wonderful snuggler and was happy to take his place on his side of the bed. My back always kills me when I lay in bed so being RIGHT next to Kyle with that extra pressure on my back is a life saver! Macy did not disappoint :) 

Best moment this week: I bought cheesy olive garlic bread at the farmers market with my dad! It's made by an Amish farm in the area and it is AMAZING! So amazing in fact that Macy jumped up on the kitchen table and proceeded to eat the loaf on the same day I bought it. SO much for saving some for Kyle (no worries guys, I had already managed to eat half the loaf before the monster got to it). Kyle has since promised that we can go back on Saturday to get another loaf. THAT GOOD! And I can pronounce everything in it - which is a good thing. I sadly cannot say the same for my beloved spaghetti-o's or ramen noodles. 

Movement: Last night Kyle and I were talking about how I feel that Emmy is kicking both sides of my stomach at the same time - a phenomenon my brain could not figure out. Kyle responded with "well, she probably is" and proceeded to do a demonstration of what she's potentially doing in there. Ohhhh. Okay. Totally makes sense now. Since she's gotten bigger I haven't really been feeling her move around as much, but her heart rate is perfect and she's active enough for it to be considered normal. She was having a hay day last night! I swear it's because she knew that her daddy was finally home! She gave me a relatively quiet weekend! Totally different story last night. 

Food cravings: Popeyes for the win! Seriously can't get enough. Same with sweet tea and caramel frappuccinos. I do my best to avoid the latter two, but I'm a believe that I can have almost anything in moderation. 

Food aversions: Ranch dressing. VOM. Kyle is SO thankful for this. He hates ranch, and as of yesterday, so do I. 

Gender: Emerson Kate is still a girl. I keep having these weird moments of panic where I imagine I'm in labor and I deliver her, and it turns out she's a boy. WHAT!? I can't even handle that. I asked Kyle what we would do and he said "Uh, name her Emerson Dean?" No. Just no. We have another ultrasound in a few weeks (and by a few, I mean 5) so I will be sure to ask them to verify she's still a she.

Labor Signs: YEP! Braxton Hicks every day of my life and I keep getting this irritating crampy feeling in my abdomen. Totally normal, but still totally frustrating. It makes me want to lay down and take a nap. 

Pregnancy symptoms: Tired all of the time, crampy contractions, anti-ranch advocate, moody, and occasionally irrational. I've also entered the panic mode where I feel like I have sooo much to do before she gets here. I get super annoyed when Kyle isn't on my panic level, which let's be honest, he never is. He's all "babe, it's fine, we have a while" and continues to play his crash of titans game. 

Belly button in or out? Still in, but I have almost zero faith that it'll stay in. 

What I miss: Not having to pee a million times right before bed. 

What I am looking forward to: More appointments! They're coming quickly these days!

Upcoming appointments/events: Baby shower at the end of the month! Hosted by my fabulous friend Stephanie!

Milestones: On Friday night I taped the trip in the kitchen (so we can paint), took down the wallpaper in the hallway (so we can paint) sprayed for ants in the living room, AND stepped on a rusty nail that was hiding behind the couch. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but called the ED anyway to see if I needed to come in at get my TDap (which was on my to do list anyway within the next few weeks) and they said that I needed to go in within 4 hours of the incident. So I spent about 2 hours waiting at Urgent Care (I felt horrible because I walked in about 15 minutes before they closed - and having worked in Urgent Care many times, I know how frustrating this can be for staff) but thankfully I was a quick case! I had already cleaned it and knew that I needed the TDap. When I told the nurse that I had planned on getting the shot anyway, she looked at me like I was crazy - but when the doctor came in she assured me that I was doing the right thing - rusty nail or not. :) Vaccinations are a hot topic these days, but I'm thankful to have a supportive significant other and midwife :) Couldn't do it without them!