It COULD be any day now... or not.

Here we are - a week before our due date. It could be any day now! ... Or another 2 weeks. It's BRUTAL not knowing when it will happen! Since New Years day I've been going to bed hoping that I'd wake up in the middle of the night with contractions or laying in a puddle of "water", and be off to the hospital to have a baby. Then I wake up in the morning feeling defeated, sore and still pregnant. Very pregnant. Man, do I envy the girls who have their first babies at 38 weeks! I guess I have to look on the bright side. He's obviously not here yet because he's not finished cooking, so it's best to let him do his thing until he's ready. It's just so much easier said, than done!

39 week belly shot (and check out my new iPhone 5 - I'm in love!)

Anyways, I thought I'd do another "Pregnancy Journal" update, since it COULD be the last. Here it is...

39 Weeks Pregnant

Size of baby: Your baby's the size of a watermelon! The average baby is about 20.5 inches long from head to toe and weighs approximately 7.5 pounds at birth, but anywhere between 5 pounds 11.5 ounces and 8 pounds 5.75 ounces, is a healthy range for newborns.

What's baby up to?: Your amniotic fluid, once clear, is now pale and milky from your baby's shedding vernix caseosa. The outer layers of skin are also sloughing off as new skin forms underneath. His brain is still growing at an astonishing rate, a pace that will continue for the first three years of life. His head has dropped into your pelvis by now, which makes your breathing easier but walking harder.

Total weight gain/loss: + 29 lbs (I actually lost 3 pounds since last week... apparently a slight weight loss is a sign that labour is imminent! A girl can hope!)

Pregnancy symptoms: Fatigue (followed by bursts of energy and nesting/cleaning urges), constant backaches and pelvic pressure/pain, heartburn (only when I’m in bed - a couple Tums seems to do the trick), more frequent urination, and a couple other symptoms I would classify as “TMI”, and spare you from!

Maternity clothes?: Pretty much everything. And I haven’t worn pants in like 2 weeks because the waist band digs in too much ... leggings are my bottom of choice these days!

Stretch marks?: None. C’mon skin... you can do it! Just a bit longer!

Sleep: about 9 hrs during the night, with the occasional afternoon nap!

Best moment this past week: Probably hanging out with my brother and his girlfriend on NYE (Dan was working)... baby related... learning that I’m 1cm dilated. Hey - it’s something!

Miss Anything?: My pre-pregnancy clothes, walking without discomfort, being able to sleep through the night!

Movement: Still lots - It generally feels much lower now, but I still get the occasional kick to the ribs or a foot that presses against the side of my belly and hangs out there for a while, until I push it back in!

Food Cravings: Fruit (specifically blackberries and pineapple), cheese, milk.

Exercise: Lots of dog walking!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope.

Gender predictions: It’s a boy!

Labor sigs: Yes actually - engaged head, 1cm dilated... and those “TMI” symptoms I wont share here, since I don't want to gross anyone out :)

Belly Button in or out: Mostly out.

Wedding rings on or off: On!

Happy or Moody: Happy (for the most part), but I’m ready to be done!

Looking forward to: Meeting our baby boy! I have another OB appointment on Monday, so I’m hoping I’ll show more progress and hopefully have him before my due date, which is January 12th! (Statistically speaking, only 50% of babies are born by their due date, and another 30% are born the following week, so it’s pretty much a given that he’ll be in my arms by the 19th, at the very latest)

Baby boy's "Going Home Outfit" - all packed and ready to go!

I'm not feeling the greatest today (achy all over, and kinda flu-ish), plus Dan is working so I have no one to take my Outfit of the Week photos. I think it's a pajama day, for this girl!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Less than a month to go!

Another week has flown by and we’re officially less than a month from our due date (28 days to be exact!). Next weekend I’ll be 37 weeks (considered full-term), which means baby boy could come at any time! Am I ready? HECK YES! (Well, there are a few things I still need to buy, but they can wait - I’ve got all the necessities!)

In other news, Dan and I both got sick this week - sore throat, congestion, cough - us and the rest of the world, it seems. I taught a bunch (it was my last week!), did some Christmas baking with my mother-in-law and sis-in-law, and finished my Christmas shopping (and wrapping!). This afternoon is Family Christmas #1 with my dad’s side of the family - and the holiday rush officially begins! OH YA - we also got a new vehicle! Check out my “Mommy Wheels” :) 

Here’s an updated bump photo to compare to the others. This last month is going to show some significant growth, I think! 

... and a frontal version - ha ha ha - it actually looks like I swallowed a watermelon!

  

I figured it’s time for another “Pregnancy Journal” entry considering I haven’t done one since 31 weeks!

  Pregnancy Journal for Week: 36

Size of Baby: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long (let’s be honest... ours is probably already 20”!)

What's baby up to?: He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

Total weight gain/loss: +27 lbs

Pregnancy symptoms: Fatigue, backaches, occasional heartburn, frequent urination (like... way more... so annoying!), pelvic pressure/pain (combined with easier breathing, I think that means he’s “dropped!”) One thing that seems to have gone away are Braxton Hicks contractions... or maybe I just haven’t been feeling them like I was before?

Maternity clothes?: Yep, mostly everything. Even some of my maternity jeans are starting to feel uncomfortable like they’re digging in to the bottom of my belly. I’m pretty much living in leggings!

Stretch marks?: Nothing  - fingers crossed it stays that way!

Sleep: about 9 hrs during the night, with the occasional afternoon nap.

Best moment this past week: Since I didn’t have an ultrasound or OB appointment or do anything “baby related” this week, I’d have to say that baking with Dan’s mom and sister was the best moment! We made a ton of delicious Christmas goodies, and I had a blast doing it :)

Miss Anything?: Not really! I’m surprised I don’t miss my morning coffee more, but tea has really grown on me!  (I switched when I found out I was pregnant, since it’s got less caffeine).

Movement: Still lots of movement! It feels different though. Less “kick-like” and more like he’s trying to roll around in there. His movements are usually very obvious from the outside and I can see my belly bulge out to one side! So strange.

Food Cravings: My sweet tooth is back! Dark chocolate, clementines/oranges, milk!

Exercise: Lots of walking (...more like waddling).

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope.

Gender predictions: It’s a boy!

Labor signs: The past couple of weeks, I’ve been feeling constant pelvic pressure, which I think means that “lightening” has occurred (ie. he’s dropped and ready to rumble!)

Belly Button in or out: Mostly out.

Wedding rings on or off: On! (I haven’t experienced any swelling at all...)

Happy or Moody: Happy! ... although more easily irritated than usual.

Looking forward to: MEETING OUR BABY BOY! I just cant wait to see what he looks like, hear him cry, kiss him, and bring him home! It’s been such a long 9 months and Dan and I are ready to welcome the most precious addition to our family.

 ______________________________________

Lastly, my Outfit of the Week. This is what I'm wearing for our family Christmas get-together this afternoon, at my aunt and uncles. We're leaving now! 

Top: Smart Set

Sweater: H&M

Pants: Dish

Boots: Aldo

Necklace: Suzy Shier